Standard Double Room
from $131
The Academy
4.0 out of 5.0
3.7
out of 5
Average Guest Review
See all 31 reviews
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Recent guest reviews
This hotel does not have an elevator and they have rooms on the 4th floor (60 steps up). Being in our sixtys this was a bit too much. They moved us the next day to a just below ground floor level room. The window were frosted, when we opened the window we soon found out why. The windows opened up to a filthy dirty alley like area. There were no electrical outlets in the bathroom. We had to plug the hair dryer into the socket inside the closet! The heater in the room could not be turned on until they turned on the entire building so they had to give us a room heater as the room was very cold. We had to unplug a light next to the bed in order to plug in the heater. The bathroom was very cold as well. It was supposed to be heated by the towel warmer but that didn't work, they eventually fixed it. Although they do provide free internet, you had to re-register everyday using a new user name and password daily that they gave you on a piece of paper and each device has it's own user name and password.
Enjoyed our three nights at The Academy. We were able to get around easily by foot and on the tube. Quiet area for sleeping. Helpful, friendly staff.
We have stayed here in the past and appreciated everything about it. But this year (2017) things were looking a bit shabby. Staff included - indifferent really. So, we will not return next year.
A bit pricy, but pleasant, clean and convenient. The service was attentive and polite. The building is well maintained. The conservatory/garden is a nice feature of this Georgian gem. Bottled water and fresh apples are treat. Breakfast is adequate. The limited wifi is annoying (there is a small data quota per day, so I ended up paying for the premium connection).
It's comfortable, but a little shabby around the edges, cheap furnishings, stained carpets in the room, all a little tired....
Some of the staff, at first, were not so quick to respond to our requests (TV not working correctly and never got resolved). But, since we were there for four days, we got to know them and it turned out to be a good experience. There were some charges on our bill that were not fully explained. We should have reviewed it better before paying. We were charged for room service when I actually picked up the wine downstairs. The breakfast was very good and the ladies serving us warmed up to us after the first morning. I would stay there again, but would request not to be on the 5th floor.
The location is excellent if you want to be removed from the general hustle bustle of London but still very near the museums, shopping , markets and transport. The small staff is helpful and the breakfast served is fine. Wi-Fi is available but you have to change the password every day which is a bit cumbersome.
This hotel is very close to the British Museum and multiple universities. There are also some very good pubs near by. The rooms are typical European size, but very comfortable. There is no elevator so keep that in mind as you may have to walk up four flights of steps to get to your room.
Hotel is nice and very close to restaurants and the British museum. The internet is very poor.
Small room but not really a problem as didn't spend much time there. Bathroom small but modern and very clean. Lovely dining/breakfast room!
The hotel (former residences that have been converted into a hotel) and the room were excellent. The room was quite lovely, very quiet, and very comfortable with a window that looked out to the garden. The garden areas were charming. The hotel is located about 2 blocks from the British Museum. As I walk a good deal and like to walk, I didn't mind the location; however, it is a bit of a distance from many of the sites as well as the theaters. There is a tube station a couple of blocks from the hotel for one who uses it. This was my first trip to London so I was very pleased that the hotel and my room were so pleasant.
Very bad experience overall. I travel a lot around the world and this is one of the worst room I have ever experienced. The bed was on one corner of the room (due to the fact that the room was very small) thus touching two walls. There was one headboard but nothing along the other wall. At night I would touch the unprotected wall and was cold enough to wake me up - a very stressful sleeping experience. The faucet in the bathroom was leaking right below the right handle every time I would turn the cold water on. The TV was the size of an average computer monitor (you need to sit close to it to see anything). The was a headache because they would give you a piece of paper with an account and password that expired every 24 hours. That is, every day you were supposed to ask and retype a new account and password. Very annoying. I have asked for a shaving kit, which they mentioned in the Guest Book in the room to be available, and the answer was that they were out of shaving kits. They sent me to a nearby store to buy one. The garbage bin next to the toilet was another source of frustration - when pushing the pedal to open up the cap the whole bin moves around the floor but the cap would not open. The handle of the shower was coming off every time I would touch it to turn the water on. Numerous and very old stains of various sized were all over the carpet. A big stain was on the chair available in the room.
Great boutique hotel. Very British. Like staying at your rich grandmother's house. The staff was fantastic, very courteous, accommodating, and helpful. Had a small suite (family of 4) with plenty of room. Great location between two mainline underground stations. Short trips to all the major sights. Would have given it a five except that our room, despite double windows, was a bit noisy due to street traffic and some of the bathroom grout could use a some cleaning. A definite 4.5 overall.
