Union Jack Club

[Wizzard]

I have to go up to London for a couple of days next month and I'm thinking of staying at the UJ club. It's been a while since I've stayed there and I was wondering what it is like these days?

Have any of you peeps stayed there recently? Is it worth a try?

If not where else might I stay that wont cost an arm and a wotsit?

Cheers

Wiz

 

[Baddass]

It's alright mate!  I was down there at the beginning of December last year.  It's about £35 for an standard en suite single.  Compared to the St Giles on the Tottenham Court Road at £120 for the same standard room (and that's considered reasonable in London), you'll not do too badly  It's been refurbished over the years and it's none too shabby.  If you're taking a motor, you'll have to book it in and they are limited on parking spaces.  Advance bookings are a must and if you don't show up by 1800hrs on the evening of your booking they'll give your roo away.  They will hold however, if you phone to say that you'll be late.  

You'll not find better for the cost and location in London.

 

[Jip Travolta]

 
Used it a several times over the years.....

.....was too píssed to remember anything though.....

......oh hang on, yes....it's in London!......

Tip: Eat yer Micky D'ds or Kebab (or hide it) before you go in - they don't like their rooms smelling too bad in the mornings and won't let you in with one!

 

[Oracle]

The UJ Club is much better now than it was a few years ago , cheap and good value for moneyas the rooms are as good as any I have stayed in over the years.  I wouldn't bank on getting your car into the carpark though, not unless you are related to:

1. a general
2. someone who works on reception
3. the car park attendant

The nearest car par is on the South Bank (about 5 mins walk away)and that will cost you £19 a day - expensive, but cheaper than getting your car towed away though. PS. they only take cash - no credit or debit cards.

 

[Gas Gas Gas]

I have used it on a couple of occasions whilst attending dinners in London.  I found it very reasonable and ideally located for the train home in the morning.

The UJ club is very ecumenical nowadays, even officers are allowed to use it - but at a higher rate.

 

[Wizzard]

fffffanks chasps, I'll give it a go

Wiz

 

[flash_to_bang]

PS-the food is good and terrific value too

 

[RRBBaby]

...how far in advance does amnyone recommend booking? im going to be in london in august and someone has recommended staying there....cheers!

 

[Mr Happy]

I've never been turned away from there (booked for 1 week at 2 hours notice once) but if I recall correctly it is free to cancel up to 24 hours before so you can make a provisional booking now over the period and amend from there...

Parking is more painful though.

 

[flash_to_bang]

You can book through their website http://www.ujclub.co.uk/

dead easy

 

[RRBBaby]

chhers for that!

 

[error_unknown]

Better advised to go to the VSC; closer to everything and just as cheap.  Membership needed though.

 

[Ventress]

The Travel Lodge on Tower Bridge Rd is cheap as chips and just a short walk from the Tower (Best spent £11 in London)and Tower Bridge! Also a Weatherspoons is only 100m away, so that cannot be bad!

London Dungeon is a walk away too!

Food is good and the bar is open til 0100hrs!

 

[Padwife]

PS-the food is good and terrific value too

Hmmmmm... Unfortunately I must've got the short straw when I went there recently. About 5 years ago I would've agreed with you.

I had to stay in London due to weather / travel problems, and luckily the UJC saved the day. However, the meal was so dreadful that I wrote to the manager to complain. Not only did he apologise profusely (for - as he termed it - the "trauma" I suffered in the dining room!) but he refunded the full cost of my meal (including the cost of the half bottle of Chablis, about which I had no complaint at all!).

In the words of Anne Robinson, "Complain, Make a Fuss!!!!"

 

[Muttley]

Stuff that...I booked through last minute.com on the hotel page.......scrolled to London and they had a £60 for a 4 * London hotel...paid up front and the week before they told me where....The Melia White House Hotel at Regents park...normally £210 per night...the room was fantastic..I could barely see the end of the bed it was that far away...and yes even further away after a few beers...well worth it!

Oh and its £60 for two off you...so take the other half along!

 

[Bencher]

union jack club is sorted, go there !!!

 

[Toptotty]

Hate to disagree with this UJ love-in, but  wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.  There are far better and as cheap deals if ye shop around in the Net.  

I have tried to spread as much anti-publicity against the UJ ever since my brother was "allowed" to use theire foyer bathrooom to get chaged into in prep for my investiture at B'ham P a few years back.  The "management" probably some ex-RLC storeman, wouldn't let him enter my family room upstairs in the morning for 10mins to get changed after he had travelled through the night to join me at this very special day.

So, FCUK the UJ club!

 

[Wizzard]

Well I used the UJ this week as planned and I thought it was fine and much improved from the early 80's. they even have internet access!  

The rooms are a bit small but they're clean. The breakfast is probably the best deal in London - all you can eat for a fiver.

Toptotty

Looks like you got the duty asshole.

Wiz

 

[BK_NAAFI_Veteran]

Nitemare, at last a UJ Club topic. I have been complaining about this for years, but never on such a wide forum, so here goes. I have stayed there on many occassions since 1975 ( or at least tried to), when I was a kid and my Dad booked us in, onwards through my own service into the 80/90's. Now when we went there the first time, my Dad had just been commissioned, so we had to lie about his rank, as Officers were not allowed in, luckily he still had his old ID card too, so we bluffed it. Then when I tried to stay in 1987 I was not able to get enough rooms for myself, and my friends as we were enlisted scum, and a large proportion had been given over to Officers. Then in 1990, I could not get in at all, because they had opened it up to civvy police and firemen, and they had it filled. Final insult, in 1999 I tried to get in, but again could not, this time because it was full of Polish firemen, and the ultimate insult, Eurostar train drivers!
I mean come on, is the place not supposed to be for British servicemen in transit? I was disgusted to find these train drivers propping up the bar, on their 35k pa when young soldiers could not get in.
They are also very strict about guests, so if you pull, forget about bringing her back there.
If you do want to use it, and to be honest if you shop around you will find better, then book it well in advance, incase the retired  spanish road sweepers or someone are having a conference there.

 

[step]

Sorry to drag an old topic up again, but I'm peed off with the UJC. Tried twice this year to book a room, well in advance, nothing doing. Rooms all taken by the eurostar ticket inspectors, retired officers (can NCOs get in the Army and Navy club? fat chance), and now I find the clerks from the Job Centres can get in! Who was the place set up for? Perhaps the management should think about what Ethel McCauls intentions were and get back to them.