Name: The Tower Hotel, by Thistle
Address: St Katherines' Way, Tower Hill, London, England, United Kingdom, London, England, United Kingdom
Rating: 8.08

What guests think

Across many reviews, The Tower Hotel, by Thistle stands out for its unbeatable location beside Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, sweeping river views, and generally friendly, helpful staff supporting easy stays and memorable photo-worthy moments.

Frequent drawbacks include hot rooms due to weak or centrally controlled air conditioning, dated decor and bathrooms, and occasional maintenance faults such as broken fixtures, poor ventilation, or unreliable in-room amenities. Cleanliness is mixed, with some spotless rooms but recurring complaints about dusty or unclean bathrooms, odors, and construction or corridor noise; queues for check-in and slow or crowded lifts also appear in several reports. Great for the location and views; expect older rooms and variable temperature control.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

On-site bars/restaurants and outdoor seating with river views are popular, and self check-in kiosks help at busy times. Some guests note ongoing renovation, crowded or slow elevators, and parts of the property feeling dated.

Related guest reviews

10

Amanda

Aug 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Amazing hotel, comfortable room with an absolutely amazing view of London Bridge. Friendly staff and lovely restaurants both for just a drink and to enjoy a meal. Perfect location for Tower of London and boat rides. Cannot fault The Tower Hotel for our stay you made it very enjoyable

8

Catherine

Aug 21, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

No complaints. Great view of Tower of London. Upgraded for free due to room not ready. Nice staff

4

Emily

Jul 28, 2025

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Stayed 5 nights

Major issue was that the elevator took over 30 minutes to arrive on our floor. Staff were not helpful when resolving the issue. Long lineups to check in and check out.

8

Michael

Nov 11, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The staff are very friendly and helpful. We love the outside views, the outside area, the inside bars. The area has a magnificent harbour area with bars, cafes and restaurants round it. The only downfall are the rooms which are very dated especially the bathroom but at least there's a bath, yeah.

10

Nela

Sep 25, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location, easy online check in, staff around to help with the electronic part! Room is good sized twin, comfy beds, basic in room amenities but very well equipped hotel. Perfect for our needs - easy journey out to O2. Would recommend

8

William

Sep 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice outside area and fantastic view. Prices, especially for drinks, were steep, but that seems to be the case throughout the city. We did especially enjoy the location. I only wished I had a softer pillow.

2

Richard

Nov 2, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Run down, construction site - terrible experience - AVOID. Went to room and left immediately. Had to book another hotel as I couldn't expect my family to stay in a place like that. Construction contractor had left bins, rubbish etc in hallway outside rooms.

10

LAERCIO

Aug 21, 2025

·

Stayed 7 nights

I spent 7 nights in this hotel and everything was fine. Room is big enough for a couple, with a great view of the river and the tower, i could see multiples sunset from my window. Service is very friendly and helpful. Location is perfect, near by multiple sites well connected with public transportation. As expected it is a bit overpriced because the location. The hotel is a bit outdated and at this moment some areas are under renovation so depending on your room you may hear some noice from 8am to 5pm.

6

Rachael

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Checkin process was very slow. Rooms are clean but dated, although it looks like hotel is getting refurbished in places. Wait for lifts at busy times can be long.

10

Kim

Nov 8, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy self check-in, clean rooms, friendly staff and close trains. Plus the view of Tower Bridge is picture perfect.

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Cleanliness

Feedback is mixed: many found rooms very clean or spotless, while others reported unclean bathrooms, lingering odors, or occasional pests and corridor rubbish during works.

Related guest reviews

2

Gayle

Aug 1, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Room smells like sewage. It’s coming from the shower and sink drains. Even if you keep them plugged and the bathroom door closed it still engulfs the bedroom. Stains on carpet, chipped paint, overall soooooo gross View is amazing and beds are comfortable but the sewage odor derails any enjoyment. Avoid this place!

