Boutique on a Budget: A review of Point A Hotels – Liverpool Street, London
Point A Hotels are a fleet of affordable hotels in central locations across London, Glasgow and soon to be Edinburgh. Using their vast range of hospitality experience the Point A team have modelled their hotels on the concept that a hotel stay is more than just a room for a night. From a desire to bring heartfelt hospitality to the budget hotel sector Point A aim to provide outstanding service, stylish common spaces and fantastic, central locations all at an economy price. Sounds too good to be true right? Let’s see…
Point A – Liverpool Street
In the heart of one of the coolest neighbourhoods in London you’ll find Point A’s Liverpool Street hotel. Tucked away down a quiet, cobbled street the hotel is just metres away from Spitalfields Market, the corporate City of London and a short walk to the bars of Shoreditch. Whatever your reason for staying here the location ticks every box!
First Impressions
As we approached the hotel we were greeted by a smart, windowed exterior. The hotel is clearly signposted making it obvious that we had reached our destination. The large windows allowed us to see right through to the inviting reception area making it clear where we needed to head to next. The reception staff were friendly, attentive and best of all – well informed. There wasn’t a single occasion when there weren’t at least two members of staff available at the front desk meaning any concerns were quickly addressed.
We were given clear instructions on how to find our room, access to common spaces and breakfast & check out procedures. Moving through the foyer we entered a lounge area which led to a guest garden. This is certainly something I wasn’t expecting to find in an economy hotel in central London! The hotel garden offers a peaceful sanctuary and breathing space for guests with a large patio area and pretty landscaped beds. First impressions were indeed very good. Smart, clean, spacious and welcoming. Tick, tick, tick!
The Rooms
Rooms are priced between £75 – £130 a night depending on when you stay and whether you want a window. We chose a double room with a window on a Sunday night which would usually cost around £75. A very reasonable price considering the location. All rooms come with a Hypnos bed (luxury mattress and super comfy!) WiFi, power shower, Smart TV, air conditioning and….mood lighting! These rooms certainly do not feel budget – quite the opposite. Overall the room felt as comfortable and well facilitated as some high end hotels I’ve stayed in. And the mood lighting…well that’s just showing off!
Breakfast
A continental breakfast option is available in most Point A hotels at an additional cost of £9 per guest. Guests can choose from a wide range of pastries, cereals, yoghurts and fruit as well as hot and cold drinks. We were really impressed by the standard of service once again. Eating areas were promptly cleared and cleaned with food options constantly being topped up and replenished.
Value
Point A hotels have come up with a great scheme to allow guests to save on local eateries and activities during their stay. Each hotel has established an ‘A List’ network of local businesses which will offer guests a specific discount or perk if they mention where they are staying. At Liverpool St these offers include a free bottle of wine at the local Carluccio restaurant or a complimentary round of drinks at Hawksmoor. They also have a working relationship with DW Fitness First meaning you can use the local gym for free during your stay!
Verdict
Point A have achieved something quite special. They provide affordable accommodation in fantastically central locations without scrimping on quality or service. In fact we found the service better than some places we’ve paid almost double the price to stay in. We will definitely be staying with Point A again and highly recommend the experience to others.
Disclosure: We received a complementary one nights stay at Point A Liverpool Street in exchange for this review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
