So, made the mistake of trying to pop in here to grab a book however time was against me. Showed up at about 8 minutes to and was not permitted to enter because 'they had started clearing floors from the top'.YMMV but don't assume you can get in due to their published hours. I can on a Sunday not sure if they are more mellow when there is less God read more

I live in the US and order from UK bookstores quite a bit. This last time, I decided to try Waterstones a try since I wanted one of their signed editions. I will never make that mistake again. The book I received had tears and creases to the book jacket. I have included a couple of pictures to show what it looked like straight from the box. In the future, I will stick with Goldsboro Books, Coles, and a couple of others you know how to package and ship a book. Avoid this bookstore chain if you plan on having anything shipped read more

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Holy bookstore Batman!! I had heard about this place but didn't think too much of it until we visited. Now, I'm a believer; it really is that huge and amazing! Top thing you need to know is that this place is five floors (yeah, five), four of which are wall-to-wall books (see the picture for a floor guide). The fifth floor is a bar and restaurant. The first floor also has a bar and a small cafe. The entire place is well-organized. If you're a book lover, I can't possibly describe how heavenly this place is. We spent two days at this store, no lie, and I could have spent more. Their YA section is out of control, and their kids section not only has books but also Legos and other fun items. The travel section is outstanding with not only travel books but books detailing different geographical regions' history, culture, and land. The staff is friendly and helpful. They'll help you search for a book and even give you suggestions of other bookstores that might have what you're looking for. That's not where the customer service stops, though. If they say they have it in stock but you can't find it, they'll gladly go in the back to search. They are pretty awesome. As far as price goes, it's a bookstore. It's not too cheap but not too expensive. I found it reasonable. Note, they are dog friendly, if you're a dog lover. Overall, I think I'd like to be buried here it's that great. Please, believe the hype and treat yourself. Enjoy! read more

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Waterstones is what some would say is the UK version of Barnes & Noble. This location is centrally located in London - in the heart of Piccadilly - and highly recommended for first time visitors. I stopped by with my sister who wanted to pick up a series and I ended up buying some books as well. This bookstore is amazing and each floor has an airy layout with plenty of signage and plush chairs/sofas for people to enjoy while browsing a book or two. The upstairs bar and restaurant is a nice feature and sadly I didn't get a chance to enjoy that experience but perhaps next time. Nonetheless, this location has an expansive collections of books to satisfy just about any reader. read more

Waterstones - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

Outstanding bookstore. For an American, it was like being teleport back the B&N of the 90s.

DO NOT use this company if you are buying internationally. They do not ship in adequate packaging, items arrive damaged, and customer service is horrible. It took over a month for my order to arrive, and the book was damaged to the point that I could not gift it. This was due to inadequate packaging. I sent images of the damage to the book and packaging to Waterstones customer service and was offered a 5GBP credit. My other option was to pay full cost return shipping and buy new materials to package the damaged book! Be aware that if your item is damaged in transit, it is your problem. Their exorbitant shipping fees to do include insurance. Their packaging materials are horribly inadequate for hard cover books. Their customer service is non existent. Never again. read more

Waterstones Picadilly was pretty incredible! I do wish they had a more extensive selection of business books, but for the majority of readers, you'll be thrilled with the selection. read more

Waterstones - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

Amazing, expansive bookstore with a lot of floors containing a lot of books. I'm always happy to see this much space devoted to browsing and buying books. We carved out some time to hang out here after having tea nearby. Throughout the store there are tables of themed recommended books (see https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Y0JPdqixuIFeV0DqP89wQA&userid=dbEyV0AsIBXUH-RRQDyRiQ ), and those were good places to linger and thumb through a few books. We walked away with some purchases despite the fact that we were early in our trip and attempting to travel light. I got a few science fiction books for the trip for me (including a couple by British authors) and Harry Potter for the kids (we have the American version at home, but "Philosopher's Stone" makes so much more sense). read more

Friendly and knowledgable staff. Always a wide selection. I so enjoy perusing the isles of Waterstones and plan to return simply for enjoyment. read more

Located on Piccadilly this branch of Waterstones is a huge store in central London, just a few minutes' walk away from Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street and Green Park. The store is so big that it is said it has 200,000 books and its own independent social media, which is rare for a branch of Waterstones to usually have. Located over six floors, this store is a book lovers dream, it is competitively priced for the high street but of course it tends to be more expensive than online retailers including Amazon, but this tends to be the case with bricks and mortar bookshops, often pricing at the RRP. There was a floor with discounted books, some of which were cheap and good value. The overall feel of the store is generally quite good, it isn't as new and modern as other Waterstones branches such as Westfield London, yet it doesn't lack a modern spark like other branches including Manchester Deansgate, it has a nice balance between the two. The store can be entered through a service lift or a staircase, and there is of course a better lift between the six floors and a Waterstones branded café, which is nice if you are shopping at the store but not worth a visit especially for. One of the best bookshops I've been too, however it could work on access, pricing and other minor factors yet it is still a great and four-star worthy store. read more

Bait and switch. Living in the US, I pre-ordered the UK edition of a book from Waterstones specifically to get the signed version. I followed the link from their instagram pre-order which was to a listing indicating that I was ordering a signed copy of the book. Months later (and shipping delays) it arrives and it is the standard edition, unsigned. When I reached out to them they claim that I did not order the signed copy, which is not true. Unfortunately there's not much I can do about it now, given that they've sold out of the signed copies. They are dishonest and likely oversold the signed copies. 0/10 do not recommend. read more

Stopped in for a quick afternoon tea on Saturday. Great experience. The fifth floor has a beautiful view and great atmosphere. Definitely recommend for a stop over. read more

Waterstones - Cafe on the 5th floor. - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

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Rachel on the third floor was an absolute legend. She was so helpful, kind, and deserves the world!!

