Marriott Opens A New Residence Inn in London…And This One Could Be Useful

a living room with a tv and a couch

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Marriott’s Residence Inn properties don’t often get a lot of press because they’re not particularly exciting, they’re not high-end and they’re not glitzy…but they can be very useful.

Residence Inns are one of Marriott’s longer-term stay properties so they come with a lot of features that you won’t get with an ordinary hotel room….and now Marriott has opened one in London.

The Residence Inn London Bridge offers 87 rooms split between studios, 1-bed and 2-bed suites.

a living room with a round table and chairsOne bedroom suite living room at the Residence Inn London Bridge – Image Marriott

Unlike regular hotel suites the Residence Inn’s rooms offer fully fitted-out kitchens with microwaves, ovens, hobs, refrigerators (that you can use without the risk of a room charge!), dishwashers and all the cookware you’ll need to make a full meal.

These rooms are designed to be a home away from home.

I’ve used Residence Inns in the past and there are at least two ways in which they’ve saved me a large chunk of cash:

  • When traveling as a large family it can be cheaper to book a 2-bed Residence Inn suite (which will usually sleep at least 5 people comfortably) than to book separate hotel rooms.
  • The fact that the suites offer kitchen facilities can be a big money saver in cities (like London) where eating out, at least 2 times a day, can get pretty expensive. Even if you have hotel status that offers you free breakfast, if you’re in a regular hotel you still have to negotiate the other two meals of the day where, with a Residence Inn, you can cater for yourself as economically as you like – it can be quite freeing.

Residence Inns aren’t always found in the most tourist-friendly districts but with the Residence Inn London Bridge that’s not the case.

a map of a city

The property is situated on London’s Long Lane and that’s not a bad location in which to be based.

Approximate walk times:

  • 10 minutes walk to London Bridge Station offering easy access to sights like the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye and Bond St/Oxford St shopping
  • 10 minutes walk to sights like Southwark Cathedral and Borough Market
  • 12 minutes walk to the river Thames and the Southbank
  • 15 minutes walk to Tower Bridge.
  • 20 – 25 minutes walk to the Tower of London and St Katherine’s Dock

a bridge over water with towers and towersTower Bridge – London

There are a number of chain and independent grocery sores in the area so getting supplies shouldn’t be a chore but, if you’re pushed for time, the Residence Inn London Bridge offers a “grab n’ go” market which should tide you over until you can do a proper shop.

The area around London Bridge also has a lot of restaurants, bars and coffee shops so, if you don’t feel like catering for yourself, there are plenty of options around.

Lastly, the Residence Inn also offers communal laundry facilities and these can be a big help to those who like to travel light or those who are visiting for an extended period of time.

a white airplane on a runway

Having easy access to laundry facilities can be especially useful if you’re making the most of some of the super-cheap fares carriers like Norwegian sometimes offer – Norwegian will let you bring a regular-sized carry-on on board as part of your fare (but will charge heavily for checked-bags) so your hand baggage allowance should allow you to pack enough to keep you going between visits to the laundry.

Pricing

I’ve only had a chance to have a quick look at the rate calendar online but it seem like there are some genuinely good deals to be had right now – studios are available from £136/$175….

a calendar with numbers and dates

….and that’s a fantastic rate for a property within easy reach of a lot of London’s more famous sights.

More pricing info can be found at Marriott.com.

Bottom Line

Residence Inns may not be glamorous and sexy but they definitely serve a purpose and I’m very happy to see one in the heart of London. If you’re traveling on an extended trip or as a large-ish family you should definitely check out the suite prices and compare those to what a regular hotel is offering…you may be able to save quite a bit.