Hotel Review: Hilton London Bankside - Family Connecting Rooms
One of the most important decisions you will make as part of any vacation is the hotel you’ll be living in for the duration of your stay. Especially when traveling for more than a week, I wanted to find a space that offered my family the ability to spread out, had many on-site amenities, and was in a quieter section of the city. After spending months planning our trip to London, I finally found the perfect hotel for our 10-day stay in Hilton London Bankside - and it was one of the best travel decisions I’ve ever made.
If you’ve ever tried to book accommodations for your family in the UK, you quickly learn that most hotel rooms only offer space for a maximum of 2 people and a single bed. When I discovered that Hilton London Bankside offered dedicated connecting rooms for families, I knew I had found a winner. What I didn’t expect were all the other great offerings the hotel provided in and around Bankside - making it truly the best family-friendly five-star hotel in London.
CHECK-IN & LOBBY
We arrived in Bankside around 11 AM on a Thursday, hopeful for an early check-in. Our flight was great, but after limited sleep and passing through five time zones, we were exhausted. Thankfully, I had been messaging with the hotel before our arrival about an early check-in, and we were able to secure our rooms within 15 minutes after arriving.
The hotel lobby and staff are extremely welcoming. Upon arrival, my son was greeted by a staff member and immediately offered his pick of any items from their in-lobby candy bar. He was extremely excited to enjoy some snacks while were waited for our room keys, and he would raid the candy bar (or try to) every chance he got during our stay.
The lobby is not extremely large but offers ample space to sit and relax. They also change out the look of the lobby frequently, with different arrangements and decor being added throughout the week. Complimentary desserts and other food options were also available in the lobby throughout the day.
TRIPSTER TIP: Tucked behind the check-in desk, there is a space just for kids. It includes coloring pages, puzzles, and other toys themed to the UK children’s cartoon Miffy. This theme carries into other parts of the hotel, such as the Miffy-themed OXBO Brunch offered on Sundays.
In addition to the Miffy theme, the hotel also has several hidden fox statues throughout the building, as well as in the rooms. My son had fun trying to find them all, but with almost 40 hidden throughout, I think we were only able to find about half.
As you enter through the automated or revolving doors, there is easy access to the Distillery Bar, OXBO Restaurant, and the Executive Lounge. Elevators are located immediately to the left of the hotel staff desks, making it super easy to get to everything in the lobby area.
Overall, the lobby offered a welcoming space that allowed us to easily get to all of the offerings on the main level. The staff were attentive and always willing to offer help and answer any questions we had during our stay.
THE ROOMS
If you ask my son what his favorite part of our whole trip to London was, his answer is always the hotel! With family connecting rooms, we had two full-sized rooms, each with its own bathroom, living space, TV, closet, and mini fridge. He felt like royalty having his own room during our 10 days in London, and I think he thinks we are rich because of it!
With our rooms connecting via a pass-through door that we always left open, we felt safe with our son sleeping next door while my wife and I enjoyed a king-sized bed and a chaise sofa lounger in our room. My son enjoyed two single beds decked out in a fox theme. He was greeted with a super soft kids’ fox blanket, a fox stuffed animal that he got to bring home with him, and a fox-themed pillow. Along with his own room and bathroom, he also received his own robe and slippers as well as a goody-bag when we arrived, which included a few coloring pages, snacks, and gummy bears. The refrigerators in both rooms were also stocked with a few complimentary packs of cookies and two premium soda drinks each. They also included two full-sized water containers per room that were easily refillable at a filling station down the hall.
The bathrooms were both modern, clean, and large when compared to other spaces in London. Our room featured a step-in bathtub and shower combo, while my son's bathroom had a large walk-in rain shower. Both bathrooms contained ample counter space to spread out all of our toiletries and items throughout our stay.
When I was researching hotels in London, I noticed a lot do not offer air conditioning. The Hilton London Bankside included a cooling/heating unit that kept our rooms comfortable throughout the whole stay. The rooms were also super quiet both during the day and at night. Although the hotel was fairly full and some construction was taking place, we rarely saw or heard others throughout the hallways, so expect a quiet, good night's rest during your stay.
FOOD & DRINKS
The hotel offers two full restaurants in the OXBO and The Distillery Bar, as well as an Executive Lounge.
The Executive Lounge
Being that we are Hilton Honors Diamond members, this was a game-changer during our stay. Having access to the Executive Lounge allowed us to have free breakfast daily, along with free coffee, tea, and drinks all day long. They offer grab-and-go soda and water as well as two espresso machines. Having a daily breakfast buffet available was the best part, as they offered a large variety of options each morning. The lounge itself was rather quiet and empty, giving us a quiet space as a family to start our day.
At night, the lounge also offers small bites such as pasta and rice dishes. These items were also complimentary, along with free alcoholic beverages and desserts during the evening hours.
The OXBO
The on-site primary restaurant, the OXBO, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, along with a Sunday brunch. After our long flight over from the United States, we enjoyed taking an easy elevator ride down to our dinner that evening. Their children’s menu was decent, and my son enjoyed a custom grilled cheese as they were easily able to modify the ham and cheese toastie on the menu to be cheese-only. My wife and I enjoyed our meals as well as drinks and dessert.
We were also lucky to grab reservations for the OXBO Sunday Brunch during our time at the hotel. At the time of our stay, they were offering a Miffy-themed brunch. We opted for the premium bubbly upgrade, which included unlimited champagne. My son enjoyed the made-to-order pancake bar as well as the buffet of desserts. Their buffet options are also exceptional, along with made-to-order pancakes, waffles, and egg dishes. Each adult meal also came with an entree of different roasts, which is customary in the UK.
