Thistle London Holborn
4-star hotel · Holborn, London
Long Weekend score
MixedNo serious reports. in 293 reviews
Guests rate nearly every hotel highly: half the hotels in London are rated 8.2 out of 10 or more. So our score shows how a hotel compares with the rest, not how luxurious it is.
- Rated higher than 42% of London hotels
- 77% of guest comments are praise
- 87% of guest photos show no damage
How this score is made
- Rated higher than 42% of London hotels. Compared with 5,640 hotels in London. Counts for 50% of the score.
- 77% of guest comments are praise. 614 praise, 182 complain. Counts for 30% of the score.
- 87% of guest photos show no damage. 52 of 60 photos. Counts for 20% of the score.
- Serious reports are never counted in. They are flagged beside the score, because one matters even when everything else is good.
- $275 a nighttypical for two, before tax · from $166
- 4 min walkto the British Museum
- 293 guest reviewsfrom the last 2 years
- 60 guest photostheirs, not the hotel's
At a glance
For
- 4 min walk to the British Museum290 m by road
- A station within walking distanceHolborn is 352 m away
- Location213 praise · 0 complain
- Staff130 praise · 21 complain
Against
- On a main road: Bloomsbury Way10 m from the building
- Room condition39 complain · 6 praise
- Value18 complain · 14 praise
- Something broken in the room16 of 293 guests
- Complaints the hotel left unresolved15 of 293 guests
What guests reported
What guests say
293 reviews from the last 2 years. Most praised: location (213 guests). Weakest: room condition, where 39 of the 45 who mention it complain.
Location2130Strength
excellent location for visting central London.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
Excellent location in Bloomsbury/West End.
Google, September 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Staff13021Strength
Staff were friendly and helpful.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
All staff were welcoming and very helpful.
Booking network, April 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
The Manager was rude and dismissive.
Booking network, April 2026, rated 1/10 by this guest
Food92Mostly good
Delicious food, air conditioning in the room during the very hot summer days.
Google, July 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Big clean room, very nice staff, location, excellant food, good value for the price and very recommendrd
Booking network, June 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
My husband and I both ordered a burger that we could not even finish it.
Google, June 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Cleanliness8322Mostly good
Rooms are comfy and clean and include a fridge which was perfect for the hot weather.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
Centrally located, very clean, very attentive staff.
Booking network, April 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
We had a nice window seat but it was very dirty and there was no sitting on the mystery stains.
Google, June 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
Breakfast7624Mostly good
Lovely bar and a great breakfast in the morning.
Google, June 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Breakfast was good quality and was regularly refilled with fresh options.
Google, August 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
We have stayed here many times but this time there was a cut back in certain things like individual jams & sauces at breakfast & breakfast not as much choice or good quality.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
Quiet at night2713Mostly good
Dejligt og roligt værelse.
Booking network, July 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
The room was quite big and was very quiet.
Booking network, April 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
Uncomfortable and very noisy and squeaky.
Booking network, April 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Beds2516Mostly good
Comfortable beds, had a great sleep.
Booking network, July 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
Room you couldn’t hear any outside noise, comfortable beds,
Booking network, June 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
For a twin, it was a cot with a thin mattress and not comfortable.
Booking network, July 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Room size3020Mostly good
We liked the room size, it was very spacious.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
The room is spacious for 2 person.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
The rooms are small but comfortable, the view from the window was towards the inside, but if you are like us who only used the room to rest it is completely fine.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Value1418Split
Money taken out of my account on arrival
Booking network, April 2026, rated 2/10 by this guest
Good location but expensive
Booking network, April 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
amenties and rooms, how can you get away as 4 star hotel and being too expensive for the quality
Booking network, April 2026, rated 4/10 by this guest
Room condition639Weak spot
Looking a bit tired but with excellent staff and service
Booking network, July 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
rooms for 4 stars overpriced and old and outdated
Booking network, April 2026, rated 4/10 by this guest
The furnishings in the hallways seemed a bit tired, but the rooms were okay.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Views17Weak spot
However, sods law says you get the rooms looking into the industrial/kitchen courtyard - not a good look!
Google, May 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
The only downside was we were on the 6th floor and had no view outside our window just a brick wall
Booking network, April 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
We had a first floor room with a view onto the church next door and the street, which was good.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
Who stays, and their score out of 10
From every review of the last two years that gives a score and says who travelled, including those with no words.
All 1,505 Google ratings
Problems guests raised
Raised most: something broken in the room, in 16 of 293 reviews.
