In a former townhome in upscale Belgravia, The Lime Tree Hotel is a boutique hotel close to Buckingham Palace. I chose this particular hotel because it was in a safe, quiet neighborhood near a major Tube Station (Victoria Station), had plenty of breakfast options in the area, and was recommended by Rick Steves in his London guidebook.
We were aware beforehand that the hotel did not have an elevator. Still, we weren’t prepared for four floors of steep, narrow steps. We upgraded from their smallest size queen room to the “comfy double” room, which had an armchair, wardrobe, and desk with chair. Honestly, we probably could have done with the smaller-sized room, as we wound up relaxing on the bed when we were in the room. Being on the top floor of the hotel, the room got quite warm. We could feel the temperature rising as we ascended the steps. A fan would have been appreciated, as the hotel did not have air conditioning, which was expected. Given that the weather was also unseasonably warm for the latter half of our trip, the room never got cool once it warmed up.
The room was lovely and had standard amenities: electric teakettle, hair dryer, hangers, and bath products. The bed was comfortably firm, though the pillows could have been fluffier. No pillow is ever as good as one’s own, is it?
Room keys could not be removed from the hotel, so someone was at the front desk around the clock. We turned in our key before we left and requested it again when we returned. it was a standard lock and key, not a keycard. We made sure to engage the deadbolt when we left the room each day, as simple door latch is not secure. Only once did they give us a key to the wrong room, which miffed my partner tremendously. “We could have walked right into someone else’s room if we wanted to,” he said. Doubly irritating was having to walk back down to the lobby to exchange the key. Mistakes happen, but this was concerning. What if our room key had been given to someone else?
The bathroom was nice. I particulary appreciated the shelf on which I could arrange my toiletries. The shower had decent water pressure and got properly hot. The bathroom also had a towel warmer, a luxury I always enjoy.
As for noise, the neighborhood was tolerably quiet for as busy as it was. We heard the occasional shouts, laughs, and car horns, which sounded loud when the window was open. We were in a busy area of London and thus didn’t expect perfect silence. Light sleepers might struggle but we slept just fine.
Though the hotel housed a restaurant on the ground floor (The Buttery), breakfast was not included in the room price. We only ate there once, as it was expensive relative to other nearby cafes.
The staff were friendly, helpful, and—with the previously mentioned exception—competent. They helped us procure a taxi for an early-morning bus tour, stored some perishable food for us overnight, watched our bags when we arrived too early, and thoroughly explained the functioning of the hotel upon check-in. Someone was always available to help us or let us in when we stayed out late (the hotel does lock its doors at night for safety reasons). I thought they did an exceptional job.
The final assessment: Overall, we were split on our evaluation of the Lime Tree Hotel, with the temperature being the biggest point of contention. I didn’t mind the warmth, while my partner found it far too hot. We both agreed the location was excellent, but he thought it too expensive for what it offered. I thought, for a hotel in Belgravia, the price was reasonable: £306 for the upgraded room. My partner particularly did not enjoy all the steps, while I didn’t mind them. I don’t think I sold him on the charm of a boutique hotel. I think he would have preferred something newer. I admit that “charm” does come with its quirks, which are not for everyone. Personally, I would stay there again, albeit on a lower floor. My partner said he would choose somewhere else.