The Distillery
After a night of swimming, we wanted a quick bite and to chill in the hotel. We stopped in the Distillery Bar, which offered a similar menu to the restaurant. This was a more low-key setting; however, which allowed us to be in a more casual setting compared to the OXBO. We enjoyed a few appetizers while watching a cricket game on their large TVs throughout the bar.
POOL, FITNESS CENTER & SPA
Being a five-star hotel, Hilton London Bankside offers a secluded pool and jacuzzi, fitness center, and spa on its second basement level. We enjoyed all three of these amenities throughout our stay, and it made down days super relaxing and almost felt like we were at a resort.
My son and I enjoyed the pool twice during our 10 days in London. The water was warm and the pool itself was pretty empty both times we visited. There is also a jacuzzi section attached to the pool that was on a timer; however, it was not heated differently from the pool but was still enjoyable. Being that the pool is on the sub-level, the mood is pretty low-key with low lights and super dark finishes. Several chairs surround the pool to relax in, as well as a locker room to store valuables and to dry off.
The fitness center is connected to the pool area and separated by a large set of windows. While it is not a huge space, they pack a ton of equipment into it. My wife utilized the fitness center a few times during our stay and commented on how much equipment they had compared to some other hotels we have stayed at throughout the US.
Finally, the spa is an awesome addition to the hotel. While there are only two rooms, the spa is adjacent to the pool and fitness center, making it easy to access. I enjoyed a massage while my wife enjoyed a facial during our off day. We both believe the services there to be superior to the massage/facials we’ve received at other Hilton hotels, so I highly recommend paying a visit to the spa if you have a chance during your stay to truly enjoy all the hotel has to offer.
THE LOCATION
While I didn’t originally choose The Hilton London Bankside for its location, the surrounding area quickly became one of the best parts of our trip. Bankside is on the quieter side of London, allowing us to start our mornings with fewer crowds as we ventured into the busier parts of London. The Southwark tube station is only about an 8-minute walk from the hotel’s front door, which made our commutes throughout the city super easy. There are also a ton of things to do in Bankside itself, and we found ourselves exploring the area almost every day of our stay. I mention a few of our favorites below, but you can easily take a day or two just to explore Bankside.
The Tate Modern (Bankside, London, SE1 9TG) is a rather large art museum housed in the former Bankside power plant and is literally a five-minute walk from the hotel, with several free exhibits and stores available. We spent about 2-3 hours exploring the exhibits during our Bankside day, and while some exhibits may not be suitable for the children, we enjoyed many of the interactive exhibits and exploring the several art shops throughout the building.
The Table Cafe (83 Southwark St) offers brunch all day and was a great spot for us to celebrate our last morning in London. Only about a three-minute walk from the hotel, The Table offers unique brunch options in a low-key modern setting. I enjoyed their truffle savory waffles, which paired well with their coffee and mimosas being served.
Bread Street Kitchen & Bar (47-51 Great Suffolk St) is about 10 minutes from the doorsteps of the Hilton and offers an extensive menu prepared by Gordon Ramsey. The restaurant was not busy when we dined around 6 PM one weekday evening. This allowed us to chill and savor our meals. My son enjoyed bangers and mash, while my wife and I enjoyed the sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
Borough Market (8 Southwark Street) is a famous and very popular market in London that is only a 10-minute walk from the hotel. There are over 100 stands at this market where fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, baked goods, and meats are sold daily. If you are staying in Bankside, Borough Marketpace is a must-do!
Birds Hill Coffee (142 Southwark St). I visited this coffee shop on our last full day in London. Being only minutes down the street from the hotel, I wish I had visited sooner! Birds Hill ended up being my favorite coffee shop that I visited that week! I grabbed a ground bag of coffee to bring home and have been enjoying a taste of London each morning.
The Gentlemen Baristas (11 Park St) was probably the coolest coffee spot I’ve been to, as it’s really just a bar inside a nook of a building. The space inside is small, but the coffee really punches. Their pastries were also really good, so it’s worth the 10-minute walk, plus you’re steps away from the Borough Market.
Immersive Gamebox (Arch 3, 83 Scoresby St) is exactly what it sounds like. There are several booths inside the building that turn three walls into a virtual reality gaming arena. My son and I tried the Angry Birds game, which had us putting on special helmets that allowed us to use our bodies to control the characters and actions on the screen. This was a super fun activity right down the street from the hotel that we enjoyed after a day of exploring other parts of London.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (21 New Globe Walk). On our last full day in London, we enjoyed exploring a recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on a walking tour of Bankside. The tour was a great way to capture our last few hours in London, learning about the history of the area we had been living in for 10 days. The Globe also has several live shows performing throughout the day, and this area gets rather crowded, so make sure to book well in advance if the Globe is part of your must-do list on your trip.
Swan London (21 New Globe Walk) Our last dinner in London was at the Swan restaurant, which is located along the River Thames right next to the Globe theatre. The restaurant has amazing views of the river as well as the city. The food was exceptional and offered a great way for us to celebrate our last day in London.
OVERALL
Overall, this was an amazing stay and earned 5 stars from each member of my family. They definitely cater towards kids - with a craft corner, special treats throughout the day, and special touches in the family connecting room, making the hotel stay the highlight of my son’s trip.
If you’re looking for a family-focused hotel with five-star amenities for a stay in London, I highly recommend the Hilton London Bankside.
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