The Hotel Russell

This is a very convenient hotel for several places in central London at a decent price. The staff provided good customer service and check in/​out was efficient. We did not have breakfast as it was quite expensive and there are many suitable places close by. The public areas of the hotel are impressive and have a lot of character. On the second floor, you can rub George the dragon’s head which is considered to be lucky. George’s twin is under the sea on the Titanic.
However, the room we stayed in was quite dated and in need of refurbishment. In particular, the bathroom had cracked wall tiles and the grouting on the floor tiles was missing in places which resulted in an uneven floor. You may also be wary if you are a light sleeper as the hotel is situated near a main road.

I went here for
conference 2015. Pretty huge hotel. Didn’t realize that it was so huge. Very grand, felt like I was in some sort of palace. Didn’t expect that size in the heart of London.
So many conference rooms. Lovely bar too. Great place if you have plans to run a conference.
I can’t comment on the accommodation as I haven’t stayed there. But from the looks of it, felt posh.

Nice and clean. The staff are very friendly. Breakfast is great. Ask for a room away from the street as it is very busy ALL NIGHT long and the windows are not double paned.

I had a very agreable stay for three nights. But then again, I am a very easy going person. I have couple of remarks which didn’t really bother me a lot, but might be hell on earth to others.
Check in was swift, the staff was very friendly and contrary to some other reviews I’ve read, they all spoke English. They kindly gave me an adaptor for the plugs too, which would cost £5 if not returned upon check out.
The room is not big (single bed) but comfortable enough and decorated with taste.
The breakfast is good and copious, the staff jumps to make your meal as comfortable as possible. A little more variation in fruits would be nice, I’ve had melon every day up to now…
Then some negative points…
For a tiny room that costs € 183/​night, you would expect breakfast to be included. But no, it’s another £19.50 per day extra. For over € 200 per night, I can get an executive room or even junior suite in any 4* or 5* hotel in my home town (Brussels). Honesty obliges me to mention that even at this extravagant rate, the room was one of the cheapest I could find the moment I was booking my stay. So I won’t hold the price against them since London is far more expensive than a normal city and I did know the price before booking — if it was too expensive I could/​should have booked elsewhere.
The room looked out on the inner court, which meant a constant noise from the air ventilation of the kitchens below. It doesn’t disturb me that much, but having a park side room is probably far better.
There were two weird things. I staid from Saturday until Tuesday. On Sunday, and Sunday only, there was no cold water in the bathroom. Not that they cut a pipe or something, no: the water coming out of the cold tap was as hot as from te warm water tap. Monday morning, it was cold again.
The air conditioning didn’t work, until magically it started blowing cold air on Monday night at 10pm. I didn’t touch anything, it just woke up and started working, though it had been switched on since day 1.
Anyway, it is certainly not a bad hotel, I quite like the old style atmosphere and the amenities are good (good breakfast, kind staff, fast and free WiFi etc). If the price is right (some promotion or so) and I can get a bigger room, I would certainly return here. But not in a single room, which is way overpriced.

We are happy here. For starters, the hotel is across the street from Russell Square, a two minute walk to Russell Square Tube station, and numerous places to eat. It’s about a seven minute walk to The British Museum. The staff upon check in was friendly and efficient The double bed room was spacious and comfortable.
The common areas seem a little tired, however the period marble throughout adds to the ambience. I would have liked to pay a few quid less, however I always say that, and at the time I booked, seemed like the best value. Most importantly however is me lady is happy with it. That’s good for some extra praise.

Pro: Location very central, only two minutes from Russell Square tube station, and friendly and efficient front desk staff. Lots of amenities and nightlife within easy walking distance.
Cons: A bit tired like any huge hotel taken over by chain, living on its past glories. The rooms are being refurbished but there are clear signs of wear and the detailing is poor. Room 723 is a single room and quite compact though perfectly adequate for a one night stay. It was incredibly stuffy. The air conditioning was symbolic, generating more noise than conditioning and because the window hardly opened it was an uncomfortable night with little sleep.
Not one I would ever plan to visit again. Plenty of other better value options in the locality.
The free Wifi is sluggish. The lifts are tiny: more than four people and it feels like foreplay before an orgy.

A shabby dump, with two stars only because (1) it looks good from the outside, and (2) it’s well located and next to the tube.
On the other hand:
Rooms are minuscule, and dingy. $$ for wifi. WTF? Lobby is sad and depressing.
Front desk is staffed by sullen idiots who — get this, because we’re in England! — don’t speak English. (Polish, Russian, and other Slavic tongues. But not English.)
A shithole, which is a shame. Someone needs to buy it, rip it apart, and turn it in to something decent.
You get what you pay for.
Avoid

Excellent stay here April-​May 2015. Rooms are the basics plus a few touches of luxury. I paid for a slightly-​larger-​than-​single room, including breakfast (both recommended). Quite literally a right turn away from Russell Square tube station. Better yet is the bus stop with excellent service right up the street, about a block north. There are a few good restaurants nearby, plus the British Museum. The big draw here is quiet and the chance to stay in a big Victorian pile of bricks. Great front desk and bell staff. Oh, and it’s on the Tube line to Heathrow.