4

Brendan

Jul 24, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

Terrible to be honest - when I checked into my room, I found old stale pitta breads in one of the drawers in the hotel. I complained to the hotel reception, to which I was given breakfast the next morning and I was told my room was cleaned again; I then returned to my room to still find the Pitta Bread in the drawer still. Shocking. Never experienced this before in any hotel.

10

Caroline

Nov 29, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff were very friendly and efficient. There was also plenty of staff , nothing was to much trouble. The room was spotless with a fantastic view of tower bridge and the shard. Food was outstanding, huge variety of foods for breakfast.

10

Tetyana

Nov 3, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

Clean

2

Jorge

Aug 20, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

On checking in and getting to our room, the room had clearly not been clean with dirty carpets and dust everywhere. I complained to reception and it took more than an hour for us to be moved - this led to our missing a dinner date! There was an ambient smell in the corridors which was no pleasant. This was our second trip to this hotel and it has ,clearly lost its charm.

10

Jennifer

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

Lovely place to stay super clean and wonderful views

8

Ellen

Oct 29, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

Room and bathroom were not properly cleaned

4

Conor

Oct 27, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

Room was not clean, mold in the bathroom. We asked for cleaning service for our room and they did not replace pillow cases, sheets, or cleaned the bathroom. It took over an hour and a half to check in. Food was delicious.

10

REBECCA

Nov 18, 2025

·

Stayed 10 nights

Room spotless staff courteous friendly and very helpful.

4

Gayle

Jul 28, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

Room smells like sewage. To make it bearable: Keep sink and shower plugs in, buy a reed diffuser (air fresher), and keep bathroom door closed. View: 5 stars of tower bridge Room: 2 stars (old furniture, carpet stained, and smells disgusting, but beds are comfortable

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Rooms

Many rooms offer standout Tower Bridge views and comfortable beds, but furnishings and bathrooms are dated. Common issues include hot rooms from weak or centrally controlled AC, limited bedside outlets, and maintenance faults; some report noise from construction or slamming doors.

Related guest reviews

6

Sarah

Oct 18, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Good size room but very dated. No aircon. Had to be given a fan.

6

Debra

Aug 30, 2025

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Stayed 1 night

The hotel has a great location and downstairs it looks very grand. However the rooms are very dated. Plug sockets look like from 1960s. No sockets next to the bed. Furniture is dated. No attention to detail. Handles have been replaced on the wardrobe and the wood is showing where they used to be and haven’t been painted. Shower is old and dated though pressure is very good. There was work going on at room next door which started at 8am on a Saturday! Was told would be “some noise” when checked in but not to that extent. Did complain and it was handled very well at the front desk by Monteserrat who was very friendly and professional and gave us a complimentary breakfast which we were happy with it. The staff were very good overall.

8

Malcolm

Sep 21, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great tourist hotel. Staff work hard to keep clean & help customers BUT hotel has outdated decor in rooms, No Usb sockets & out dated lighting. Needs total upgrade of rooms decor & lighting. Hotel relys on Continental tourist.

8

Sydney

Aug 15, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The location was perfect for sight seeing. Rooms feel slightly dated but clean for the most part. No AC so very hot in the summer.

6

sandra

Oct 12, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

The room was comfortable but a bit dated. The bathroom needs refurbishing. There was rubbish in the soap tray and despite staying for 2 nights and having room service , they were still there when we left. There are coffee and tea making facilities and also 2 bottles of water. There is a safe which is also free of charge. I would suggest checking in online as there were long queues at the desk. Great location for the tower etc. Food and drink is very expensive so I would suggest eating somewhere around the hotel . There was a strange humming noice outside our room (172) all night which was a bit annoying but didnt stop us from sleeping. I think it is overpriced but I guess you are paying for the location.

6

Shannen

Aug 30, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great location and great view but the room needs to be upgraded. Very old furnishings and electric wiring.

