The Stafford in London

Subject: Disappointing Stay at The Stafford (24th June – 26th June) / Room Issue & Poor Service Review: We recently stayed at The Stafford from 24th June to 26th June to celebrate my aunt’s 65th birthday. Given its 5-star rating, we expected an exceptional experience, but we were left incredibly disappointed and felt completely undervalued as guests. The most welcoming part of our stay was the doormen, who were lovely. Beyond them, the lack of friendliness and attention from the staff was deeply upsetting. At breakfast, we felt completely ignored. We watched staff members engage in warm, detailed conversations with other residents—even explaining the full range of breakfast options down to the specific sausages and pastries available. Meanwhile, we were barely spoken to. It felt as though we were being judged and treated differently because we didn't appear wealthy. To add to this, our poached eggs were completely overcooked, which is not what you expect from a luxury establishment. The room quality also fell far short of 5-star standards. The headboard was poorly maintained and featured two large, greasy head marks right where we had to rest our heads. Furthermore, the shower temperature was highly erratic and dangerous. While the pressure was excellent, the water constantly fluctuated between freezing cold and scalding hot. It actually scalded my back to the point where I had to jump out, and the water simply would not remain at a selected temperature. The most upsetting part of our stay involved our celebration. The hotel kindly provided a fruit basket, champagne, and a small birthday cake. However, the plate read "Happy 80th Birthday" instead of 65th. When we mentioned this error to reception, the cake was taken away while we were out, but it was never replaced or corrected. We simply wanted the mistake rectified, but we were left with nothing. Upon checkout, when the receptionist asked how our stay was, we clearly stated, "It was ok." This was met with zero acknowledgment or follow-up questions. We also brought up the greasy headboard; it was written down, but given the dismissive attitude, we seriously doubt it was passed on to housekeeping. Throughout our trip, the staff appeared rushed or entirely indifferent. We left feeling like we didn't matter. This was supposed to be a special treat, but it was completely ruined. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.