The sweltering London heat brought on one of my favorite points and miles activities—hotel hopping! Luckily, no one was traveling with me since I am probably the only person on earth who loves this activity! I was spending the days at my daughter’s flat but ran to an air-conditioned hotel to sleep well at night. Here is my account of three nights, three brands in London.

 

Hyatt Regency—The Churchill

I’ve already discussed this hotel in this post, so I’ll keep it brief.  For a mere 29K points/night, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Churchill AND got upgraded to a magnificent balcony suite that would have cost me over $1500.  I cannot recommend this hotel enough. It was luxurious, convenient, and completely gorgeous. Sign me up for another stay here in the future! This stay in a standard room would have cost me around $600.

 

Hotel Indigo London—Kensington

I switched to quirky and cute the next night with my stay at the Hotel Indigo London—Kensington. I used an IHG free night certificate and an extra 1000 points to book this 41K points/night hotel.  I would have paid about $250 per night in cash for this stay.

From the moment I walked in, I got the cute boutique vibe. My room was an explosion of purple, grey, black, and pink. And I loved it! It was my first Hotel Indigo stay, and it reminded me of Kimpton Hotels. (And I love that brand.)  Breakfast was not included, but there was a free mini bar of drinks. I have Diamond status and would have received a free breakfast if I had used my points or certificate, but I used my husband’s certificate. I did have him call and gift the stay to me so I could use it.

 

 

No upgrade, a smaller room, but still a place and room that I enjoyed. Interestingly, this hotel costs more in points than the Hyatt, which was cheaper. Just another example of Hyatt’s outsized value!

 

St. Pancras Renaissance

Last but not least, I stayed at the St. Pancras Renaissance with Marriott points. This may be the biggest building I’ve seen housing a hotel, and the swankiest hotel ever. I kept thinking of that old movie “Casablanca,” and that sort of cool vibe. It was originally opened in 1873 and cost me the most in points at 66K points/night. I booked last minute, so I couldn’t use a suite night award that I had.

 

 

The hotel’s exterior, lobby, and restaurants took my breath away, and I thought, “I think I’ve just met my favorite hotel.” The room was disappointing and average, though, unfortunately. It is still a great stay for everything else.

 

 

Because I have Platinum Elite status, I got access to the Chambers Club (their lounge), which was also spectacular. Opulence is the theme there. You can get some small treats and beverages all day. Breakfast is also served there (buffet-style) for those with status or who are staying in the Chambers Suites.

 

Bottom Line

Three nights, three brands in London was actually a lot of fun for me. While each hotel had its charm, the Hyatt Regency—Churchill is the one I will definitely return to due to the much lower cost in points and the ability to get upgraded to a suite. However, everyone should at least stop by the St. Pancras Renaissance for the “wow factor!” What is your favorite hotel in London? I’m returning in August and deciding which hotel to stay at then!