Room Service: London Hotel and Suites (London, Ontario)

London Hotel and Suites
London, Ontario

The economic uncertainty made it very clear that jet setting was not on the menu at the time. As there is much to do closer to home, we decided to head to London, Ontario and stay at the London Hotel and Suites (formerly Radisson Hotel and Suites London) for two nights in the middle of summer in order to provide a bit of an escape from the ordinary.

The most attractive aspect of this hotel is the pleasant and polite staff, as they were considerate in checking me in and out in as quick and efficient way as possible. I asked many questions and they provided as many answers, and I don't believe I have encountered more courteous staff so far in my travels.

There was a shower that seemed to work adequately, although the water pressure could have been a bit higher, and there was complimentary bottled water on the spacious desk on top of free wired internet. Traditional cable television is found here, along with a fridge which is a rare sight to see compared to competing properties.

Comfort and pleasure was what we looked forward to, and the two queen-sized Sleep Number beds provided a bit of curious button pushing as I tried to figure out what was comfortable for me. After choosing a low number on the first night, and then a higher number on the second night, I found out that my preference is a bed that didn't require a number. But some customers might enjoy that sort of individual experience and the bed was nice to sleep in either way.

In regards to amenities, this property provides a number of features that are quite useful to business travellers, including a business centre (a cramped little office with a desk and a printer beside an unusually spacious window) and a pool (a good sized place to swim laps in). The hotel also features a restaurant but we chose to eat in the nearby strip malls and White Oaks Mall down the road, since it probably was more affordable to do so, and the restaurant inside didn't fit our tastes.

A minor annoyance developed during our two night stay and it involved the magnetic door keys that are issued in modern accommodations - our door keys did not work repeatedly and the staff were keen on fixing those problems at the front desk. It was a problem that should not have happened, but it was handled quite courteously with little added stress.

A great piece of pepperoni isn't about the casing, and the meat of the matter when it comes to a hotel stay is the level of enjoyment. Just like London, Ontario itself, this is a quiet small city that is unassuming. I have been to hotels that are quite frilly and magnificent in looks, but that might not mean you'd get great service.

The beauty of this hotel involves the quality of service and its staff; that's what all accommodations should aim for.