REVIEW: The new Four Points Express by Sheraton London Euston – Itsy bitsy teeny weeny!

I have been making a concerted effort to stay in Marriotts as I have status and to earn extra points whenever possible. Since many of my stays are in London, this has been challenging as reasonable-priced rooms in central London are hard to come by (at weekends, Threadneedles, Bankside, and The Dixon hotels can be good value). As this was a weeknight, nearly every Marriott was over £300 a night, even those further away in Maida Vale. I decided to try the new Four Points Express London Euston after seeing the very reasonable price tag. I was slightly suspicious as there are no photos on the website of the rooms, but I assumed that was because it was a brand-new hotel. 

Four Points Express Brand

This is a new brand with the London  hotel being only the second one to opne, The brand was developed specifically for the Europe & Middle East market. Marriott describe the brand as for guests that “need a comfortable and affordable place to rest and recharge. They expect an easy, uncomplicated stay and don’t want to spend extra on services they don’t need. Clean, comfortable, and in a convenient location, Four Points Express delivers a seamless experience, all for the right price.”

However, there are some serious drawbacks for Bonvoy Members, as these hotels (along with Protea and City Express) only earn 5 points per $1 and earn 1 elite night credit for every 2 nights per stay.

Location

The location is one of the key attractions for this hotel. As well as being very close to Euston station, it is also within 15 minutes walking distance to no less than four tube stations with Euston, Euston Square, Russell Street, and Warren Street nearby. It’s also only a 15-20 minute Uber ride to many central London attractions such as Oxford Street, Covent Garden, the London Eye, and the City of London. 

Check-in

The outside of the hotel is somewhat unassuming, and in fact, it looks small, like the rooms! There is a small pull-in area, which is handy if you are being dropped off by car. 

The stay started impressively, with someone greeting me the minute I entered. This set the tone for the staff at the hotel, which continued throughout the stay. The staff has been very well trained for a recently opened hotel, and I would say the service was as good as at a five-star hotel in many respects, although, of course, there is no porter service or concierge!

I was swiftly checked in, but I was not offered an upgrade as a Marriott Platinum. Everything about the hotel such as breakfast times was explained to me. 

The check-in area felt modern and welcoming; it did not feel like a budget hotel. 

The room

I had seen the room size online, so I knew it was going to be small, but I guess I had not quite appreciated how small! I did not go for the basic windowless room, but instead went for the room below the top category of corner room, the Efficient 10sqm, Guest room, 1 Double.

As you enter, there is a small hallway area with some wooden hooks and three hangers for your clothes. Obviously, you would struggle to stay here more than one night as there is nowhere to store anything except here and under the bed/on the floor in your suitcase. A hairdryer was also hanging in the bag by the door.

Something was also hanging on the wall which took me a couple of seconds to work out what it was – a lap tray. This would be ideal for working in bed as the very small “desk” would not be comfortable for long. This was a good area to charge devices or do hair and makeup if you had your own mirror. The stool folded up under the desk. 

There were quite a few things missing from the room, which I would expect even in a basic hotel, such as a Premier Inn—iron and ironing board, tea and coffee, shower caps, and ideally face flannels. Another annoyance was the fact that there was no privacy curtain/blind, and being in an L-shaped building, people could see into your room.

I was impressed that there were two cans of free water though, as you don’t get this in many 4 star hotels. The TV was also large and modern. 

I asked for an iron and ironing board plus an extra pillow as there were only two, which is stingy. These arrived very promptly in around 5 minutes, so full marks there. However, the ironing board was ridiculous as it had no legs, so you had to either iron on the bed or the floor. While a quick iron of a pair of trousers may be ok, trying to iron a full-length dress was pretty tricky.

The bathroom was extremely small, so small that it only had the tiniest cloakroom-style sink in an unattractive brown color. There was a small shelf underneath for storing a few items, but that was it.

There was at least a decent-sized shower with reasonable water pressure and a full set of toiletries, including a small body lotion. However, I really disliked the strong smell of these, which was like cheap aftershave. Tissues were also supplied, which was appreciated, and the towels were of adequate quality.

The bed was pushed up against the wall, but there was a bedside table on one side with sockets and USB ports. The bed was actually extremely comfortable, again better than many more expensive hotels I have stayed in. There were no curtains, but instead, there was a fully fitted blind, which meant that there was no light pollution either. This made for a great night’s sleep as there was very little noise in my end of corridor room. The only sound I heard was the rubbish being collected at 6am. There was even an automatic night light under the bed, which was not too sensitive. I remember another hotel that I stayed in where you could not turn it off, and every time you so much as coughed, the night light came on!

Breakfast

I really liked the Raven restaurant and bar, which did not feel like a budget hotel. Again, the service here was fantastic. I’m guessing it was a manager who greeted me with a very cheery welcome. The restaurant is also open for dinner. 

You could sit anywhere, and there was a smallish buffet with all the basics. This included cold meat and cheese, pastries and toast, a full English and a muesli bar. 

The coffee machine wasn’t working properly, and when I reported it, the manager said he would get me a coffee from the kitchen, which duly arrived.

The quality of the food was good, and I was pleased with my selection. The manager also checked back on how my breakfast was (they did not know who I was). I also liked the outdoor terrace section, which is unusual for a London hotel.

Facilities

There is a Caffe Nero within the hotel, which is very handy if you don’t have breakfast included or just want to grab a quick coffee or lunch. 

In addition to the restaurant, there is a full bar with seating and a proper coffee machine, which would also be a handy place to work.

There is no gym at the hotel.

Booking

Prices here are certainly very reasonable for central London. I paid £170, which was quite last minute. However, if you book in advance, you can get the windowless room for £108 or the room I had for £136.

You can check prices and book here. 

Conclusion

Yes, the rooms are tiny. Swinging a cat is definitely out of the question! However, all the basics are here for a good night’s sleep and a decent breakfast. The hotel does not have good ratings online, but I would guess that is due to the room size. 

It is perfect for a solo traveller (or loved-up couple that don’t mind being squashed up together!) for a night out or early morning train from Euston, where you just need somewhere clean and cheap to get a decent night’s sleep. With regular Marriott hotels often being eye-wateringly expensive, this is a welcome addition for London. Although I do think with the price you are paying in London, which is equivalent to a decent four-star elsewhere in the country, you should get the proper Bonvoy Elite night credit. This would put me off staying again, I’m afraid.