Although technically part of London (Greater London), Richmond is far out enough and different enough from the city centre that I think of it as a weekend trip from London! It's a lovely place to explore with shops, free-roaming deer, and nature all very close together. On my last trip there, I stayed at Bingham Riverhouse, a popular boutique hotel. Scroll down for my impartial review. (Unsponsored- paid for on my own dime!)
I was looking for a place to stay in between London city centre and Heathrow airport (only 30 min by car!), so I decided upon Richmond. (Another good choice is Wimbledon- I'll share a review of Hotel Du Vin in Wimbledon soon.)
I really liked the location of Bingham Riverhouse- it's situated by the River Thames, so decided to stay there in October. You get a lovely view of the changing leaves from the hotel's breakfast area. However, do note it's a little bit outside of Richmond centre- about a 10 minutes walk or so? But a very pleasant walk if you go by the river!
Rooms
The hotel has 14 bedrooms: some with a view of the river/ garden, others with a view of the main road.
Obviously, river view rooms are more pricey so since I was paying for my own stay, I chose the road-view! The room was comfortable but nondescript. (I had been expecting something more stylish based on the reviews I had read.)
I liked how the mattresses were organic and that the en-suite bathroom had a spacious modern shower with good water pressure. The little notebook in the room was also a nice touch.
There is a mini bar in the room.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is NO LIFT in the hotel. I was with my senior Mom (about 80) on our way to Heathrow so we had 2 large bags. The receptionist kindly helped me with 1 bag but I had to struggle with the other one myself. For check-out, no assistance was offered for the bags, so I carried them down myself. The stairs were quite wide and not as steep as in some B&Bs so it wasn't too difficult to manage.
This is not a complaint by the way- I do believe I shouldn't pack more than I can carry!- but I just wanted to make sure people know what they're in for.)
Reception
The Google listing states that this is a "luxury hotel"- to be quite honest (and with all due respect), it felt more like a restaurant with rooms (or something around those lines) than a luxury hotel. For one, I definitely would have expected complete luggage assistance in a luxury hotel!
For another, although check in was smooth, it was quite impersonal and a bit haphazard. There was an event running when we checked in so parts of the hotel were in use and it wasn't made clear when/ whether we could use the hotel's facilities, such as the bar, restaurant, garden etc. (We did ask but the answer wasn't very clear- and given that someone was holding a private event, we didn't want to intrude.)
For example, on the website, it is said: "Our garden is a tranquil spot where guests can wander, children can play, and visitors can mingle." It was not made clear how we could access the garden so we obviously didn't manage to wander in it!
Breakfast
I understood the raving reviews better after seeing the breakfast area- it is simply gorgeous! Spacious, flooded with natural light and amazing views.
The breakfast buffet spread was also pretty good- on the downside, however, they put out very few items of each type at a go, and are VERY slow to refill items. When we dined there, there were fewer of each type of pastry than there were guests. (And there is no one around to ask for more!)
Added to the fact that some guests just took all of their favorite pastry, the buffet table can be left quite empty. (I obviously took the photo above after it had been refilled.) if you only want to eat certain pastries/ breads, you may have quite a wait.
I know I'm not being picky here because I heard other guests complaining about the same thing!
P.S. The food was OK but not super tasty.
Check Out
There didn't seem to be an area where hotel guests could rest and relax after checking out. They do have a lounge where they sell food & drinks so we ended up paying for drinks so that we could sit and wait for our cab.
Getting There
Address: 61- 63 Petersham Road, Richmond TW10 6CUT, UK
You can take a cab or bus from Heathrow Central Bus Station to Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond. The bus journey is about 1 hour versus 30 minutes in a car.
Things to Do Nearby
- Take the ferry to Hampton Court Palace
- Watch a movie at Richmond Odeon Cinema on Hill Street
- Watch deers at Richmond Park
- Riverside stroll
- Visit Botanic Gardens in Kew
- Enjoy the shops in Richmond High Street
All in all, I would say if you're just looking for a comfortable bed to sleep in in between Heathrow and central London, Bingham Riverhouse does the job remarkably well.
However, if you're looking more for a relaxing stay where you're made to feel very welcome and will be left wanting to return, this is not the place I'd recommend. I'd suggest going to The Pig at Bridge (an incredible stay I definitely want to repeat! or Boys Hall in Kent instead. (Admittedly, they're a little further out but still accessible by train from central London!)
Any questions about staying at Bingham Riverhouse in Richmond? Let me know in the comments!