I’m looking at some of the room photos posted on Unilocal and the room I got on my stay here (currently ongoing) was nowhere near as good. This room is tiny, old, dirty. One of the towels in the bathroom has pink stains on. When we first checked in the receptionist was rude but his supervisor took over who was much better.
We went out for dinner came back about 11pm to blasting music from downstairs. I called reception to complain and was just told it would be until 12, no apologies or anything and made it seem like I was being unreasonable. Considering I was exhausted I couldn’t sleep until the music eventually was turned off!
So far my stay has been awful and I would not recommend this hotel. You definitely don’t get what you pay for here and the service is also poor. I stayed at a Travelodge last time I was in London and was much more satisfied with the room, the price and the service.

For the price you pay and the horrible room and service you receive this should really be a –1 star. From the outside the hotel is in a lovely building – the façade – but step inside and it needs a major renovation.
The hotel is in a great area right near Holborn and in lovely Bloomsbury. The Tube is across the street. My original room’s heat was not working. I ended up moving to another room after midnight. The rooms are European small. Fine for one person tight for two. This room’s bathroom is bad. There is nowhere to put your toiletries, a floor tile is coming lose and the shower doesn’t look that clean. The other negative is that the bed is pretty uncomfortable.
Basically, this hotel is an upgraded hostel for adults. London is expensive so it seems places skimp put. Oh, and don’t order the breakfast. I had a vegetarian English breakfast deliver (24-pounds…that is $ 40 USD!) and it was nasty. My poached eggs tasted like they were soaked in vinegar. FYI, they don’t have a gym if you tend to work out on holiday.
I paid close to $ 300 USD for a shanty room. Ok, it’s London and it’s expensive. However, what really got me was the horrible, horrible service. The concierge was so, so rude to us on our departure insisting now that we checked out he wouldn’t help us catch a taxi or with our bags. The rest of the staff seemed very much in a daze. I don’t know if they have bad management or bad hiring directors but this place needs an overhaul on some of their staff (Eduardo from Italy especially).
People of Unilocal: My suggestion is if you want to stay in this neighborhood, find a smaller hotel or B&B that is cheaper and staff are actually nice to guest. There are so many charming places in the neighborhood.
Oh, and there is no gym at the hotel How can a massive hotel of this size this day in age not have a gym?

Great size room with surprising modern interiors in comparison to the very traditional and grand general areas. As I walked down the grand stair case I felt a little like Lord Grantham ascending from the upper gallery of Downton Abbey.
The Hotel Russell is in a central location (1min walk to the tube) and safe area, the front counter staff were a little stand offish but the concierge was very helpful.

From the outside the hotel looks grand and imposing, and upon entry those views still stand. Not of modern design nor is it intending to be. The hallway and stairway is grand and worth walking as opposed to grabbing the lift (unless you have luggage of course!).
The room was adequate (single room with a large single bed), full sized bathroom with powerful shower and heated towel rail (who has these still operating these days? Nice touch). The wifi was included with the corporate deal so I can’t comment on the price.
The breakfast in the morning was great. Good choice of continental and fully cooked Englsih breakfasts, jucies, toast etc. The coffee served was actually drinkable which I tend to find usually not in hotels. The breakfast room matched the positive ambiance of the rest of the hotel.
Upon checking in, all staff were friendly and I was advised any queries not to hesitate contacting reception by dialing 0 24÷7… Thanks and I will if needed.
Great location in Holborn /​Russell Sq area, right next to Russell Sq Tube Station, where opposite that is a delightful Pret A Manger and mini shopping centre with all the usual restaurants right there on the door step. Also Euston Station only 10 mins straight walk away!

This hotel partly saved my trip to London. My first hotel was a disaster (but that’s for another review), so I checked out early and desperately started looking for other accommodation. Budget and location wise I ended up at The Hotel Russell. It is conveniently located steps from the Russell Square underground station — not even a transfer needed if you’re coming from Heathrow.
The façade and lobby are rather ornate. You definitely get an upscale vibe as soon as you enter from the street.
My room was admittedly small but the layout was great — they made the most of the space. The ceilings are really high and both the room and bathroom had French doors that let lots of light in, so the room felt really open. It even had a delightful balcony with (Bernard?) street view — perhaps for another season :)
Reception gave me vouchers for free WiFi when I checked in. As other reviewers noted, the HVAC is rather noisy when it kicks on.
I enjoyed my stay here and the hotel exceeded my expectations. I’ll gladly stay here again when I need accommodation in this area.

The only good thing about this hotel is the location– right next to the tube and a 24 hr market. I have severe allergies inside the room. The cleaning is half ass. They never dust the surfaces. I expect cleanliness to be a priority no matter what kind of hotel.

We had a double room on the inside. Bring ear plugs because the fans outside are a bit loud.
Beds are very comfortable, room clean and amenities sufficient.
Internet is extra when booking. You do get a free hour each 4 hours.
Train in right outside so transportation is a breeze.

