we have stayed at the balmoral 5 different times, this being the 5th and have read all the reviews posted. first i would say, understand this is a small, family run hotel. the people cooking breakfast, cleaning the rooms and doing the check-in are on location 7 days a week for over 15 hours a day. there also maybe a slight language problem as well. so there maybe times when they seem a little gruff. that being said, if you have a bit of patience you will find them hospitable and even friendly. being american, we know first hand about impatient and demanding people. everytime we have stayed at the balmoral we've arrived during the breakfst hour. everytime we were offered breakfst before we checked in. this time breakfast had just ended and it was reopened for 4 of us. the rooms are immaculate. the beds and pillows thick and comfortable. my friend, who stayed with us for the first time and is a horrible sleeper, slept 10 hours straight ever night. yes the bathroom and shower are small[most tourist hotels are] but the water is hot and the towels plentiful and large. the breakfasts are large, hot and you are served very quickly. there tends to be a crowd around 8 am so get there earlier. the location is great. paddington station and the underground are 2 short blocks away. 3 pubs around the corner. fast food and a steakhouse within short walking distances. make your reservations thru harry, the son-in-law. he's a friendly, great guy and will get back to you almost immediately. in all, my wife and i consider the balmoral our london home. just be a little patient when checking in and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I have stayed twice in this hotel. Once in 2004 and again this year. The first time I stayed I had been warned about the grumpy rude owners, so I was prepared for it and just ignored it. This year I went back again and found the husband his usual grumpy self but the wife was just downright rude. I went back simply because I knew it was clean and the breakfast not bad. The first day I went down to breakfast at 8.45 and she was so rude to us saying we were too late because the breakfast was served from 7.30 to 8.30. There is no indication behind the room door saying hours and rules (just instructions in case of fire). She insisted on being paid immediately for the length of stay. I said OK but I expected a receipt. She made a big story about it, that the hotel was cheaper than others around (which I found not to be completely true because I made a few rounds in the neighbourhood) but the next morning she reluctantly gave me a receipt when I gave her the money without my asking for one again. I personally like to be welcomed with a smile not somebody who looks down at the carpet and says come in with a scowl on their faces. I will never go back there again, clean or not clean. But London is a great swinging city.

I booked through the Balmoral House website and followed up with email confimations. When I arrived my reservation had not been entered and the gentleman called for his wife. She began to abuse me verbally as if I had been negligent and telling me she'd now lose money by having to upgrade my booking to accomodate me. She did in fact give me the better room but continued to berate me until leaving me, slamming the door. At breakfast the next morning I heard a similar complaint from the guest with whom I shared a table. She even had rude remarks to make about the fact that I'd sent a friend to stay before I'd been there myself.

On the subject of decor, if you're prone to motion sickness, beware. As pointed out in Lonely Planet, the room was awash with uncoordinated floral prints. I counted 5, 2 on the walls, carpet, bedspreads, draperies. Not pleasant.

I travel a lot and I've never been treated as badly as was at the Balmoral House Hotel..

My 15yo son and I stayed at the Balmoral House Hotel in July this year. We found it to be well maintained and very clean. The room we had faced the street, but on the 3rd floor was not too noisy even with the window open. The bathroom was small, but spotless. The breakfasts were quite satisfactory.
The Balmoral is in a great location - a couple of minutes walk from Paddinton Station and the Underground. The Heathrow Express stops at Paddington, so made arriving from Heathrow very easy. There are also plenty of reasonable restaurants with in easy walking distance.
I would have to agree that the owner was not particularly friendly when we arrived, but she seemed to be under alot of stress. We found her helpful once we had "broken the ice".
I would stay at the Balmoral again without hesitation.