please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Customer service is beyond most of the staff at this pub. A basic grasp of english would help. 'Hello' when you arrive. 'Sorry' when your food takes over 40mins AGAIN!!! The kitchen staff produce meals to an acceptable standard, it's the attitude of the bar staff that lets the place down. This area is crying out for a pub with manners.
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Very hotel like. Good size screens for sport. One of those new Fullers houses that lacks character. May improve with age. Ok for a quick pint but nothing more.
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This is a fairly new pub to Westminster built in an old office building. Apart from civil servants during the week it is atourist pub at weekends. Beer average nothing special.
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Guaranteed a table at a weekend - on a Saturday night the place felt quite empty, which made it a good place to watch international football on the tv. Although it is designed as a smart venue it felt a bit scruffy and worn. Bar staff ok, though manager was obviously not having a good day - no hint of a smile. Beer well kept.
anonymous - 26 Mar 2007 14:39 |
Have been avoiding this place as it looked a bit trendy but I must admit I was quite taken with this place when we finally frequenred it. Very busy but the bar staff, including your standard Polish bar girls, were very pleasant. Pricey but decent food and well kept Fullers' ales. Definately worth a visit.
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Lovely-looking pub, both inside and out. Non-smoking area which is a bonus, and friendly bar staff. Well worth a visit just to try the chicken pie - it is divine!
If you happen to be escorting friends or family visiting from overseas around Westminster Abbey/Big Ben etc, this is a great boozer to pop into for lunch as it is not crowded at all in the weekends, due to being largely surrounded by offices.
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A bit hotel-like, beer fine, no-smoking area, but restauranty or hotellish (well, it is a hotel).
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Whilst this is actually a hotel, the pub element is far more noticeable, the hotel entrance being little more than a doorway to one side. This was apparently an MI5 building until being converted to its current purpose. The interior consists of one large room, expanded by knocking out a few walls. Despite the high ceiling and open, spacious expanses, it does not feel cavernous. The decorative mirrored pillars, oak paneling, brass lighting and large windows with the now commonplace etched Fullers Ale & Pie logo give the place quite an elegant feel. The wooden bar has a dark polished marble top and traditional wooden back bar. The floor tiling around the bar soon gives way to a polished bare wooden floor with a decent amount of seating without feeling claustrophobic. To the rear is a raised carpeted area to one side with a monastic mural and tucked away in the corner is a carpeted non smoking area with pictures of London and in particular, Westminster. A basic TV in the main bar has never been on during my now numerous (admittedly lunchtime) visits. A couple of fruit machines do not intrude on the civilized atmosphere. Naturally the beers are all Fullers but the prices are a bit higher than I would expect albeit not exactly extortionate (my usual Fuller tipple, Discovery is £2.80). They are Cask Marque accredited and the standard is therefore usually pretty good. The food is also fairly pricey but is home cooked according to the menu - main meals are generally around £7-9). Service has always been good although a smile and a welcome wouldn’t sometimes go amiss. Customer base is generally office workers, tourists and government types, being close to the Houses of Parliament. Perfectly accommodating without being particularly extraordinary but a visit is recommended if in the area.
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It's ok, standard Fullers but when I went recently the Ales were a bit too cold for my liking.
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An interesting building, and a well-run Fuller's house. The 'Sanctuary' name is also fairly apt since it makes a pleasant change from some of the other scrum-like pubs around Westminster/St James's Park.
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Really friendly bar staff from all corners of the globe and excellent local beers from Fullers make a visit to the Sanctuary a very pleasurable experience.
anonymous - 23 Aug 2006 13:54 |
The pub is fine, but the B&B accommodation is fabulous and very reasonably priced for a pub at the centre of things in London. Stayed there for a few nights in July when the weather was very hot so the air conditioning in the bedroom was greatly appreciated
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I travel to London several times a year but this is the first time I've been to the Sanctuary - what an amazing pub. The bar staff are wonderful and obliging, the food is excellent and the beer is possibly the best Fullers I've tasted. I look forward to returning in a few weeks and will hopefully be able to confirm its all round excellence.
anonymous - 11 Aug 2006 13:21 |
Ah, the Sanctuary. Home from home. Has the most varied bunch of characters in it... Bar staff are great (once asked if we could have some bread to feed the ducks in St James Park - barman didn't even blink, just asked if we wanted butter on it). Buy them a drink - they deserve it. Can either have an average night or an incredible one. Never had a bad one. Food is excellent - try the Chicken and Spinach pie. Mmmmm!
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Nice looking interior,good selection of Fullers ales, foreign girl who served us could have been a bit friendlier, but overall very good.
My Rating 8/10
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A great setup behind the bar, with a large number of pulled ales available at any one time. The pints I've had there were in very good shape, with little to complain about.
The pub itself is a bit sprawling, but can still get quite crowded. It's quite modern for the most part and not the most characterful place in the front, but things rapidly improve the further back into the seating area you go. I recommend going at a quieter time, since some of the details of the place (like the copies of manuscript illuminations on the back wall) are best appreciated with a clear view. Overall, a very nice pub with an obvious commitment to getting things done right.
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This is by far the best pint in London (and Britain for that matter). I don't know how they manage to be so consistent but the bar manager certainly knows his stuff. The food's excellent too.
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Decent Pint of London Pride. Food and service is not always great when at their busiest ie friday lunchtimes, when de-mob happy civil servants descend upon it.Have eaten well in here however. Bar satff friendly most of the time. Popular also with American tourists becauase of proximity to the Abbey. Friday night heaving with suited wage slaves until about 8.30/9pm.
anonymous - 23 Sep 2005 11:19 |
Good service, well-kept Fullers ales. Gets very busy with suits on a Friday evening.
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By far the best and most consistent pint of Fullers (or any other beer) in London. Food of a very high quality (steak and ale pie a classic) served by friendly, helpful bar staff. An absolute gem.
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I visit this pub regularly when in London and have always found good beer, good food and helpful staff. I've also stayed in the hotel on one occassion and found the room and facilities to be very good.
anonymous - 14 Dec 2004 11:02 |
I have been in this pub before. I cannot see why people cant see the attraction. I find the Food excellent and the real ale very good. Would reccommend this pub to any one
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It'ok. Nothing special. Can't understand why it's so popular. Food is functional, beer is ok, but certainly no major selling points.
Paul - 5 Nov 2004 11:16 |
Has a chain-pub feel. Not bad on a quiet afternoon, but rammed with civil servants after work. Staff are pretty useless.
Lee C - 29 Oct 2004 16:48 |
We stayed at the hotel upstairs, and found the pub downstairs to be good. The food was very good, and the wait staff fine. We would return if we are back in London.
Carolyn Bountress - 17 Oct 2004 03:53 |
Very good Sunday lunch.
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Could be a half-decent pub, but spoiled by bar staff who don't speak English, and are so slow.
DaveC - 16 Apr 2004 18:36 |
I've been here about a dozen time. Mostly ok but on one occasion the the winter warmer beer was ICE COLD (!). On another visit the russian(?) barmaid had great difficutly understanding what we wanted (vodka, lime & soda) and after three times of explaining we eventually got or drink...a vodka, lime and tonic!
Robin - 8 Feb 2004 13:10 |
Not too bad, albeit small.
Willie - 19 Jun 2003 23:09 |
Great venue over three levels. Beer is reasonably priced for the area!
Jeff - 5 Mar 2003 08:56 |
