View of London from an executive room at the Park Plaza Waterloo Hotel.
From true online check-in to phone-based room keys, Park Plaza London Waterloo offers a glimpse into the future of London hotels with affordable rates that factor into its prime location.
But it's not all high-tech: three hives under the hotel's roof house tens of thousands of bees, whose honey is used by the hotel's pastry chefs and in signature cocktails.
The blend of advanced technology and sustainable elements creates a memorable stay that appeals to a younger generation who are increasingly environmentally conscious while living a digital-first lifestyle.
High Tech Hotel
Online check-in is nothing new — in fact, many other hotels in the Radisson Hotel Group have offered it for several years.
The stylish lobby of Park Plaza London Waterloo Hotel.
But the previous system was buggy and required guests to visit the reception desk to collect a key card, often negating the time-saving benefits.
Check-in at Park Plaza Waterloo is a breeze and the entire check-in process is done online. Once you download the accompanying app, the app acts as your room key, so you don't need to go to the front desk when you arrive at the hotel.
It might take an extra second or two to start up, but the Bluetooth connection to the door lock and elevator activation points works consistently.
The downside of not collecting a physical key at reception is that you don't have the opportunity to ask questions, however the hotel's app contains a lot of information and also offers the opportunity to chat with reception via WhatsApp.
The rooms are operated via touch screens located in the entrance hall and on either side of the bed.
The blinds and lights can be controlled via touchscreens either side of the bed and in the hallway.
With just a touch, you can open or close the blinds, adjust the air conditioning, and change the lights to several modes. The lights even include a “mood” setting that's perfect for relaxing before bed. The touchscreen is turned off at night, but will automatically light up a deep blue color when you bring your hand close to it.
Bee Home
London is a greener city than many visitors first realise, and there's no better place to realise this than from the view from the upper floors of a hotel, where London's leafy neighbourhoods come into view.
The lower part of the roof is home to three hives housing tens of thousands of bees, part of a growing trend of rooftop rewilding and urban beekeeping across the UK.
According to the group Urban Bees, setting up such “bee hotels” is “a local, concrete way to restore nature and increase biodiversity for wild bees and other pollinators.”
There's another benefit for both the hotel and its guests: The bees provide honey that is used by the hotel's pastry chefs and in signature cocktails at the hotel's Italian-themed restaurant and bar.
Park Plaza London Waterloo's signature cocktails feature honey from its rooftop bees.
“Don't Touch the Bee” features rooftop honey as well as gin, lemon, orange marmalade and Grand Marnier.
A comfortable stay on London's South Bank
Although it's named after the famous train station, it's easier to get to Lambeth North on the London Underground's Bakerloo line, with the hotel located directly opposite the station entrance.
Waterloo Underground Station and mainline train stations are just a 10 minute walk away, while the River Thames and Lambeth, Westminster, Golden Jubilee and Waterloo Bridges are all within walking distance.
The attractions of London's West End are within 20 minutes by London Underground or local bus, or you can walk there in good weather. Covent Garden is a 35-minute walk from the hotel.
Rates for a double room start at about $250 per night, with breakfast an additional $26 per person.
