Riu Plaza London Victoria

Hotel Description

Honestly, the Riu Plaza London Victoria surprised me – and I don’t say that lightly after staying in dozens of London hotels. You know what caught me first? The lobby actually feels calm, which is rare for anything near Victoria Station. Most places around there have this frantic energy bleeding through the walls, but somehow this one manages to feel separate from all that chaos happening just outside.

The location thing is pretty brilliant, actually. I mean, you’re literally a two-minute walk from Victoria Station (I timed it), which sounds terrible until you realize it’s not. The hotel sits on Neathouse Place, this quieter side street that locals use as a shortcut, so you get all the transport connections without the tourist madness right at your doorstep. The Tube, buses, trains to Gatwick – it’s all right there when you need it. Plus, you can walk to Westminster Cathedral in about five minutes, and I don’t mean the Abbey (that’s Westminster Abbey, totally different thing). The cathedral has this gorgeous Byzantine architecture that most people miss because they’re rushing to see Big Ben.

What I really appreciate is how they’ve thought about the details that matter when you’re actually living somewhere for a few days. The rooms aren’t huge – this is London, after all – but they’re designed smartly. Good blackout curtains (essential if you’re dealing with jet lag), decent water pressure, and the beds are actually comfortable, not just firm for the sake of being firm. The air conditioning works properly too, which you’ll definitely want during those surprisingly hot London summers. I stayed on the seventh floor and could barely hear the street noise, even with the windows open.

The staff genuinely seems to know the neighborhood, which is rarer than you’d think. When I asked about finding a proper Sunday roast nearby, the front desk guy didn’t just hand me a generic restaurant list – he actually walked me to the lobby window and pointed toward Pimlico Road, explaining which pubs locals actually go to versus the tourist traps. That kind of local knowledge makes a difference when you’re trying to experience London like you live there, not just visit.

Here’s the thing about the 8.4 rating – it feels about right. This isn’t one of those glossy five-star places where you’re paying for marble everything and intimidating service. It’s a solid, well-run hotel that understands what business travelers and smart tourists actually need. The breakfast is decent (though honestly, you’re better off exploring the area for proper English breakfast), the WiFi doesn’t drop every ten minutes, and check-in was refreshingly quick even during what seemed like a busy period.

If you’re the type who wants to stay somewhere that feels connected to London rather than isolated from it, this works really well. You can walk to the Thames in about eight minutes, or head the other direction toward Belgravia if you want to see how the other half lives. The whole Westminster area is incredibly walkable once you get oriented, and having Victoria Station as your home base means you can reach basically anywhere in London without much planning.

Rooms

• Deluxe Queen with 1 large double bed for 2 adults
• Deluxe King with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults
• Deluxe Twin with 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Deluxe Family Quadruple with 1 extra-large double bed, 2 × 1 sofa bed and 2 single beds for 3 adults
• Deluxe Family Triple with 2 single beds, 2 × 1 sofa bed and 1 large double bed for 3 adults
• Single Room with 1 single bed for 1 adult
• Family Junior Suite King with 1 sofa bed and 1 large double bed for 3 adults
• Presidential Suite Package with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 3 adults
• Double Room – Disability Access with 1 extra-large double bed and 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Deluxe – No Window with 1 double bed and 2 single beds for 2 adults
• Family Deluxe – No Window with 2 single beds, 2 × 1 sofa bed and 1 large double bed for 2 adults
• Deluxe King Room with City View with 1 extra-large double bed for 2 adults

Facilities