Days Inn by Wyndham London Hyde Park

The Days Inn London Hyde Park is a budget hotel that occupies a row of three Georgian townhouses dating back to 1836. The lobby is bright and well maintained, if a little dated in terms of decor -- expect to see oak paneling and linoleum tiles alongside simple furniture. It also has the quirky addition of the owner’s pet budgerigars (small parakeets) living in a cage by the window. Unlike many of the small hotels in the area, this budget choice has a bar on-site -- it's not the most contemporary spot we've seen for a drink, but is just fine as a place to unwind in the afternoon after sightseeing. The hotel is geared toward leisure and business travelers on a budget, and tends to attract a fairly equal mix of the two. Families are also drawn here thanks to the larger rooms that can accommodate four people.

The hotel is located on a fairly quiet, tree-lined street and in a pretty row of Georgian townhouses in the heart of Paddington. There are many other budget and mid-range hotels in the surrounding streets, as well as lots of restaurants, including a steak house, Indian, Italian, and fast food chains. It’s just a two-minute walk to Paddington Station where there is an overground train line as well as underground options. The train from Paddington to Heathrow Airport takes less than 30 minutes, and the train station also has many shops, cafes, and restaurants within it, including Yo! Sushi and Starbucks. Hyde Park is a five-minute walk away, and there are a number of popular attractions in and around it, including Kensington Palace and Gardens, the Princess Diana Memorial Playground, and the Serpentine Gallery. Whiteleys shopping mall and all the restaurants that surround it is fairly close by too, around 15-minutes away on foot, while tourist sights like Big Ben and Westminster Abbey are 20 minutes away by tube. Gatwick Airport will take about an hour to reach using public transportation, a commute that can take up to 90 minutes by car.

The 55 guest rooms at the Days Inn London Hyde Park are available as Single, Double, Twin, Triple, or Family Rooms. Several of the rooms are more modern and have handsome dark carpets, contemporary light wood-veneer furniture, padded headboards, paneled accent walls, and deep blue and red accents. Other rooms are a bit less fresh, and have stodgy, oak-veneer furniture, tired wall art, and outdated light fixtures. Charming sash windows let a lot of natural light into the rooms, and the hotel has installed air-conditioning in every room which is a real bonus for a London hotel in this category. Rooms are all on the small side though, and some traffic noise can be heard in certain parts of the hotel. All rooms include free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, work desk, and tea- and coffee-making facilities. All rooms here have a private en-suite bathrooms, though facilities vary -- some have shower/tub combos while others just have shower stalls. They all have modern fixtures and white tiling. 

The hotel offers a free continental breakfast each day that includes coffee, pastries, yogurt, and fruit, though the options have left some guests underwhelmed. It’s served in the dining room in the basement where there are wooden tables and royal blue chairs. There is also a small casual lounge bar on-site which serves a range of hot and cold drinks and light snacks. Unlike many central London hotels, this Days Inn has a courtyard with a couple of chairs and some potted plants, although it is tiny and not the most comfortable place to relax. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, although some previous guests have found it slow at times.