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Crowne Plaza London Docklands Review an IHG Hotel

Crowne Plaza Docklands Review. Over the weekend I visited London with some mum friends for our annual Christmas get-together. We all met when we had our first children and tried to escape for a night away at least once a year. This year we headed to London to enjoy the Christmas lights, Christmas markets and of course a little eating and drinking. We even managed to see Wicked the Musical. During our visit, we stayed at the 210 room, Crowne Plaza Docklands an IHG Hotel. Within a 5-minute walk of the newly opened Elizabeth Line, the stylish Crowne Plaza London – docklands gave us easy access to the capital highlights. Here is how we got on.

AD – We received an overnight stay and meal in return in return for this blog post-Crowne Plaza Docklands review

Table of Contents

Crowne Plaza Docklands – Location

The Crowne Plaza London Docklands is ideally situated in the vibrant docklands area of London, nestled along the picturesque Royal Victoria Dock with a waterfront setting. The modern dockside hotel ‘s proximity to the ExCeL exhibition centre makes it an ideal choice for those attending events or conferences. However as we required, due to its easy access to public transport, it is also well located to explore central London, which means that you can benefit from a lower-priced hotel but still enjoy all of the London attractions.

We arrived at London Bridge with National Rail where we caught the Jubilee line to Canning Town, changing for the Docklands light railways. Since the Royal Victoria Light Rail station is just a few minutes walk. The whole journey took around half an hour. If you want to access the underground network then the new Elizabeth Line metro station can be reached just by the ExCeL which is also just a short walk. The Elizabeth Line will take you to Liverpool Street station in twenty minutes.

If you are considering driving to the hotel then you can park on-site with prices starting at £6 for up to four hours or £25 per twenty-four hours. It is not possible to book parking in advance. However, there are other parking locations close by if the hotel’s one is full.

For those flying into London, the Crowne Plaza London-Docklands is the perfect location due to its close proximity to London City Airport. Guests can easily reach the hotel by taxi or by using the DLR, which runs every five minutes and is just a 20-minute ride from the airport.

Crowne Plaza Docklands Review

After checking in with the friendly staff at the reception we headed to our Superior room. The hotel offers four different types of spacious rooms, all of which are non-smoking rooms. They range from Standard rooms (25 sqm) to Executive Suites (55 sqm). A superior room comes with kingsize bed(s), river views, air conditioning and an ensuite bathroom with bath and shower.

Our Room

Our room had two king-size beds, with views across the Royal Docks from the floor-to-ceiling windows. As you entered there was a wardrobe with plenty of storage including all of the essentials you would expect to find in a four-star hotel. Along one side there is a desk and flat-screen TV with all the plug sockets and USB sockets you could hope for. It was also a nice touch to find them between the beds as well. There is a good amount of space which is essential when travelling with friends and all the stuff that ladies pack. A comfortable bed

The sleek rooms also come with complimentary tea and coffee-making facilities, bottled water and a fridge. Useful if you are staying for longer than just one night. There is also a safe which is essential. The bathroom is a good size and fine for either a family stay or when travelling as a group of mums. One thing I always judge a hotel room on is the pressure in the shower and despite being on the third floor it was really good. With plenty of nice-smelling toiletries on offer. There is free wi-fi throughout the hotel including high speed in the rooms themselves. A maid service is available, but as we only stayed one night we have no experience of this. Room service is also available from a varied menu similar to that available in the Docklands Bar & Grill, however, we chose to eat in the restaurant itself – see below.

Check-in Times

Check-in time is 3 pm and Check-out time is 11 am. If you want to extend your stay then you can request later check-out times which may cost extra.

Lunch at the Docklands Bar & Grill

We arrived early and opted to have a drink in the Docklands Bar before moving into the restaurant. With floor to ceiling windows, there was a lot of light and we wanted to make the most of the last of the Winter sun. Sitting in the rays in the lounge chairs in the bar area it has a very relaxed vibe. The bar and restaurant are on the ground floor and are open to residents and non-residents. From the bar, we moved into the stylish restaurant which is open for both lunch and dinner. It is also where breakfast is served in the morning.

The menu had plenty of choice, with everything from nibbles and sharing options through to fillet steak. The menu catered for both Vegetarians and Vegans. We opted for starters and mains although had far too full tummies to try out the range of desserts. Between us, we tried the soup of the day, tiger prawns and hummus for starters. I can vouch for the delicious hummus. Main course wise we had the cod, scallop linguine and chicken noodles. Light and airy with clean lines and good service the Docklands Bar & Grill makes a great option for something to eat in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The cocktail bar in particular looked very popular with other hotel guests during our stay.

Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza London Docklands Hotel

When you check-in you are given details of the opening times for breakfast. As we stayed overnight on a Friday breakfast was served between 7 am and 10.30 am. After our night out we arrived for our breakfast buffet around 10 am and hit the busy time in the restaurant needing to queue before being seated. The staff were working very hard to ensure that everyone got seated as quickly as possible. Service also extended past 10.30 am.

Breakfast combines a self-service buffet with some a la carte options including pancakes and omelettes. The buffet has a wide selection of fresh fruit, yoghurt, cereals and pastry options. As well as the opportunity to choose from cold meats and cheese and a full English breakfast. We had an enjoyable breakfast and once the rush subsided we were free to move among the stations and eat as much as wanted. There was also a tea/coffee machine that you could help yourself too and a selection of juices.

Other Amenities at the Crowne Plaza Docklands

As well as comfortable rooms and the onsite restaurant and bar there are several other amenities at the Crowne Plaza Dockland. As well as free wi-fi throughout the hotel you also have access to the the Quad Club during your stay. This includes spa facilities, an indoor pool, steam room and hot tub. There is a wide range of spa treatments available at the Ri Nu Spa with everything from massage to micro blading.

During our visit, the indoor swimming pool was very popular with the other hotel guests. It is a large pool for a hotel. Robes are provided for residents in the reception area and there is plenty of changing room space and lockers to store valuables. Within the club, there is also a fully equipped fitness centre. Located on floor one it is above the reception area. On the other side of the floor, there are also several meeting rooms and a specific conference room area. As well as a lounge which overlooks the river and views across the cable car and the o2.

Things to do close to the Crowne Plaza London Docklands

The hotel is so well placed to explore London. Right on the doorstep you have London Excel which often has exhibitions and events and more recently the Disney 100 exhibition. Right on the waterfront, you can access the Emirates cable car. With views across Docklands the kids always love a trip on the cable car and it’s even more special in the evenings. At the o2 arena, you can see a concert, sporting events, and a variety of live performances. Not to mention you can walk across the top of the o2 – Up at the o2.

If you want to explore London further, Canary Wharf is just a short DLR ride from the Royal Victoria Station. Here you can enjoy all the shops, something to eat and a stroll along the waterside. Here you can visit the Museum of Docklands, go to the cinema or enjoy one of the many events and exhibitions that are run throughout the year.

Booking

If you would like to book this London hotel head to the official hotel website. Public rates start from £249 per night but they often run deals and packages. Have you stayed at the Crowne Plaza London Docklands? Let me know about your experiences in the comments below.