6

Danielle

Nov 25, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The price is purely for the view and it is impressive. It's a great spot to be in the heart of London. However, our room was insanely hot and the air con didn't work properly. For that reason, it wasn't a comfortable night sleep at all. In November, it shouldn't be that hot. My child woke up with a wet tshirt, it was 26 degrees on the thermo (7th floor). There was also construction being door on our floor. The recepetion didn't smell very nice, like sewers or urine. The positives were the staff were kind, the concierge was safe and generally the mood of the hotel was nice and relaxed. We didn't eat here so I cannot comment on food. We did have cheap coffee in the room, for the price I would be expecting a coffee machine in this day and age. We did have a few complimentary waters.

10

Mark

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great view, comfy beds, easy check-in and great location

6

Chrys

Aug 28, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

The location of the property was really good, with a fantastic view of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, The rooms are a bit dated and the lack of a fridge and coffee machine in the room was a disappointed

8

Stacey

Nov 10, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Hotel dated, needs a refurbishment in rooms.

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Service

Staff are generally friendly, helpful and accommodating, with concierge support and gestures for special occasions. Some guests experienced slow or crowded check-in and inconsistent responses to problems.

Related guest reviews

6

SUSAN

Sep 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Checked in on line but when we got to the hotel the automatic kiosks didn’t work so had to go to reception anyway but was fast and efficient. Loo wasn’t working properly so changed our room but we had been out for the evening so was at 10pm at night. But sent concierge to assist us and gave us a complimentary breakfast for the inconvenience.

2

steve

Oct 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

At 2130 hors there was a mouse running around my room which i photographed. I complained & was moved to another room. I asked that the room fee be waived but the hotel refused and said if i refused to pay i must leave. In fact i had already paid but their customer care was non existent.

10

Andy

Aug 26, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed for our Anniversary, which I did mention & when we arrived in our room we had a free bottle of wine waiting. We paid for a Bridge view & I have to say, the view was stunning. Like an idiot, I left my car key in the room, only noticed when we were back at the train station, but the staff (especially Marshall & the Concierge) were brilliant in sorting it out for me. All in all, a wonderful hotel with views & service to be appreciated.

10

paul

Nov 2, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

We landed at the hotel at 10.30 am to drop off are luggage. They let us have the room, that was so helpful

10

Flavia

Sep 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was clean. Beddings freshest I've experienced at any hotels. Restaurant a bit pricey but steak was delicious. Great views from room. Best location. Breakfast was a wide variety. Express check in and check out smoothly after I learnt how. Staff helpful and friendly.

4

Emily

Jul 28, 2025

·

Stayed 5 nights

Major issue was that the elevator took over 30 minutes to arrive on our floor. Staff were not helpful when resolving the issue. Long lineups to check in and check out.

10

Vedad

Nov 29, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

We had a small inconvenience with our original room, but the hotel handled it exceptionally well. They arranged a complimentary transfer to another hotel and even upgraded our stay. The staff were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive—especially meaningful as it was our first visit to London. Their professionalism and classy service truly made our trip memorable. Highly recommended.

6

Gill

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great Location , but feel service has gone down in the many many years we have stayed at the Tower Hotel. We booked a "Bridge" view & when we checked we were told that there was a maintenance problem & moved us to a supposed upgraded room (which it was not). The TV was not working properly ( had text in German-which we couldn't change & no sound on BBC1) .Maintenance man came but was clearly up to his eye's and resented having to try & help us. Such a shame as we were celebrating our wedding Anniversary - & we had spent our wedding night in the hotel 45 years to the day in 1980. Think this is the last time we will ever stay at the Hotel .

10

Andre

Nov 12, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Superb view to Tower Bridge and very centric. The concierge helped with a difficult situation and sent our luggage directly to the train station with a taxi as we would not have arrived in time to pick our luggage in the hotel and arrive on time for our train. Excellent service !

10

Will

Nov 16, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We went here for our 'mini-moon' after getting married and the staff couldn't have been nicer. The room had an amazing room, they gave us a bottle of wine and were so welcoming.

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Location

Exceptional riverside location beside Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, with easy access to tube, buses and river boats, plus many nearby restaurants and pubs.

Related guest reviews

10

Janet

Nov 1, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great location

10

Roman

Sep 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great location, excellent accommodations

10

FOTIOS

Oct 14, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel is located on river Thames right by the London bridge. There is a car parking. The rooms are great with a view. The breakfast and the food are excellent. I will come again on my next visit to London.

