voco London - Bloomsbury by IHG
4-star hotel · Bloomsbury, London
Long Weekend score
Mixed1 serious report in 299 reviews: someone fell ill
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 38% of London hotels
- 72% of guest comments are praise
- 77% of guest photos show no damage
How this score is made
- Rated higher than 38% of London hotels. Compared with 5,640 hotels in London. Counts for 50% of the score.
- 72% of guest comments are praise. 555 praise, 221 complain. Counts for 30% of the score.
- 77% of guest photos show no damage. 46 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.
- $295 a nighttypical for two, before tax · from $155
- 5 min walkto Russell Square station
- 299 guest reviewsfrom the last 2 years
- 60 guest photostheirs, not the hotel's
At a glance
For
- 7 min walk to the British Museum505 m by road
- A station within walking distanceRussell Square is 396 m away
- Staff175 praise · 21 complain
- Location155 praise · 0 complain
Against
- On a main road: Southampton Row18 m from the building
- Guest photos show wear and dirt14 of the 60 photos guests took, and 0 of the hotel's 40
- Room size50 complain · 18 praise
- Room conditioncomplaints falling: 25.0 in 100 a year ago, 13.4 now46 complain · 30 praise
- Quiet at nightcomplaints rising: 5.8 in 100 a year ago, 8.5 now24 complain · 24 praise
What guests reported
What guests say
299 reviews from the last 2 years. Most praised: staff (175 guests). Weakest: room size, where 50 of the 68 who mention it complain.
Location1550Strength
Well located hotel for British Museum and Covent Garden
Booking network, March 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Nice room, in daily good location , staff friendly.
Booking network, April 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Staffcomplaints rising: 3.8 in 100 a year ago, 7.7 now17521Strength
The staff were absolutely amazing.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Safe left luggage service.
Booking network, October 2025, rated 6/10 by this guest
Unfortunately, the hotel management seems very distant from guest satisfaction; even simple requests, like asking for slippers, can be denied.
Google, November 2025, rated 1/5 by this guest
Cleanlinesscomplaints falling: 9.6 in 100 a year ago, 4.0 now5515Mostly good
Very clean rooms and very helpful pleasant staff
Booking network, April 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
A clean, well maintained, modern hotel.
Google, October 2025, rated 5/5 by this guest
However, the room was full of old dust and needed a thorough cleaning.
Google, October 2025, rated 4/5 by this guest
Breakfastcomplaints rising: 1.9 in 100 a year ago, 7.3 now5819Mostly good
Kind and helpful staff - good breakfast.
Booking network, March 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Staff helpful and great choice for breakfast which set us up for the day.
Google, February 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Went down for breakfast, told breakfast was not included in our stay, which it was on our booking, breakfast was overcooked, cold and not fit to give my dogs
Booking network, January 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
Bedscomplaints falling: 7.7 in 100 a year ago, 4.9 now2716Mostly good
I had the best sleep ever in the huge comfortable bed.
Google, November 2025, rated 5/5 by this guest
Great location, modern decor, very comfortable beds!
Booking network, August 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
The single beds were wobbly and not that comfortable.
Booking network, March 2026, rated 3/10 by this guest
Quiet at nightcomplaints rising: 5.8 in 100 a year ago, 8.5 now2424Split
I was in room 105 and the noise from outside was constant all night, also the banging door right outside the room was not good at all.
Booking network, October 2025, rated 5/10 by this guest
A/C questionable but generator outside the room so too noisy to keep the window open at night.
Booking network, March 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Services are bad as well...and there is renewation ongoing so noise pollution as well.
Google, June 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Room conditioncomplaints falling: 25.0 in 100 a year ago, 13.4 now3046Weak spot
Need a little TLC in bedroom .
Booking network, November 2025, rated 8/10 by this guest
Although it is an older property it has been modernized with AC and a lift.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
Rooms could use a renovation but within reason.
Google, October 2025, rated 4/5 by this guest
Value1222Weak spot
Unfortunately, it was a bit too expensive for the category.
Google, October 2025, rated 4/5 by this guest
Don't kid yourself that you're getting something worth £300 per night...
Google, November 2025, rated 1/5 by this guest
For a three-night stay, the price was quite high, and honestly, the room quality didn’t match my expectations, I’ve stayed in some Ibis hotels that offered a better overall experience.
Google, November 2025, rated 3/5 by this guest
Room size1850Weak spot
Rommet var veldig trangt og upraktisk - det gikk nesten ikke å gå forbi seng for å komme til den ene siden, det var vanskelig å åpne og finne plass til våre to små trillekofferter og ingen plass til oppbevaring.
Booking network, June 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
However, I found the hotel a bit dated for its 4-star rating; the room and bathroom were small, and the bedding could be of better quality.
Google, December 2025, rated 4/5 by this guest
However, the rooms are extremely small, and the hallways are narrow, making it feel like a small hotel.
Google, February 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
Viewscomplaints rising: 0.0 in 100 a year ago, 3.2 now18Weak spot
Nice room (though no view, you look at walls)
Google, March 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
View from the room was a wall - not much daylight.
Booking network, March 2026, rated 8/10 by this guest
Tiny room no view noisy at night
Booking network, January 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Too few mentions to judge: food.
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 1,959 Google ratings
Problems guests raised
Raised most: something broken in the room, in 22 of 299 reviews.
Something broken in the room22 of 2991 in 14 reviews
The curtains are old and broken
Google, March 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
The shower head was permanently leaking water, even with the handle in the most closed position.