Elegant, great location

I’m going to give these guys a +1 star — purely because as a result of passing on my concerns, I received a very personal and professional response from the hotel Manager. This encourages me, and I will consider trying them again and re-​review.

I was here for a business event, not to stay at the hotel as a guest. The room was set up well, the tables and chairs and projector and sound system were all totally adequate. Having said that, they didn’t provide power at the various tables, which might have been the fault of the organiser not requesting it.
I agree with other reviewers that paying for Internet in 2014 is pretty archaic. It is part and parcel of providing a place to stay/​work. We don’t put coins in the meters for electricity and we don’t pay 20p to go to the loo, so why do we pay for Internet? It is no longer a luxury, it is part of life.
The coffee service was somewhat lacking. The machines are make pretty poor coffee for such a posh hotel.
The lobby and ground floor really lack comfortable places to sit and wait. There are lots of places in the ground floor hallways and near the meeting rooms that would benefit from a sofa, settee, chairs or something.
Not a hotel to avoid, but for such an upmarket location and feel, it really only delivers at a basic level.

Unfortunately, this overpriced hotel did not provide for a comfortable stay for this friendly American. First, I was place in an «inside» room that had no proper windows (instead they were fake windows that didn’t lead to outdoors with fogged glass). I asked to be moved, and they obliged for the remaining 3 nights. The difference in the quality and size of the room was significant once I got one with a window facing the park. Whew, I thought. But that’s where the good stuff ended. The blow dryer didn’t blow cold air (though they did quickly bring me a replacement), the internet costs an absurd amount of money (why do the most expensive hotels charge for wifi when the moderate ones give away?! I’m assuming b/​c business travelers will pay for it, but it’s annoying nonetheless), and they wouldn’t allow me to borrow an electricity converter.
And it was that silliness that drove me to write this review. I travel internationally quite a bit, and honestly don’t pressure myself to remember the converter because every decent international hotel allows you to borrow one. Nope — not at The Hotel Russell. They say I need to pay £5 to buy one from their reception. The reason they don’t allow guests to borrow, you ask? «Security.» Please.
The beds aren’t hideous (rate them a 7 out of 10), the air conditioning worked, and the 2^nd room I stayed in was nice — but all in all, I would not say this has been a positive experience.

I stayed here for 4 nights and have no serious complaints. The rooms were adequate size and very clean. I think it was reasonably priced based on the location and time of year I was visiting (December). Right next to the Russel Square tube station, so very easy to get around the city.
Complaints:
1. Having to pay for WiFi. It’s 2013.
2. There was this weird buzzing noise in my bathroom the entire time, I think it was the pipes. I had to keep the door closed, otherwise it was so annoying when trying to sleep.
3. Noise from outside — heard lots of bottles crashing several times — sounded like trash men or something? Not sure.
Other than those three mini complaints, everything was awesome and I would definitely stay again!

Hatten einen guten Preis für Hotelübernachtungen + Flüge gebucht. Hatte
von den Zimmern und dem Inneren des Hotels etwas mehr erwartet.
Das
Hotel sieht von außen sensationell aus. Auch die Lage ist top, Tube
Station direkt um die Ecke und sehr nettes Viertel. Unser Zimmer war
eher klein, und die Fenster nicht sehr dicht (etwas zugige
Doppelglasfenster). Nachts ging die Heizung (Klimaanlage) aus, so dass
war wir morgens in einem etwas kalten Zimmer aufgewacht sind. Interieur
war ok, etwas veraltet, so auch das Badezimmer jedoch sauber.

I was not impressed with the value for money. I booked it over the internet and asked for a quiet room. When I arrived there I asked again. AND? I got a room facing the street (and the windows sealed very badly) and in front of the elevator.
The room was ok, clean and the size ok.
Breakfast was not so impressive either but not bad as such. the mouse traps did irritate me though…

Parfaitement localisé pour qui veut être au centre de Londres, cet hotel au pied de la station Russel square directement accessible de Heathrow, est tout à fait accessible pour qui sait trouver un juste tarif sur internet où les dernières chambres sont soldées à un prix très avantageux (moins de 80EUR).
Juste une obserrvation si vous etes seul, né l’avouez pas, reserver pour une occupation pour deux (même pris mais chambre notablement plus spacieuse !)
allez aussi voir sa description très complète sur leur site

Un palace décadent
Le Russel né peut se manquer, avec sa belle façade sur le square de ce nom, il est fort bien situé, juste à côté de la station de métro Russel Square et non loin de l’entrée Nord du British Museum, ses espaces d’accueil ont de l’allure, notamment un escalier d’honneur impressionnant, mais ses chambres sont parfois d’un confort aléatoire, et les prestations né sont plus à la hauteur de ce qu’elles étaient depuis la reprise par la chaîné britannique Forte… C’était un bel hôtel, ce n’est maintenant pas génial, surtout que c’est cher… Note: ⁶⁄₁₀.