HOTEL REVIEW: Intercontinental O2, London & the Cable Car Experience

Today’s article is from TLFL regular contributor, Gus.

Finding a Gem on your (London) Doorstep

As someone who has lived in or very near London for the best part of two decades, there are few parts that I have not sampled or dwelled in for some reason or another. However I have spent very little time around the O2 area; the former ‘Millenium Dome, and current internationally-acclaimed music and entertainment venue.

This is a mistake, as the O2 itself is a great landmark and destination, and even around it, there is more and more to do in that part of East London. For example, beyond the music and events staged in the massive venue itself, there are an increasing number of options for shopping, waterside dining, pop-up events, and even adrenaline-fuelled activities such as scaling the outside of the O2 structure itself, or power-boating down the Thames.

There is also an excellent cable car which crosses the river – which I will cover in more detail below – as well as a surprisingly good IHG hotel, in the form of the Intercontinental. I stayed for one night prior to Christmas, which turned out to be a very good choice for a number of reasons.

Intercontinental Hotel and Spa

The first is that the Intercontinental O2 has a very pleasant pool and spa, and the second is that the food and service was very decent too. I took the decision to use points, which was ‘only’ 39,000 for me (though dynamic pricing shows it goes well up on that on many other dates too), which would otherwise have been £220 or so at the time of booking.

The hotel is a mere 6 or so minutes walk from North Greenwich tube, which also serves the O2 crowds too. It is fairly well sign-posted for pedestrians from the station, although you do second-guess yourself once or twice as you cross a large (but usually fairly empty) main road.

The arrival is a little un-impressive, as you saunter around the side of the large tower along shrubs and then a ballroom entrance, but when you go in the revolving doors it feels welcoming and appealing. The staff-to-guest ratio at the entrance was good whenever I passed through, and on check in (a few hours early, too, it should be said), I was greeted swiftly and warmly.

Check-in, Room and Amenities

I have Platinum and Ambassador status with IHG, and while these were noted and I did receive a one-category room upgrade (from the lowest room, a King Classic, to a King Deluxe), neither gives you breakfast or lounge entry. That said I was soon on my way to the 14^th floor (there are 18 levels, the uppermost of which features the ‘Eighteen Sky Bar’, though sadly it is only open five nights a week, so I couldn’t check that out either), and checking out my room.

For London, the room was very good indeed. It was generously sized, clean, modern, and well appointed. However, it was the view in particular that made it top notch. My window opened up on to the majestic River Thames, showing off the cool waters between the Intercontinental and the winking lights of Canary Wharf in the City on the North side of the river. I didn’t notice any noise or intrusive lights, and it was a lovely spot to lazily look out on when in the room.

The bed in particular was massive (with alternative/extra pillows swiftly delivered on request) and the bathroom had a spacious and deep tub, with an equally roomy rain shower. The toiletries were Bal D’Afrique, which I wasn’t familiar with before, but they provided a pleasant change in that they were not clamped to the wall. They were maximum size – one assumes so it is obvious that they are not for taking home – and were enjoyable to use.

The room also had the usual gowns and slippers, as well as a fairly well stocked mini bar (usual prices) and coffee machine. I was also given some macaroons and other sweet treats as part of a turn-down service.

Winning Next to the Water and in the Water

The spa and pool was one of the reasons I specifically booked this hotel over some of its neighbours, and I did enjoy the facilities very much. The pool was one of London’s larger ones – in terms of both length and width. It also had some comfortable poolside lounging options, not too much chlorine, and was heated to a decent level, which isn’t always the case! The pool also had a ‘relaxation pool’ attached at the back (not sure why it wasn’t formally classified as a jacuzzi), which had water beds, a massage waterfall and bubbles.

The sauna and steam room were set just back from the pool and were both big enough to have several in at once. Happily, however, footfall was fairly light so I had them to myself most of the time. That said, the temperature of the sauna was not as high as you might expect – although the steam room was positively scorching. The changing rooms were also spacious and well-stocked, including a ‘cossie spinner’, which I always appreciate.

From a food point of view, I ate in the Meridian Lounge (on the ground floor near reception), but only as the well-reviewed Market Brasserie was closed most of the time I was there. Despite it being more of a casual eating joint, my simple meal there was very tasty, with attentive and friendly service.

I also enjoyed room service for breakfast (£22 on check-in as opposed to £30 on the day), to maximise my river-viewing and being-lazy time. Despite coming from a distant kitchen via a cart and lift, it was nice and hot (I love those warm storage compartments in the trollies), well-presented, tasty and filling. I score a breakfast by the sausages and hash browns (let alone the juice and coffee), and it was a winner for sure.

An Overlooked Second Gem – London’s Only Cable Car!

However, this review isn’t solely about the hotel… It is also about something nearby. The cable car! This was something I’d wanted to go on for a while, and it is mad that a full 12 years have passed since it was launched (with main sponsor Emirates) back in time for the 2012 London Olympics.

It is now sponsored by a tech company called IFS Cloud, and you can’t miss the branding as you come to either station. The southside one (Greenwich Peninsula) is a mere 10 minute walk from the hotel, and the northside one (Docklands), is super close to the ExCel centre – as well as HM Passport Office and the Sunborn London Yacht and Hotel.

The cost is £6 for an adult one-way trip, though you can get cheaper fares by booking online and in other ways, and for the experience alone that is not a huge price.

This may be because I am a simple human being who likes to be up in the air (see Mexico Ritz tower hotel review or any of my recent flight reviews), but I really enjoyed it a lot!

The ride over the Thames doesn’t last that long, and nor is the 90 metres particularly high, but I really loved the panoramic views, loved the out-of-context feel of being in a cable car not in the snowy mountains, and generally loved the smooth glide of popping from one part of London to another.

Final Thoughts

It helped that both the cable car, and the Intercontinental O2 (and its lovely amenities) were pretty quiet when I was there, but truthfully I had a blast in my brief sojourn to this oft-overlooked part of London. And if you want to go full tourist, then I also recommend taking the Thames Clipper – aka the Uber Boat, aka the Thames water taxi – from pretty much any pier along the Thames, as you whiz along taking in even more views, and without a tube turnstile in sight. Either way, I really enjoyed almost everything about my stay and my trip, and I would do it again.