Premier Inn London Hanger Lane Hotel

From the outside, the Premier Inn London Hanger Lane, with its red-brick walls and rows of uniform-size glass windows, could be mistaken for an office building. Inside, the plum- and cream-colored lobby has self-service kiosks to facilitate check-in, as well as a pair of guest computers. A couple of topiary plants add to the decor, but the focus at the Premier Inn is practical and straightforward: providing guests with a clean, comfortable place to sleep. The Thyme restaurant has flowered wallpaper, cloth chairs, and wooden tables akin to a cute cafe. The bar is a more homogenized take on the neighborhood pub, and it can get busy -- and understaffed -- in the evenings. As one would expect in a well-respected chain hotel, it's all kept clean and in good working order.

While the Premier Inn London Hangar Lane is conveniently close to the A40, the location also ensures traffic is near the hotel much of the day and night, which can occasionally interfere with a good sleep. A trip into central London's Oxford Circus Station will take about 25 minutes by Underground, and the Hanger Lane station is no more than a couple of minutes from the hotel's front door. Other than the Wembley Stadium arch in the distance, the neighborhood doesn't have many sights to offer. Guests looking for a little recreation can find it 10 minutes away on foot at the Park Royal Leisure complex, which has a movie theater and bowling alley. London's Heathrow Airport is about 25 minutes away by car.

The rooms at Premier Inn London Hanger Lane are certainly mid-range, yet the design makes efficient use of the space. In each room, the closet and shelves are combined into one wall unit which is comparable to high-end IKEA furniture. The king-size bed is cushy enough for a long night of sleep; a limited number of rooms have twin, double, or single beds. Purple daybeds can be converted to sleep another guest. For those who need to get work done there's a wooden desk in each room with enough space to spread out a little. Free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, coffee/tea facilities, air-conditioning, and pillow choice are included. Royal purple blackout curtains are a nice touch in rooms, which also have purple accent walls, purple-striped carpeting, purple bed runners, and bold floral prints on the walls. The bathrooms aren't particularly spacious, but they're big enough for a tub (in most rooms), and the showers have plenty of water pressure. Hairdryers are provided. 

The on-site Thyme restaurant serves crowd-pleasing fare such as Tempura Prawns and Chicken Salsa Burgers. The breakfast buffet has plenty of options (and costs extra), and there's slightly less expensive, lighter breakfast options available. To entice families to the Premier Inn, kids under 16 stay free and also eat breakfast for free (when a parent orders a full breakfast). Other amenities at the hotel are limited. Some guests may be disappointed by the lack of a gym or business center. There are two PCs for guest use in the lobby. Parking is available for a fee.