Have you ever tried to go for drinks at the W in Leicester Square? I have. Let me tell you, I was not impressed, in fact I was so unimpressed that I may go as far to say I would never even consider spending any of my money in their chain enterprise, ever- and let’s all remember, that’s what it is: a chain. I don’t actually have a hipster like problem with chains, but I do have a problem with hospitality companies with bad attitudes. A month or so ago a friend and I were bumming around Chinatown, we were probably hungover and that is probably why chinese food was a must. Post cheap Chinatown cheap deliciousness, we decided that the next portion of our evening should include fancy drinks. When in Soho your fancy drink possibilities are limited to: Experimental Cocktail Bar or the W Hotel. Based on the fact that there was a steady stream of drunken hotmesses outside of the Experimental Cocktail Bar who were wearing sequins and calling each other “Dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhlinggggggggg” we knew we were just not at that same point in our night and opted for the W Hotel.
The problem with the W Hotel is that it is not like the other hotels in the city, where hospitality is key, nope, the W Hotel functions as though it is a nightclub. Instead of having a friendly doorman, they equip their door with an ice cold door bitch. Listen, if I intend on spending 14 pounds per cocktail, I don’t need to deal with any sass, no seriously. Additionally, what are you trying to prove with your mini red carpet in front of your hotel that is in the same building at London’s M&M world? Enlighten me, because I would LOVE to know.
We walk up to the entrance and are asked if we are on the list. The list for what? The hotel bar? Are you serious? The list to get into the hotel bar, at a hotel in tourist land, attached to M & M World? No we are not on the list. Is this all some plan to toy with the tourists in the area? Shocked and annoyed we stare the door girl down and tell her we will take our money to a hotel bar that will treat us properly and promptly left, practically marching to Mayfair.
Mayfair is a glorious neighbourhood, it is where old world manners are generally still followed. Park Lane is home to the world’s real movers and shakes when they waltz into this grand city (if they haven’t already bought a ridiculous piece of property here). Instead of dealing with the flashing disco lights of the W, we galavanted into The Dorchester where a doorman greeted us a good evening, there was non-stop cocktail treats, champagne and incredible bar service.
I am sure there is a market for hotels like the W,since people always crave to feel accepted by the dumbest things, but honestly, if you are in London, you shouldn’t feel the need to waste your time at places like that when you can be treated like Royalty at places who charge just as much.
