Billingsgate Market Tours and Activities

I booked this last minute when another hotel booking fell through. All I knew was that I liked the area it was in and needed a place to sleep but I was so pleasantly surprised by how nice and cute it was. Highly recommend for solo travelers!

Love this hotel & I always return here but have noticed a sneak move at check out where they are charging a percentage for gratuities for reception staff etc. I’m not totally against this although I think it’s a stretch as they already have gratuity included often but the way they applied it out asking or running it past us felt very cheap @ underhand. I went back to reception and told her they can keep the charge. I will pay but dont ever apply this to people again without asking. This is enough to make me change hotels. It is expensive to stay here. I don’t enjoy such behaviours & as a matter of principal I would change hotel choice next time.

The Grand Concerto Hotel (formerly Castleton Hotel per my credit card) has improved from what looked like a nightmare online. Great location near Paddington Station - perfect for travel and good value for the price. It looks really nice inside too - but the rooms are small so keep that in mind. The customer service, however, was seriously lacking. When I needed laundry info, staff said they don't offer it and claimed not to know any nearby places (Central Wash and Lilas are walking distance per Google). Worse was at 3 AM departure when my phone internet wasn't working (there was no trains running at this time, no taxis outside either) - not their fault, but I asked for a taxi number. They refused to help, saying "they don't do this." A staff member was watching videos on a laptop but wouldn't look up a taxi company. Most hotels would at least give you a phone number or call one for you. Had to walk to Paddington at 3 AM where security actually helped me. Nearly missed my flight. And again it is not their problem, but as a traveler this was something I never experienced at any accommodation. Staff handled basic requests like toilet paper fine but showed zero problem-solving skills for actual travel needs. The buffet was okay too, but there is also a good place called Mimo's across the street. Bottom line: Excellent location and price, but don't expect help beyond the absolute basics. Have backup plans ready and if you encounter a problem, try and solve it on your own.