Raffles at The OWO, London

Location
History

The Japanese restaurant - service inconsistent early as “ the kitchen is very busy “ ! Sorry isn’t that a good thing ? I opted for the set meal + wine pairing , food and wine excellent. Staff very smiley and warm but wine didn’t arrive consistently with the food ( I wouldn’t my care but the point is “pairing “ ) and when I asked what was the issue with the wine , was told “ kitchen very busy tonight “ , I replied “ is that where the wine lives ?” ….

We loved absolutely everything about our stay at Raffles! We will never forget the amazing greeting we received from Benedict, the wonderful service provided by Dean at the hotel main desk and of course the incomparable guidance provided by Raffles sommelier, Heidi.

Everything at Raffles was perfect. No complaints.

Raffles at OWO was the best choice I could have made for that trip. Outstanding service and personel that made all of our dreams and wishes come true, which made it an unfortgettable experience for a special occasion. All the little birthday touches, room upgrade, earlier check-in, welcome champagne - we were excited already at the beginning. And then the room itself, being spacious, light, very clean, elegant; the swimming spool and the spa exceeded everything we could have hoped for, absolutely the best we've experienced at a hotel. scrumpcious breakfasts at an extraordinary restaurant, with impeccable service. great, well-equipped evening bar. and one of the most extraordinary elements - the location. we felt luxurious and well-taken care of. absolutely the top spot to stay at while in London.

the only thing we didn't like was the fact that there was an additional service fee for each day of the stay, which we were not aware of and which we could not resign from. and maybe the coffee at breakfast could use some work. apart from that - all great!

The staff on the day of visit were great. The room service was great. The room was as expected maybe a little smaller than I had hoped. The bathroom was really nice and I had the best shower I've ever had.

The breakfast the next day was beyond shocking. I have never had such bad service and it ruined my whole experience and wont be staying again. I had to ask 5 times for a waiter to come and take our drinks order. The restaurant was not even busy. In the end I went and got the cold drinks from the kitchen myself- which is not a problem had I not had to pay £100 odd per person for the privilege. The waiters were really stand-off-ish when they were asked what was going on. There were two other tables in the restaurant and both also were complaining about the service. The full English breakfasts came up cold. One of the guests on our table ordered avocado on toast and that came up 10 mins after the rest of ours. It was just a horrible way to end an otherwise OK experience. When complaining about the breakfast at departure, we were not offered a refund.

Everything

Nothing

How it was refurbished

Style

Incredible stay. Very good service from lovely people which made it feel like home from home. Beautiful room and very comfortable beds. Nothing was too much trouble which made for a very relaxing stay with large suitcases and taxis to arrange.
The building is beautiful and the attention to maintaining original details was special. There are tours in the morning given by the staff.
We left too early for breakfast for a flight but there was tea, coffee and freshly pressed juices available in the lobby area which was thoughtful.

For the price charged the food and the service is not good enough

Very cold in the room heating not sufficient.
Refused entry into the Italian restaurant. I then tried to ask if I can order a pizza to the room and again was refused until the general manager got involved. The room service menu is totally not 5 star. The staff are not very helpful at all as they are very quick to say no to any request. The property is amazing however the staff and level of service is absolutely horrible. The hinduja brothers spent over billion pound on the renovations however they forgot to invest in the people who would run the property

The Decor.

Service was very slow. Very limited Gluten free options. Staff were not very helpful or interested.

Breakfast location great

Great location and stunning historic building.

Staff were largely fantastic.

Spy bar pretty fun but wouldn’t spend the night there!

Didn’t think breakfast was particularly good

A beautiful hotel rich in history, fascinating architecture, fabulous attentive staff a must visit when in London.

Nothing

The breakfast buffet was wonderful. It was quality over quantity. The various bread was excellent in a country that is perhaps more known for its white, pre-cut toast bread. The home-made jam was wonderful. I can’t find sufficient adjectives to describe how delightful and beyond over-the-top I found everything.

It isn’t that I didn’t like it, this is more of a comment to help improve a little …: I found that the housekeeping staff didn’t refill the drawer with for example Q-tips and make-up remover pads on a daily basis. I was there for four days. However,, in all fairness, I didn’t mention anything to any member of staff. On an occasion when I did mention something, for example when I first arrived, I found the wardrobe did not provide a section for longer-hanging clothes like trousers and evening dresses. One phone call and housekeeping staff IMMEDIATELY solved the problem for me.

EVERY member of staff is completely focused on achieving the highest level of customer care. That, partnered with such an iconic building, steeped in world history, makes for an unforgettable experience

Going home

This hotel is beautiful - the building is amazing, with such interesting history. The staff were exceptional, breakfast was delicious and the spa is one of the best I've ever seen at a hotel. We had the pool all to ourselves before breakfast.

Nothing really - it's very expensive but the hotel is exceptional so for a special occasion it's worth it.

It never feels busy and everything is immaculate. The staff are the best I’ve come across in all of London

Their hot chocolate could be better, but that’s it

Everything was beautiful in all details

Some of the staffs were keep asking us that are we staying with the hotel when we were taking photos. It was awkward. At the pool side the cleaner was quite unpleasant, when it was closing time he just sent us out from the pool. Well if you pay that much for a night at least he should be very gentle and nice. The breakfast was okay.

The atmosphere history decor spender it’d a magnificent Propery but to make it really special are the enthusiastic eager to please and efficient staff

Zero not to like

The staff were exceptional, the facilities were incredible and the spa was amazing.

Leaving!!!

Everything was perfect

Everything was perfect

The OWO hotel is steeped in amazing history.
It has been beautifully and sympathetically transformed into an exceptional hotel.
The "Spy Bar" is a must visit. Amazing
I have to say the staff at all levels, give this hotel soul, and without that "soul" it would be just another high end hotel.
Which it certainly is not.
"Bravo" Raffles OWO.

Nothing.

The history, the renovation, so many staff on hand to help direct you around the place, all very pleasant. Very clean etc.
Loved the little history tour, enjoyed the so called spy bar, playing on the intrigue of 007. Fantastic catering service for evening function.

Service was slow at breakfast, although again very pleasant staff, just felt disjointed.
The bedroom felt cramped for a premium experience & disappointed with the aspect. Bathroom was excellent, however not value for money.

Breakfast was delicious and in a gorgeous setting, but it took over an hour for the two of us to get eggs and porridge. Gorgeous swimming pool and spa. The beauty of the hotel is the best part about it.

Service was rough because the hotel is so new. Everything took a long time. One barista didn't know how to make the matcha that was on the menu. Staff couldn't tell me where things in the hotel were. Some staff checked in way too often, constantly interrupting us during meals. When mistakes were made, multiple staff would apologize afterwards and the constant interruptions felt annoying. One apology would have been fine. Even when I had earbuds in and was clearly working, staff would interrupt me repeatedly to ask if I needed anything. I won't name the restaurant but at one of the restaurants on site we had the worst meal we've had in London in years. So bad they comped it for us. The appetizer literally tasted spoiled as though the vendors gave them the worst product possible but they used it anyway. And they never brought the wine we had ordered. I regret staying here.

Best hotel in London, great restaurants, staff and rooms.

All excellent