You know what caught me off guard about the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge? The view from the lobby – I mean, you walk in and there’s this massive floor-to-ceiling window wall that frames the Thames perfectly, with Big Ben sitting right there like someone arranged it just for the hotel’s Instagram account. It’s actually pretty stunning, though I’ll admit the lobby can get absolutely packed during peak tourist season (basically April through September). The check-in was smooth enough, but if you’re arriving on a weekend afternoon, maybe grab a coffee first because there’s usually a bit of a queue.
The location is honestly hard to beat if you’re doing the whole London tourist thing. You’re literally a two-minute walk to Westminster Bridge – and I mean literally, not travel-website literally. The London Eye is right across the river, Westminster Abbey is just over the bridge, and you can walk to Parliament in about five minutes. What I really appreciated though was being on the South Bank side – it’s way less chaotic than staying right in Westminster proper, but you’re still close enough that you don’t need to think about transport. The Lambeth North tube station is maybe a seven-minute walk, though honestly, you’ll probably just walk everywhere because most of the big sights are right there. Plus, there’s this great little stretch along the Thames path where you can actually breathe and not feel like you’re swimming through crowds of tourists.
The rooms are what you’d expect from a solid four-star place – nothing revolutionary, but they’ve clearly been updated recently and everything works properly. The beds are actually comfortable (I’m picky about this), and the bathrooms are a decent size by London standards. Some rooms get street noise from Westminster Bridge Road, but it’s not terrible – just that constant low hum of London traffic that you kind of tune out after the first night. What I really liked was the little touches – decent coffee in the room, outlets in sensible places, and the air conditioning actually works properly, which is honestly a blessing during those weirdly hot London summers. The fitness center is small but well-equipped, and they’ve got a pool that’s perfect if you want to swim some laps after walking fifteen miles around the city. Room service was reliable, though not cheap – but that’s London for you. Overall, it’s one of those places that just works well without trying to be fancy. If you want to be in the thick of things but still have a proper hotel to retreat to, this hits that sweet spot perfectly.