Booked this in late Fall of 2006 via Hotwire for $145 a night, which seemed like a spectacular deal to me. We would never be able to touch the regular room prices at this property with the poor exchange rate from US dollars to British pounds. We arrived shortly after Noon, and we were able to get into a room #504 right away. This was very nice after a delayed overnight flight. We were given the choice of a queen bed or twins, and since we are used to a king bed we took the twins (which were pushed together anyway, so it worked out especially well). Our non-smoking request was granted and there was no mention of Hotwire, just that the room was pre-paid. Every staff member we encountered for the 8 days was friendly, helpful and attentive. The room was not big, but not tiny either. Room was definitely larger than the New York City Hilton Priceline room I got in 2003. Pros: clean room, nice bed, mattress and bedding, bathrobe, slippers, and 2 free bottles of water each day. Cons: other than the hangers in the closet, there's no place to store your clothes - no drawers or storage of any kind - unless you want to use the top shelf of the closet. Door to bathroom was the much-talked about frosted glass, which could be a problem for some. Hair dryer was installed in the desk drawer and could not be moved. I have no way of knowing if this was a "Priceline/Hotwire" room, although I suspect it may be. I do know that if we had paid the going rate for this room, I would be disappointed. However, we didn't care about the frosted glass door, the legacy/history of the hotel, having tea there, the quality of the amenities or the clothing storage issue, so there were effectively no negatives for us at a price point of $145. Location is really good. We are walkers and although we took the tube a lot we also walked to St. Paul's, Trafalgar Sq, Piccadilly Circus, Waterloo Station and Big Ben. Lots of eating choices close since the hotel is really right in the theater district and Covent Garden is a 3 minute walk. Temple tube stop is also very close so you have access to many different Underground lines. We were looking for an affordable price, a central location, a comfortable bed and a friendly staff. We were not looking for a 5 star luxury property, nor did we care about the style or ambiance of the hotel - we were out enjoying the ambiance of London itself. If we needed a hotel in London and this was available again for $145, I wouldn't hesitate to jump on it. It was just perfect for our needs.