Google, April 2026, rated 2/5 by this guest
Problems in the bathroom19 of 2991 in 16 reviews
cracked paint above the bathtub, a leaky tap, a noisy radiator…
Google, December 2025, rated 2/5 by this guest
Tv not working, bathroom light not working, toilet brush broken in half, toilet location to shower poor with minimal room.
Booking network, May 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
Complaints the hotel left unresolvedcomplaints falling: 7.7 in 100 a year ago, 4.9 now16 of 2991 in 19 reviews
We complained and they didn't change them.
Google, December 2025, rated 1/5 by this guest
I requested a room change, and they refused.
Google, July 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Building work during the staycomplaints rising: 0.0 in 100 a year ago, 6.5 now16 of 2991 in 19 reviews
Hotel is having some renovations but still a great place to stay with great, friendly staff and good value for money.
Google, February 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Hotel restaurant was under reconstruction!
Booking network, June 2026, rated 6/10 by this guest
Not as shown or bookedcomplaints falling: 5.8 in 100 a year ago, 3.2 now11 of 2991 in 27 reviews
Had no indication prior to the booking that it was under renovation and my room looked nothing like any of the pictures shown on booking.com
Booking network, April 2026, rated 3/10 by this guest
Despite the web site boasting the excellent dining rooms there was no catering at all so no where to have a drink and no breakfast.
Booking network, August 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
A booking not honoured11 of 2991 in 27 reviews
The bar was closed with a replacement mini-bar in a seating area, and the restaurant was closed, so my pre-booked breakfast couldn’t be honoured.
Google, June 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Nothing really other than we booked a twin room expecting 2 full size singles but we got a double bed and a sofa bed which was a little uncomfortable.
Booking network, July 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
Serious reports
1 in 299 reviews, most common first. Shown beside the score, never averaged into it.
Someone fell ill1 of 299 reviews
I spent the rest of the day with stomach issues.
Google, October 2025, rated 2/5 by this guest
These are guests' own accounts from their reviews. We have not verified them, and the hotel may dispute them. A report is counted only when the guest says it happened at the hotel and holds the hotel responsible.
Photos, checked
14 of the 60 guest photos we checked show damage or dirt (23%).
Guest photos showing damage or dirt14 of 6023%
Of 60 guest photos, 14 show damage or dirt: peeling paint or cracks in 5, stains in 5, mould or damp in 2 and rust or limescale in 2, and some photos show more than one. Of the hotel's own 40, 0 do.
What it advertises, against the photos
Guests’ photos confirm: bar (3), bathtub (2).
The hotel says it has no swimming pool, spa, gym or hot tub.
Price, place and rooms
Price
$295 is a typical night, from 301 dates checked in the coming year.
Weekends cost the same as weekdays
A typical night, month by month
Cheapest month: Jan 2027, $221Dearest month: Nov 2026, $382
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.
- Vio.com$296
- deals.goseek.com$296
- deals.etrip.net$296
- lastminute.com$376
- IHG · the hotel itself$377
- Booking.com$377
- expedia.co.uk$377
- Hotels.com$377
Lowest advertised nightly rate for two adults; taxes and local fees are not included. Shown in US dollars.
Nearby
Russell Square station is 396 m away by road, about 5 minutes on foot. There are 5 bars or clubs within 200 metres.
- Nearest main road: Southampton Row18 m
- Nearest shop: Portlands1 min walk38 m by road
- Nearest station: Russell Square5 min walk396 m by road
- The British Museum7 min walk505 m by road
- Big Ben2.6 km
- Buckingham Palace3.2 km
- Tower Bridge4.4 km
The lines are 5, 10 and 15 minutes on foot.
Distances follow the streets, not straight lines.
Rooms
15 room types, from 10 to 29 m².
- Standard Single Room10 m²Sleeps 1Bathtub in its photos
- Small Double Room11 m²Sleeps 2
- Standard Twin Room13 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub
- Standard Double Room13 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub in its photos
- Cozy Single Room14 m²Sleeps 1
- Cozy Double Room15 m²Sleeps 2
The other 9 room types
- Superior King Room15 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub in its photos
- Standard Room22 m²Sleeps 21 Double bed
- Standard Twin Room - Accessible22 m²Sleeps 2
- Standard Double Room22 m²Sleeps 2
- Standard King Room22 m²Sleeps 2
- Premium Triple Room28 m²Sleeps 33 Twin bed
- Premium Double Room29 m²Sleeps 2
- Premium Twin Room29 m²Sleeps 2
- Premium King Room29 m²Sleeps 2
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 out of 10. 38% of the 5,640 hotels in London are rated lower, and a typical one is rated 8.2.
Every review site, out of 100
41 Google reviewers ticked "Quiet", yet 24 guests complain about noise, and Southampton Row runs 18 m away.
Tripadvisor rates it 88 out of 100 and Booking network rates it 80. Booking network only takes reviews from people who booked and stayed, while Tripadvisor takes them from anyone.
The hotel says it is new or recently renovated. 46 of 299 guests complain about it.
If views matters to you
Here, 8 of the 9 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
299 reviews counted · 100 photos checked · updated 10 October 2026
- We collected this hotel's 809 most recent reviews from Google, Tripadvisor and the Booking network. 299 of them describe a stay in the last 2 years and are the ones counted here; the rest were 139 older, 62 in other languages, 308 with a score but no words and 1 about the restaurant rather than a stay.
- The hotel replied to 33 of its 200 newest Google reviews.
- 11 in every 100 reviews thank a staff member by name.
- 7 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.