10

David

Nov 30, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Fantastic location with superb view of the Tower Bridge, very helpful & friendly staff. Will book here again.

10

Linda

Aug 24, 2025

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Stayed 5 nights

The location is great hotel for getting around to the tourist areas of London. The underground and bus are only a few blocks away. They also have the best view of the Tower Bridge

10

Jenny

Nov 2, 2025

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Stayed 2 nights

We had asked for a rollaway bed and everything was set up as requested with no problems. The rooms felt quite luxurious and the view was amazing. It is an excellent hotel in a fantastic location at an affordable price

10

Daniella

Sep 27, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The location is absolutely perfect ! Fun pubs within walking distance and we loved the pie and fish and chips at the Vicinity Restaurant .the hotel is close to so many sites and close to tube station . Would recommend !!

10

Jane

Aug 21, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Location was excellent for view underground was about 5-10 minutes walk past the tower of London

10

Michelle

Oct 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy check-in good standard of room, location

10

sally

Nov 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Rooms are very clean, staff are friendly. Breakfast very nice but a bit pricey. Great location for exploring London.

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Dining

Breakfast and on-site venues are frequently praised for variety, views and tasty dishes, but several guests consider prices high and mention occasional quality or service inconsistencies.

Related guest reviews

10

Donna

Sep 30, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The service in Vicinty was slow, but food was good

10

Bobby

Oct 15, 2025

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Stayed 3 nights

We loved the location! The breakfast buffet was an experience that I could have also spent lunch and dinner at. Loved it! The room was clean and the shower was, well, European. I loved the dining. The chefs were wonderful because the food was beyond excellent. I will recommend the Tower Hotel to all my American friends that intend to stay in London!

10

FOTIOS

Oct 14, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

The hotel is located on river Thames right by the London bridge. There is a car parking. The rooms are great with a view. The breakfast and the food are excellent. I will come again on my next visit to London.

10

Karen

Nov 4, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great stay, room lovely, great view, breakfast and other food in restaurant good too. Staff all very helpful. Thank you, we will visit again.

8

Kellie

Sep 15, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great views of the bridge paid for early check in so was great to access the room before heading to the theatre. Booked a table for dinner in the VU and the food was a little overpriced burger and chips for £21 the cocktails were nice but didn’t really taste much alcohol. The service charge was 13.5% now the service definitely didn’t warrant that. Theres was only 2 of us and a service charge should be for groups only! Feel that the hotel accounts for its high volume of American customers with any form of service charge! The bed was 2 singles pushed together with a topper put on but when the sheet came off in the night as it was too small for the bed I wasn’t impressed. Lovely location. Breakfast was lovely

6

Lee

Nov 10, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Easy check in and out. Breakfast not too busy but food was cold and the coffee low quality. Had to use the Starbucks on site for a decent one. Hotel was clean and tidy with great views and not too far away from the tube. Good local facilities such as shops and restaurants nearby. Aircon didn’t work in our room so was uncomfortable and the TV stopped working

8

Emily

Aug 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Fantastic location. We had a room looking onto Tower Bridge. Great breakfast with lots of options. Super breakfast staff- very attentive and quick to clean up customer spillages.

10

Caroline

Nov 29, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

The staff were very friendly and efficient. There was also plenty of staff , nothing was to much trouble. The room was spotless with a fantastic view of tower bridge and the shard. Food was outstanding, huge variety of foods for breakfast.

8

William

Sep 29, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice outside area and fantastic view. Prices, especially for drinks, were steep, but that seems to be the case throughout the city. We did especially enjoy the location. I only wished I had a softer pillow.

8

Sophie

Nov 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great rooms, great location, fantastic staff. Average breakfast

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The Tower Hotel, by Thistle.ec-9g4sk8{display:inline-block;width:var(--layout-spacing-s200);}

Amenities

Property description

Guest reviews

Very good

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What guests think

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The Tower Hotel, by Thistle