REVIEW | Park Plaza London Riverbank ft the secret recipe of Coca-Cola

In 2024, I showed Oscar from Denver, Colorado the highlights of London. It was his first time in England. In contrast, Thanh and I have been to the capital of the United Kingdom many times. During the weekend of Pentecost 2026, we went together for a weekend of museums, food, and a concert.

Looking for a hotel in London is like playing darts. There are so many options in any price range and none stands out. I think Thanh stumbled upon

Park Plaza London Riverbank and we picked that one because it offered a decent price (for London), a gym and a pool.

Located on Albert Embankment in the London Borough of Lambeth, Park Plaza London Riverbank occupies a prominent position on the south bank of the River Thames. The hotel stands between Westminster and Vauxhall, within walking distance of landmarks such as the Palace of Westminster, the London Eye and Tate Modern. Vauxhall Underground and Vauxhall Railway Station are around ten minutes away on foot, while London Waterloo Railway Station can be reached in roughly twenty minutes.

The property is one of the larger hotels in central London, with more than 600 rooms and suites. Its contemporary design focuses on business and leisure travellers alike, combining conference facilities with family-friendly accommodation.

Many rooms face the Thames and offer views towards Westminster, Big Ben and the London skyline. Standard room facilities include work desks, international power sockets, minibars and large televisions, while higher-category rooms and suites provide additional living space and upgraded views.

Among the hotel’s main facilities are an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, sauna and steam room. The building also houses Chino Latino, a long-running Pan-Asian restaurant and bar overlooking the river. Executive lounge access is available for guests staying in certain room categories or through an additional fee, with the lounge located on an upper floor overlooking the Thames.

The surrounding area differs from the more traditional tourist districts of Covent Garden, Soho or South Kensington. Albert Embankment and nearby Vauxhall are characterised by modern residential towers, office developments and major transport routes.

For some visitors, this location provides a quieter alternative to the busiest parts of central London while remaining well connected by Underground, rail and bus services. Others note that the immediate neighbourhood has less historic character and fewer attractions than more central districts.

Guest reviews are generally positive, with ratings typically ranging between 8.5 and 9 out of 10 across major booking platforms. Travellers frequently praise the hotel’s location, cleanliness, river views and staff service. The swimming pool and wellness facilities are also regularly mentioned as strengths. Families often highlight the spacious rooms and child-friendly amenities.

Criticism tends to focus on issues common to large, high-occupancy city hotels. Some guests report noise from nearby roads or railway infrastructure, particularly in lower-floor rooms, while others mention that certain rooms show signs of wear or that service can be inconsistent during busy periods.

Nevertheless, the hotel is widely regarded as a reliable upper-midscale option for visitors seeking modern accommodation near central London with direct access to the Thames waterfront.

Prelude: before our arrival

On Friday 22 May, the day before our arrival, I was invited to check in or ‘pre-check in’ online. I could opt not to have our roomed cleaned every day out of ecological motivation but it’s just a cost cut. So no, we want housekeeping!

The Park Plaza app also offers a digital room key. That sounds nice, but it turned out to be rubbish. Yes, it worked at our door, but not downstairs to operate the lifts. As the concierge recommended, we got actual keycards.

Thanh put it well: “such high price, but no human interaction!”. Actually the room price, certainly for London, is very okay. But he’s right.

Actual check in

All that check in online amounted to nothing because we still had to queue – and show a passport – at the reception to get our keycard.

While queuing on Saturday, I booked a time slot for the pool. More on that later.

The room

For London, the room is spacious. Two queen size beds which can be put together and pushed apart. A desk, a cuck chair. Some clothes storage options. Complimentary water, which was restocked daily. I didn’t see a kettle but there must have been one hidden somewhere.

Few power outlets, no USB outlets but one of the power outlets is continental.

The bathroom

The bathroom is quite large and no shenanigans with a half-transparant wall towards the main area. There’s a proper bath. The shower cabin is set apart.

The secret recipe of Coca-Cola

The toiletries are by ESPA. I have no idea if that’s a known brand. But all have the same fragrance: they smell like Coca-Cola. So I can now reveal the ingredients: bergamot and jasmine.

The pool

So we booked a 40-minute time slot for the pool. We figured out twelve people can go into the pool simultaneously.

Unfortunately this maximum, and it really feels like a maximum for the pool, was not respected. We counted at least fifteen people. Mostly children. So no photos. And we didn’t stay long.

The gym

The gym is fine and open 24/7, which I love in a hotel. The gym was popular and well kept.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served at Chino Latino, a large space. It’s mostly self-service buffet with all items you’d expect at a hotel in England: English breakfast items. And of course the classics of bread, yoghurts, cereals, fruit, cold cuts, cheese etc.

You can also order eggs uhm made to order. Also pancakes.

Nothing original. Perhaps the Middle Eastern items can be seen as original.

So?

Park Plaza London Riverside, part of the Radisson Hotels group, is decent and we don’t have big complaints. No USB ports and the pool system could be addressed. But the hotel is fine.

Trip By Trip