InterContinental Hotel London - the O2 Review

Why We Chose This Hotel

Three reasons dictated our choice of the InterContinental Hotel London - The O2:

1. Our family lives near Greenwich, so the Greenwich Peninsula location was convenient.
2. Credit card spending qualified us for a free night in any InterContinental Hotel Group Hotel. It makes sense to go for the more luxurious brands in their portfolio.
3. Having stayed in the InterContinental London Park Lane, we wanted to try another in the capital.

Making Contact

My husband's status as a member of the IHG One Rewards loyalty program meant he qualified for early check-in from 10 a.m. and a free upgrade, if available. Mid-morning on the day of arrival he rang to check availability. He was told to arrive at midday. He had been given a double upgrade and they could move things around to accommodate an early arrival.

Getting There

We had stayed the previous night in Greenwich. So it was an easy bus journey for us to North Greenwich Station. The London Underground Jubilee Line stops here. The InterContinental Hotel is a 10-minute walk.

Parking

There is a hotel car park, but it is not cheap, at £45 per night (according to the hotel website). If you can find a friend to drop you off, the first 30 minutes are free. The car park can not be booked in advance and operates on a first come first served basis.

Verdict: Expensive.

ULEZ

• Ultra Low Emission Zone - Transport for London
  Within the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in central London vehicles must meet exhaust emission standards or their drivers need to pay to drive within the zone.

The Congestion Charge, London

• Congestion Charge (Official) - Transport for London
  Information about the Congestion Charge in central London.

Location

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed, as we approached the InterContinental Hotel London - The O2 was a high metal mesh fence that enclosed the perimeter. It looked to be a relatively recent addition. I wondered if it was linked to the hotel being used for quarantine during the pandemic.

Verdict: Poor.

The Ballroom

As we headed towards the entrance, we passed the Arora Ballroom. The hotel boasts that this is the UK's largest pillar-free ballroom. It has a prime position at the front of the hotel for functions and events.

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Beyond we could see tower blocks reaching up to 18 floors, the location of 453 hotel rooms.

Verdict: Good.

Walking past the Arora Ballroom.

1 / 2

The Entrance

The approach to the hotel entrance at InterContinental Hotel London - The O2 was disappointing. There were two tunnel openings for cars and a smaller one for pedestrians. I wondered at first if we had gone the wrong way. Maybe this was for deliveries. It reminded me of a covered airport drop-off area or an underground car park. I know the English climate can be wet at times, but surely the architects could have come up with something more impressive.

Verdict: Very poor.

Is this really the entrance?

1 / 3

Where is the Doorman?

After taking in the drab surroundings by the entrance, we saw a revolving door and the brightly lit hotel interior. But wait. Something was missing. There was no doorman, usually a given with a 5-star hotel.

Verdict: Disappointing.

The Lobby

Luggage storage was to our right. A lounge area and the concierge were to the left. Beyond this, on the wall, a plaque commemorated the hotel's opening in 2016, by Sir Cliff Richard, a popular British singer with a long career. The area had a travel and nautical theme. Around the corner to the left was the Guest Relations Manager's desk. Beyond this was the Meridian Lounge, which served food during the day, focusing on afternoon tea. A corridor ahead led to the leisure facilities, while another went to the lifts. The tall atrium had stairs and a smaller lounge area by them. Check-in desks were opposite the entrance, stretching to the right. Beyond this, there was access to the O2.

Verdict: Good

The concierge's desk by the entrance.

1 / 6

Check In (First Attempt)

Having been advised on the phone that a room would be available at midday, we felt fairly confident when we arrived a little later at 1:20 p.m. We naively thought that this allowed housekeeping more time to get rooms ready. We were disappointed to find that there was no room available. Our details were confirmed and a credit card guarantee was taken. We were advised to come back between 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. As the standard check-in time was 3:00 p.m., brand loyalty status did not seem to have gained us much. Leaving our suitcases behind we headed into the O2 next door. A covered walkway linked the hotel lobby with the entertainment center. All was not lost as we needed to buy supplies for later.

