Hollywood Bowl London O2

I’ve been to Hollywood Bowl many times before and usually have a good experience, but this visit was genuinely disappointing. There were very few staff members around, which made the whole process feel unnecessarily slow. It took quite a while just to be checked in and shown to our bowling lane and everything felt much more delayed than usual. We also ordered food, which took a long time to come out. While I understand places can get busy, the lack of staff made the waiting time much more noticeable and took away from the overall experience. The arcade was the most frustrating part of the visit, particularly the claw machines. The claw would grab the item properly, but the prizes were far too heavy for it to actually lift and carry. Each time the item was picked up, it would eventually drop before reaching the prize chute. I spent a lot of money trying multiple times, only for the same thing to happen repeatedly, which felt unfair rather than just unlucky. When I raised this issue with a staff member, I was told that you’re not expected to win every time and that this is how claw machines work. While I understand that claw machines are meant to be challenging, it felt disappointing given how consistently the claw failed despite getting a good grip on the prizes. On a positive note, the photo booth and other attractions were better and worked as expected. However, I wouldn’t recommend using the claw machines at all based on this experience. Overall, this visit didn’t live up to the standard I’ve experienced here before.

· via Google

Tuesday 23rd I went there with my nephews and we had such a great time. It’s a very lively and fun place with lots to do bowling, pool, arcade games and more. We tried almost everything and enjoyed it all. The atmosphere was buzzing and perfect for a fun day out with family. overall it was a really fun experience and I’d definitely recommend it.

· via Google

We arrived around 18:45 on a Friday and it was busy. The young lady on reception was very friendly and helpful A lane was not available until 21:00 so she suggested we go upstairs to the Duck Pin Alley; you use the smaller bowls and the lanes are shorter which was ideal as we had a 9 year ld with us. So we had to climb some stairs and on arrival found no staff, waited a few minutes and I went back down to reception. The same member of staff apologised and booked me a 30 minute slot which cost £20. After I climbed back up the steps I found my friend was about to purchase a slot as the staff member had reappeared. The smaller lanes and bowls didn’t detract from our fun; in fact I enjoyed it more because there was only one other family there and we didn’t feel crowded. Downside: There are not a lot of steps but if you have mobility/ health issues it may be a problem if you have to go to the bar or toilets The machines did have glitched: 1. I scored a strike and nothing showed so the member of staff had to reset the machine. 2. I knocked down 7 skittles but when they reset they bought down all 10 and the score didn’t show my 7. This happened several times 3. We paid for a second game and the first player had a go but next to the other two players was a bowl symbol and it didn’t let us take our go, the machine was reset but then they moved us to another lane. 4. The member of staff upstairs disappeared a couple of times and when they were there they were more interested in their phone; not very helpful and didn’t apologise for any inconvenience caused by the glitches. I did mention the staffs attitude to a blonde lady who I assumed was a manager and she was apologetic so that made up for it. Overall I had a great time and I would go again. If the member of staff upstairs was as friendly and helpful as the other two ladies I dealt with I would have given them 5 stars

· via Google

Absolutely the worst place to host a children’s birthday party. We booked a duck pin bowling party package for our son’s 5th birthday through the website. The package included bowling, kids’ meals, juice, parents’ sharing platters, decorations, and all party essentials such as plates, cutlery, and everything needed for the celebration. Honestly, it left us wondering why these party packages even exist if they cannot deliver the basics they advertise. We were also told certain things would be handled for us, only to later be told they could not provide them at all. Before the party, staff assured us that everything would be ready and that we did not need to bring anything. We specifically asked about every single item that might be needed, and were repeatedly told that everything would be provided. When we arrived, around 1.5 hours before the party, nothing was prepared. We had specifically been told that everything would be provided, but when it came time for the party, the “decorations” consisted of only a few balloons that were quickly blown up. There was no proper party setup at all. The food was equally disappointing. We had been told that one sharing platter would be enough for two adults. We ordered three platters and received what amounted to three small bowls of chicken with only a few pieces in each. That was it. The children’s meals were served in takeaway boxes rather than on plates, which felt very poor for a birthday party package. To make matters worse, the knife provided to cut the birthday cake was a butter knife. Then, at the last minute, we were informed that they could not provide plates or cutlery for the cake, meaning guests were expected to eat birthday cake from napkins. Throughout the event, my husband had to repeatedly ask staff for basic things that should have already been arranged. There appeared to be only one staff member working, who frequently disappeared, making it difficult to get any assistance. Overall, the experience was extremely stressful and disappointing. The service was disorganised, the package did not deliver what was promised, and it was nowhere near worth the cost. I would not recommend this venue for a children’s birthday party.

· via Google