I requested a room on the ground floor, not facing gower street (which can be a bit noisy). That's exactly what I got. The room was surprisingly large for London. Comfy bed and cushy pillows, big closet, and a fabulous bathroom. Shower/tub is quite narrow so larger/taller people might have trouble. Not much floor space but for one person it was more than enough. Zero view - but you don't go to London to sit in your room. The mini fridge is a very helpful amenity for storing your own water and snacks. Had breakfast a few times - just eggs and tea, expensive but good. Location is perfect. As a solo female traveler I feel quite comfortable in this area. Good deal, charming, would definitely consider staying here again next time.
I stayed in a more expensive hotel for a few days and decided to stay in London an extra day and had to change hotels. This place was cheaper and the room was much larger. ONly downside is that there was no elevator and I was on the 4th floor. However, I had them carry up my suitcase. There was no way I could have done it. The only other small issue was that there was very little water pressure and the shower could use some good grout cleaning.
If you are looking for British experience - than this is a good choice for you. Tiny rooms with 1950-ies style. Room 22 has spots on its ceiling, spots on wall paper, spots on the carpet. No spots on bed linen - phew! Free Wi-Fi is 0.3Mbps :))) And you need new password for each device each day! Location is great and seemingly safe. It is just few blocks from great taverns and pubs. It is 15 min from Euston station, 10 min from Tottenheim subway (Goodge St. was closed). You can just walk to British Museum and such. Staff is very friendly and helpful.
Overall - Charming, Convenient, Clean, Good Service The Good -- Very charming hotel with very friendly staff who went out of their way to help me with taxis, restaurant reservations, my luggage. If I made a call to the front desk, they would address my needs within less than two minutes (unlike larger much more expensive hotels that respond within the hour if you are lucky.) Conveniently located near the tube so you don't have to pay for expensive taxis for your entire trip. In a very charming location with lots of brownstone buildings, in an academic location. Very clean room with comfortable bed and bedding -- both of which was important to me. The Bad - There are lots of stairs so if you don't like to walk up stairs, this is not the place for you. The rooms are also small so if you need something large and spacious, you are better off spending more money at a chain hotel. I also came back one night to the door closed and locked which scared me a bit -- it was after 1am so I was surprised and a little concerned to find the door locked. It was easily resolved when I rang the doorbell and one of the staff members opened the door for me. Just startled me a bit - they should leave a sign at the door when you walk in so their guests are notified in advance and aren't surprised like I was. Overall, great experience and was really satisfied and pleased.
The hotel is located very close to totenham court and oxford street, the room is small and except for the bed, there is not enough room to do anything. the building is old and doesnt have an elevator included, but for a quick visit in london for solo travelers you get what you pay for.
I truly enjoyed my stay at The Academy and very much hope to return. The staff were helpful and friendly and the room was tidy and comfortable. The apples and sparkling water were a nice, friendly touch. The location is wonderful and close to just about anywhere you want to get to in central London, the City, Southbank, Marylebone, etc. As a traveler on an early morning flight from the U.S., it might have been nice to be able to get into the room a bit earlier, but I understand the constraints. Overall, a lovely place to stay!
Friendly and helpful staff. Room was clean. Bathroom was nice size. Hotel was in a safe and well lit area. I would stay at the Academy Hotel again. I was a bit disappointed that there was daytime construction going on at the hotel.
Hotel highlights
- Walking distance to University of London and Russell Square
- Free WiFi in rooms and public areas
- Onsite dining
- Concierge services
Located in Bloomsbury, The Academy is within a 5-minute walk of University of London and within 15 minutes of other popular attractions like Russell Square. This 49-room, 4-star hotel welcomes guests with conveniences like a restaurant, a bar/lounge, and free in-room WiFi. It's in central London and also a short walk from The British Museum and St George’s, Bloomsbury.
Dining
In addition to a meal at the onsite restaurant, you can also enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with 24-hour room service. For your convenience, a English breakfast is served each morning for a fee.
Rooms
The 49 rooms are individually furnished and have an array of amenities, including iPod docks, minibars, and coffee makers. TVs come with digital channels, and free WiFi keeps guests connected. Beds are dressed in premium bedding and bathrooms offer hair dryers and designer toiletries. Free newspapers, free bottled water, and safes are also available.
Property features
Guests of The Academy enjoy access to free WiFi in public areas, 4 meeting rooms, and coffee in a common area. Offsite parking is offered for a fee. The front desk has multilingual staff on hand 24/7 to help with dry cleaning/laundry, concierge services, and luggage storage. Other amenities at this boutique hotel include a computer station, a library, and free newspapers.