Verdict: Disappointing.

Check In (Second Attempt)

We returned at the allotted time. The process was drawn out, but we were eventually allocated an upgrade on the 14th floor with a Canary Wharf view. We were given a £15 voucher to use in the bar because of brand loyalty status and complimentary breakfast was also confirmed. Due to the mix-up with our arrival time, we were given a complimentary late check-out of 4:00 p.m.

Verdict: Slow.

Room 1430

It was very apparent that our double upgrade was for a higher floor and a view over the Thames to Canary Wharf. When we entered the room our eyes were immediately drawn to the big window and the view.

The View

During our stay, it was interesting to watch the the river traffic and see the buildings light up across the water, as day turned to night.

The buildings of Canary Wharf tower over the River Thames.

1 / 3

The Layout

The room had a spacious feel to it with a wide entrance. A door into the bathroom was to the left beyond the wardrobe. A cupboard containing a minibar, safe, and tea/coffee-making facilities was beyond. The room widened with a king bed to the left and a desk on the opposite wall.

Room 1430 in InterContinental Hotel London - The O2.

1 / 3

The Decor

The walls had a light beige texture covering. The wall behind the bed was a darker mushroom color, with a dark brown framework. The carpet was a mushroom color with black dots. At the window, there were full-length net curtains. Dark blue-grey-trimmed curtains ran along the whole outside wall. The woven beige, blue and black back of the office chair, took up this color scheme. The armchair by the window was in a black/grey weave with a matching footstool and a small cushion. The bed had a shiny beige valance and a brown leather effect headboard. The duvet, sheets, and pillowcases were white. The pillows had a yellowy-gold trim in keeping with the InterContinental Hotel logo color.

Wall Art

The artwork in the room reflected the setting of InterContinental Hotel London - The O2. Above the bed was a modern nighttime presentation of Canary Wharf, across the river. On the wall above the minibar were framed prints with a seafaring theme, linked with the nautical history of the local Greenwich area.

Canary Wharf artwork.

1 / 2

Furniture

The dark wood furniture had a slightly dated appearance. The wardrobe had chrome and black vertical handles. The grey-trimmed cupboard had a flecked marble top, which matched the design of the bedside tables and also a suitcase stand against the opposite wall. There was a wood-framed tall mirror on the wall near the suitcase stand. The desk had a grey inlay and matched the small round coffee table by the window. The veneer on the desktop was showing signs of wear and tear. There was a chrome-framed mirror behind the desk. The king bed was made up of two single-bed bases.

Electrical Items and Lighting

There was an iron with an ironing board in the wardrobe. There was also a hairdryer in a cloth bag. A safe was located in the cupboard above the minibar. A large flatscreen TV was mounted on the wall opposite the bed.

There were plenty of plug sockets. Two were in use by the drinks facilities. There was a socket near the tall mirror. There was a double plug socket by the desk and two USB points. Another plug socket was near the corner of the room, beyond the desk. A double plug socket and a double USB socket were on one side of the bed. There was just a single plug socket on the other side.

The room was well-lit. Lights were inset in the ceiling near the entrance and near the window. Lights had a night-time setting. There was a time-limited light in the wardrobe. A small bright light was in the base of the wardrobe to light the way to the bathroom. This was too bright to leave on. There was a stylish cream oval-shaded light on the desk with a crossed chrome stem and a black base. On either side of the bed, was a lamp with a circular cream shade on a solid chrome and wood stand. There was also a chrome, angled reading light on either side.

The air-conditioning and heating system was operated by touch controls and worked well. Free Wi-Fi was available throughout the hotel.

Refreshments

A Nespresso coffee machine was on the top of the cupboard by the bathroom door. There was also a brown leather effect tray with two complimentary bottles of spring water (one still, one sparkling), 6 paper coasters, two tumblers, two tall glasses, and two wine glasses.