22 Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom | (618) 248-8274
Under 10-minute walk to Canary Wharf tube station
14-minute drive from London City Airport
Spacious rooms kitted with kettles, minibars, and flat-screen TVs
Suites with separate living areas and floor-to-ceiling windows
Business center and conference facilities
All-day steak restaurant, plus a bar and room service
24-hour gym with modern cardio and weight equipment
Sauna and locker rooms on-site
Executive Lounge with snacks and beverages offered
Business center and several meeting spaces available
Far from the city center
Does not live up to its advertised five-pearl rating
Rooms a tad dated and windows do not open
Some rooms carry noise from nearby trains and air-conditioning vents
Pricey Wi-Fi (except for Marriott Rewards members)
A stone's throw from financial landmark Canary Wharf and close to London City Airport, the upper-middle-range London Marriott Hotel West India Quay is a solid choice for business travelers. The 301 rooms occupy the first eight floors of a 32-story building, and they're a bit dated with patterned carpets and old-fashioned upholstery. Still, they come with flat-screen TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and minibars. There are a grill restaurant and relaxed bar, plus 24-hour room service, a modern 24-hour fitness center with sauna, and business center with meeting facilities. Guests should note charges for Wi-Fi apply and there have been complaints of noise issues. Travelers looking for a more central location and free Wi-Fi should consider the more modern Apex City of London Hotel.
Scene
Business hotel with mix of modern and dated decor
Welcoming its mostly corporate guests since 2004, the Marriott is every inch a business hotel. That's definitely the vibe in the lobby, where angled skylights and high ceilings let in plenty of light and floor-to-ceiling glass and wood panels exude a sophisticated, if slightly stiff atmosphere. Floors are clean-tiled, seating is oversized leather, and accessories come from larger-than-life curved desk lamps. Black-and-white photos of Fred Astaire prints and the handsome G&Tea bar are attractive, but rooms aren't as impressive with their old-fashioned bed skirts, armchairs, and carpeting. While certain hotel elements -- particularly turn-down service and personalized welcome touches -- are high-end, the property's rooms and facilities doesn't live up to its advertised five-pearl status.
Location
Adjacent to Canary Wharf, and quick walk to the tube
Set off a highway with scenic views of Canary Wharf, the hotel is ideally located for accessing the nearby financial district. Canary Wharf is a five-minute walk and it's only one minute to West India Quay DLR station with direct links to Bank (for farther corporate destinations), Greenwich and Cutty Sark (for a bit of sight-seeing), and Westfield Stratford shopping mall. Canary Wharf tube station is an eight-minute walk. Journeys of under 30 minutes can take you to Oxford Street and the West End. A 14-minute drive and 20 minutes by tube, London City Airport is super close while journeys from Heathrow and Gatwick are both around an hour (both by taxi and public transport).
Rooms
Spacious though a bit dated rooms with modern amenities
Starting at 31 square meters (334 square feet), rooms are large and many offer views of Canary Wharf. They're design is more dated than the other hotel areas due to patterned carpet, old-fashioned bedskirts, and red upholstered armchairs that are showing wear. Still, they're well-adapted for the business traveler with large work desks, two-line phones, and desk-level electrical outlets. Note, however, that Wi-Fi is only free for Marriott Rewards members. Suites have separate living areas and guests in Executive rooms have access to the seventh-floor lounge with panoramic city views, free breakfast, and evening drinks and canapes. All rooms have 37-inch (94-cm) flat-screen TVs with premium channels, phones with voicemail, minibars, tea- and coffee-making facilities (with free cookies), and free bottled water. Wardrobes offer plenty of hanging space and contain electronic safes, as well as irons, ironing boards, and hairdryers. Though windows do not open, temperature can be individually controlled. Note that air-conditioning vents can be noisy, as can nearby trains. Nightly turn-down service adds a sophisticated touch and upgraded rooms get further offerings. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos with green-and-brown-striped curtains, granite countertops, and quality toiletries.
Features
On-site steak restaurant and bar, business facilities, and a fitness center
The hotel's features are heavily geared toward its mostly corporate guests. The Manhattan Grill serves American cuisine in a casual, airy setting with floor-to-ceiling windows. Travelers in a rush can skip the buffet breakfast and opt for the Grab-n-Go option. Room service can be ordered 24 hours. Displaying its 150-strong gin collection, the G&Tea bar is open late and also offers afternoon tea with champagne. A full business center is on offer, as are several meeting spaces. The 24-hour fitness center has a wide array of modern cardio and weights machines, plus there are a sauna and locker rooms. Off-site parking is available for a fee.