Ramada by Wyndham London Finchley

Overlooking a main road and huge parking lot backing onto a leisure complex, the brick-fronted Ramada London Finchley fits the typical chain hotel mold. Although rooms are mixed between dated and contemporary, common areas are largely up-to-date and pleasant, if generic. A bar off the lobby has black-leather seating, wood floors, and lights hanging from a black ceiling. An adjacent restaurant has a monochrome palette of black and white seating, a black chandelier, and orchid wall art. A protected patio seating area with hanging lanterns and live evening music is popular, though most travelers spend their days off-site. Guests are mostly business travelers or tourists with ties to North London.

The hotel is best reached by car and is just off the main North Circular Road, which links to the M1 highway (one of the U.K.'s biggest). It's in North London's largely residential Finchley area, though the hotel is right by the Finchley Lido, which has a movie theater, bowling alley, leisure center with pool and fitness facilities, and a 24-hour McDonald's, among other chain eateries. A bus stop outside the hotel is useful, as it's a 10-minute ride to the nearest tube station of East Finchley (busses themselves do not run to the city center). On the Northern Line, tube rides from East Finchley reach the West End, Oxford Street, and London's financial district, The City, in around 40 minutes. Brent Cross shopping mall and event venue Alexandra Palace are a 15-minute drive and Wembley Arena is double that. Heathrow and London City Airport are an hour's drive, while Gatwick is about double that.

The spacious rooms are mostly dated, though as of spring 2018, some have been given a contemporary makeover. Older rooms have a neutral color scheme with dark striped carpet, blond-wood furniture, lamp wall sconces, and yellow patterned wallpaper. The renovated rooms, meanwhile, have an updated look of dark-wood furniture, plain beige walls, and pops of scarlet-red and charcoal in armchairs, bed runners and throw pillows, and wall art. Wardrobes have exposed shelving and hanging rails, and all rooms come with flat-screen TVs, desks, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and hairdryers. However, they lack fridges and only some are air-conditioned. Straightforward bathrooms have shower/tub combos and wall-dispensed toiletries. Despite double windows, rooms facing the main road can be noisy and those at the hotel's rear may overlook trash areas or the entertainment complex's parking lot. Triple Rooms are available and the hotel has elevators.

All rates include a buffet breakfast of hot English fare such as scrambled eggs, cooked tomatoes, bacon and sausages, alongside continental items like cereal, pastries, and hot and cold beverages. The Flames Restaurant serves Mediterranean fare for lunch and dinner, and it offers live music, a decent selection of wines, spirits, and beer, and an outdoor terrace. Wi-Fi and parking are both free. There are no on-site leisure or wellness facilities, but guests of the hotel get a discount to the nearby David Lloyd Leisure Centre, where there's a huge fitness center and pool.