Something broken in the room16 of 2931 in 18 reviews
Some details were spotty, for example holes in a towel and a bathroom window latch that was falling apart.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Only a small desk, only only small chair, old lumpy mattress, no luggage racks, no tissue, small amount of tp, toilet stoped flushing, housekeeping arrived at 5pm, house phone didn’t work and it took trips to reception to report problems and staff was somewhat unhelpful
Booking network, June 2026, rated 2/10 by this guest
Complaints the hotel left unresolved15 of 2931 in 20 reviews
Hotel did not pay attention to requests for the room.
Booking network, April 2026, rated 1/10 by this guest
We were told the toilet needed a part but we never got it fixed.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Problems in the bathroom13 of 2931 in 23 reviews
We couldn’t close the bathroom door as it was stuck open.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 4/10 by this guest
Sink blocking every time it was used.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
A booking not honoured10 of 2931 in 29 reviews
Luckily , they moved us to a different room which was nice.
Booking network, September 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
cancelled our reservation!
Tripadvisor, October 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Heating and air conditioning8 of 2931 in 37 reviews
Air conditioning in the bedroom did not work.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
No fan in room 206 and boiling hot.
Google, May 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
A slow check-in6 of 2931 in 49 reviews
Our check in was shambolic as our room was still not ready at 3 (the advertised check in time).
Booking network, September 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
Failed to honor request for early check in.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
Serious reports
None found in 293 reviews.
Photos, checked
8 of the 60 guest photos we checked show damage or dirt (13%).
Guest photos showing damage or dirt8 of 6013%
Of 60 guest photos, 8 show damage or dirt: peeling paint or cracks in 3, stains in 3, mould or damp in 2 and broken fittings in 1, and some photos show more than one. Of the hotel's own 40, 0 do.
Guests’ photos confirm: restaurant (7), bar (6), bathtub (3).
The hotel says it has no swimming pool, spa, gym or hot tub.
Price, place and rooms
Price
$275 is a typical night, from 245 dates checked in the coming year.
Weekends cost 3% less than weekdays
A typical night, month by month
Cheapest month: Jan 2027, $185Dearest month: Jun 2027, $329
Prices on booking sites, the day we checked
What each seller advertised on the one day we checked, so these sit outside the year-wide figures above and can fall below the typical price.
- evendo.com$257
- traveluro.com$270
- trivago.deals$273
- deals.etrip.net$273
- Vio.com$273
- deals.goseek.com$273
- hutchgo.com$277
- catchit.com$289
Lowest advertised nightly rate for two adults; taxes and local fees are not included. Shown in US dollars.
Nearby
The British Museum is 290 m away by road, about 4 minutes on foot. There are 10 bars or clubs within 200 metres.
- Nearest main road: Bloomsbury Way10 m
- Nearest shop: Bury Food & Wine2 min walk130 m by road
- The British Museum4 min walk290 m by road
- Nearest station: Holborn5 min walk352 m by road
- Big Ben29 min walk2.2 km by road
- Buckingham Palace2.7 km
- Tower Bridge4.3 km
The lines are 5, 10 and 15 minutes on foot.
Distances follow the streets, not straight lines.
Rooms
6 room types, from 12 to 25 m².
- Standard Single Room12 m²Sleeps 1Bathtub in its photos
- Deluxe King Room17 m²Sleeps 2
- Standard Twin Room17 m²Sleeps 2
- Standard Double Room17 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub in its photos
- Executive King Room20 m²Sleeps 3Bathtub
- Junior Suite25 m²Sleeps 31 Double bed + 1 Sofa bedBathtub
From the hotel's own room descriptions, checked against each room's photos.
How it compares
How it ranks
Guests who booked rate it 8.1 out of 10. 42% of the 5,640 hotels in London are rated lower, and a typical one is rated 8.2.
Every review site, out of 100
47 Google reviewers ticked "Quiet", yet 13 guests complain about noise, and Bloomsbury Way runs 10 m away.
Tripadvisor rates it 88 out of 100 and Booking network rates it 81. Booking network only takes reviews from people who booked and stayed, while Tripadvisor takes them from anyone.
The hotel says the rooms are spacious. 20 of 293 guests complain about it.
If views matters to you
Here, 7 of the 8 guests who mention views complain. These nearby hotels do better on it.
More hotels in London
The nearest first, with our score for each.
How we know
293 reviews counted · 100 photos checked · updated 10 October 2026
- We collected this hotel's 894 most recent reviews from Google, Tripadvisor and the Booking network. 293 of them describe a stay in the last 2 years and are the ones counted here; the rest were 140 older, 132 in other languages, 322 with a score but no words and 7 about the restaurant rather than a stay.
- The hotel replied to 146 of its 200 newest Google reviews.
- 6 in every 100 reviews thank a staff member by name.
- 6 reviews mention a free upgrade, a cake or a gift.
- We looked at 100 photos: the first 40 of the hotel's own and the 60 newest from guests.
- Every number on this page is counted, not estimated. Anything in quotation marks is a guest's own words.