Guest reviews for The Academy
old and tired
Everyone
This hotel does not have an elevator and they have rooms on the 4th floor (60 steps up). Being in our sixtys this was a bit too much. They moved us the next day to a just below ground floor level room. The window were frosted, when we opened the window we soon found out why. The windows opened up to a filthy dirty alley like area. There were no electrical outlets in the bathroom. We had to plug the hair dryer into the socket inside the closet! The heater in the room could not be turned on until they turned on the entire building so they had to give us a room heater as the room was very cold. We had to unplug a light next to the bed in order to plug in the heater. The bathroom was very cold as well. It was supposed to be heated by the towel warmer but that didn't work, they eventually fixed it. Although they do provide free internet, you had to re-register everyday using a new user name and password daily that they gave you on a piece of paper and each device has it's own user name and password.
fantastic location!
Everyone
Enjoyed our three nights at The Academy. We were able to get around easily by foot and on the tube. Quiet area for sleeping. Helpful, friendly staff.
Review comment
RoyB responded on Jun 1, 2017
Dear Guest, We are pleased that you enjoyed your recent stay with us and look forward to welcoming you back in the future. Thank you for your review.
very conveniently located hotel in central london
Everyone
We have stayed here in the past and appreciated everything about it. But this year (2017) things were looking a bit shabby. Staff included - indifferent really. So, we will not return next year.
Review comment
R Ball responded on May 8, 2017
Dear Guest, We are sorry to read that you recent stay with us was not as expected from your previous stays. We are due to undergo a major refurbishment program in the Summer where the above issues will be addressed. We do hope that once this has been completed that you will return to see our transformation. Thank you for your review.
more than adequate
Everyone
A bit pricy, but pleasant, clean and convenient. The service was attentive and polite. The building is well maintained. The conservatory/garden is a nice feature of this Georgian gem. Bottled water and fresh apples are treat. Breakfast is adequate. The limited wifi is annoying (there is a small data quota per day, so I ended up paying for the premium connection).
Review comment
Roy B responded on Jun 1, 2017
Dear Guest, We are pleased that you enjoyed your recent stay with and found our staff to be attentive and polite. Our gardens are a hidden gem for London. We are at present looking into updating our Wi-Fi to solve this issue. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future. Thanks you for your review.
great location
Everyone
It's comfortable, but a little shabby around the edges, cheap furnishings, stained carpets in the room, all a little tired....
Review comment
,Rpy, Hotel Manager responded on Feb 13, 2017
Many thanks for your review. We are about to undergo a major refurbishment program in the next few months which will ensure a more comfortable stay in the future. We look forward to welcoming you back to The Academy Hotel either prior and /or post refurbishment.
the academy was in a great location.
Everyone
Some of the staff, at first, were not so quick to respond to our requests (TV not working correctly and never got resolved). But, since we were there for four days, we got to know them and it turned out to be a good experience. There were some charges on our bill that were not fully explained. We should have reviewed it better before paying. We were charged for room service when I actually picked up the wine downstairs. The breakfast was very good and the ladies serving us warmed up to us after the first morning. I would stay there again, but would request not to be on the 5th floor.
location is excellent and has a personal charm.
Families
The location is excellent if you want to be removed from the general hustle bustle of London but still very near the museums, shopping , markets and transport. The small staff is helpful and the breakfast served is fine. Wi-Fi is available but you have to change the password every day which is a bit cumbersome.
historic row house hotel
Students
This hotel is very close to the British Museum and multiple universities. There are also some very good pubs near by. The rooms are typical European size, but very comfortable. There is no elevator so keep that in mind as you may have to walk up four flights of steps to get to your room.
business trip
BusinessTravelers
Hotel is nice and very close to restaurants and the British museum. The internet is very poor.
single room experience
GetawayWithFriends
Small room but not really a problem as didn't spend much time there. Bathroom small but modern and very clean. Lovely dining/breakfast room!
Dear Guest, We are sorry that your recent stay was not up to our normal standards. Due to Health & Safety regulations, we are unable to install electrical sockets apart from a shaver socket in the bathrooms. We are currently undergoing a major refurbishment program where both the exterior and interior issues raised will be addressed. Due to the Hotel being a Grade II listed building we are unable to have lifts installed and i am pleased that we were able to move you to a lower floor so that you had less stairs to climb. We hope to welcome you back to show that this was an isolated incident. Thank you for your review.