Our junior contributor YASMIN LATIF enjoys a family stay at the Thistle Hotel in London…
On A pleasantly seasonal Friday afternoon, my mum and I made our way to Wembley Park Station in Greater London, leaving behind the growing town with all it’s progress and entering a whole new, but familiar world in the core of the Capital.
Leaving at 2.45pm – thankfully not in the rush hour – we both hopped on the Metropolitan line to Baker Street, rucksacks on our backs, and concluded our journey by taking the Bakerloo line to Charing Cross (Trafalgar Square) where our adventure began!
From the moment we stepped out of the station, we were hit by the constant echoes of the city, the classic lamp posts and the four stone-carved lions watching the world from their thrones. Smiles on our faces and stomachs craving for a bite to eat, we searched for a cosy street side cafe to ease our hunger, of which there were many to choose from.
But we didn’t have to go far, down the road from Charing Cross sat one of my favourite cafés calling our names form across the street.
After a refreshing lunch we strolled along the side streets to our accommodation for a night on Whitcomb Street – thanks to Google Maps!
Situated in the heart of Trafalgar Square, vibrant with traditional, festive Christmas stalls lies the Thistle Hotel only a short, brisk walk from the famous flowing fountains and Nelsons Column. Towering the skies over six floors its outer appearance is deceiving with its granite walls hiding the comfort that lies within. Surrounding the hotel is the legendary Odeon cinema in Leicester Square along with the National gallery and Playhouse Theatre perfect for a night of entertainment.
Upon our arrival we were greeted with double glass doors, leading into a slender but spacious lobby with the reception desk straight in front of us. Welcomed by a very friendly and helpful member of staff, who showed great interest in our journey to the hotel and our plans for the evening, we were ready to explore the hotel. One of the first questions I ask when entering a hotel is, “What time is Breakfast” and in the Thistle Hotel, I was delighted to hear that it’s from 7.30am to 11am, which meant an extra sleep in for me!
Wandering the corridors to our room on the top floor, we were thrilled to see that the whole place was immaculate from floor to ceiling – something I always watch out for wherever I go. Entering our room with a view stretching its arms across the rooftops and spirals of London, I was overjoyed to see that two single beds had already been organised, as I didn’t want to share a bed with my mum.
Furnished to a high standard throughout, the main area of the room consisted of a velvety turquoise sofa in front of an oval shaped coffee table neatly presented with a bowl of ripe fruit – a very unexpected treat. Plus, seeing as I’m a massive fan of books and hold them close to my heart, I was overjoyed to see a mini library of three books with a range of genres, both old and new, sitting there and waiting to be read. As the theatre is one of my passions, I was happy to see that one of the books was “Theatreland.”
To put the icing on the cake, directly across the two beds sat a vast, open freestanding TV, just right for movie fanatics like myself! In the wardrobe we were provided with dressing gowns (slippers would be nice!). But it was fine, as I spent the night walking around in my cosy bed socks. Lucky, I brought them.
To top it off, the bathroom was sparkling with cleanliness with a white tiled floor, a spacious wall to wall shower and warm, fluffy towels to unleash the senses after an invigorating shower.
Dinner that night was in the hotel restaurant, where once again the staff were so accommodating, however the restaurant decor itself wasn’t that great. As we were led to our table, I noticed how the restaurant looked a little tired and was crying out for a makeover.
However, looking at the menu, I was very pleased to find a “grilled meats” section, as I tend to stay away from the carbs and sugars. After ordering a delicious main course of grilled chicken breast with a side of house salad and a portion of seasonal vegetables, we were presented with our drinks of kiwi juice and sparkling water.
After a wonderful night’s sleep, in what turned out to be an unexpectedly quiet room for the heart of the city, we made our way once again down to the restaurant for a delicious cooked breakfast. At breakfast, I was delighted to see fresh fruit on the buffet (not tinned). A little suggestion here though… just for the staff to be aware of restocking the breakfast buffet. Saying that, when we mentioned it to the staff, they were on it immediately.
After a leisurely breakfast we had plenty of time to return to our room to freshen up before packing up and checking out for 12 noon. Once again, the staff were interested in how our experience had been and we departed with a very satisfied and warm feeling in our hearts.
We would certainly come back again for a night at the theatre!