This is the biggest bookstore in London and it is gorgeous! I came over to London on Holiday and being a huge Harry Potter fan I had to stop at this bookstore where they had the huge Book 7 party in July 2007. This place can be extremely overwhelming but they do have a map on every floor to show you where you are. I of course went right to the floor where all of the variety of Harry Potter books were (aside from the multiple displays that were around the entire bookstore and when you first walk in). Also if you want a souvenir that says "Waterstones" on it, they sell very nice tote bags for inexpensive prices on the first floor. Also be aware, like a lot of other stores in London, they charge for plastic bags. read more

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Honestly, I don't think I have ever been in a bigger bookshop, but then again the biggest bookshop in Australia is dwarfed by this place. Even then, despite it's size, and the fact that it takes up something like five levels, I still couldn't find the books that I wanted (despite not actually getting the name right). Well, the staff are okay, though they do tend to be busy with all of the customers trying to get their attention, so getting help can be a little tricky at times, though one did eventually help us. However, I could have spent ages browsing this collection because, as I mentioned, it was absolutely huge. Sure, it is a new bookshop, and particularly in England I prefer the antiquarian shops (namely because you can find some bargains there at times), but it is still worth checking out. read more

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Was passing by and saw this bookstore. The front window had copies and a cool display of a new released book - so decided to check this bookstore out. Amazing selection of books - nice collections in many categories. Browsed through all levels - top floor has super views of Picaddily and there's a cafe there for you to sit, relax and read your book maybe. They have free wifi there. Very friendly staff - got to know about their membership programme - worth if you visit this place often. Nowadays with kindle etc. many people have switched over to reading books electronically but for book lovers who still like the feel of holding a book this is the place. read more

Waterstones - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

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Despite my tablet, I still like browsing hard copies of books, and this Waterstones just a short distance from work serves as a hidden sanctuary that keeps my inner bookworm satisfied. The ground floor (which can be entered from both piccadilly or jermyn street) houses the best sellers - or the most topical books. There is also a small shop on the jermyn street side of the store, where you can find all sorts of stationery, including London memorabilia and birthday/Christmas cards as well as board games and small toys. Collections of different genres can be found on each floor: fiction on the first floor, children's books on the second, biographies on the third floor, history and social sciences on the fourth floor and a bar and restaurant on the fifth. The small shop also allows access to an upstairs cafe, which serves good coffee and has small tables for one to read and relax, away from all the hubbub in nearby piccadilly. This Waterstones has and still is, serving to be more than just a book store - it almost acts as a library that seems to shut away all the day's chaos and helps you unwind even for a brief moment. The shop also helps when looking for last minute gifts or cards. I visit often, and I expect to do so in the near and far future. 5/5. read more

Waterstones - Such a lovely store! - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

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A huge book-store, open late, designed to give me the warm and fuzzies :) I do love this spot and the new mezzanine cafe with rotating displays is very cute. Try the pecan pie for sure! I don't normally write reviews this short, but on this occasion, nuff said! read more

Waterstones - Elegance and inspiration - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

When I moved to Europe and had to leave roughly 4000 books in the care of a friend until I could figure out how and where to transport them to in Europe, bookstores became even more dangerous than when I was living in America. In America, in the enormous confines of your living space, there was always room for books. But in Europe, prudence about the size of your living space, and the price of books in a non-English-speaking country help dictate a slower pace of acquisition. But what happens when you travel to London, as I do, often? You wander into a place like Waterstones and all common sense goes out the window. You're awash in books, and leave a few hours later, two arms full. Don't say I didn't warn you. read more

Got a cafe and water, kids found a funny book on autocorrect texts. Buy something upstairs to use the bathrooms.

This is an amazing book store, has a little something for everyone, coffee on the top floor, a basement floor that is dedicated to children of all ages and a ground floor with cards and more books. read more

Waterstones - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

Secret Squirrel Time: The top floor bar has one of the best views of London's rooftops for somewhere relatively unknown, relatively cheap and not exclusive in any way. You will earn BIG plus pluses if you arrange to meet your date up here, and after a couple of glasses of wine you have Europe's biggest bookstore to play in. You can tippsily browse the travel guides and plan your first dirty weekend away together. Let's hope they look as good when you sober up. read more

A double reminder about Waterstones has led me to write this review. Firstly, on doing a spring clean (yes, yes, I know it's autumn!) of my drawers recently, I came across some Waterstones vouchers and said to myself that I need to spend them sometimes soon. Then, on my way home from work today, I heard on the radio that Leona Lewis was slapped by a man during her book signing at this branch of Waterstones today. So if you want to gawp at the very spot where Leona Lewis had her cheeks reddened, you can pop in. Otherwise, you will find one of Waterstones bigger shops filled with 3 floors of books. It does feel quite upmarket and there is a good range of books. For pure browsing, the Foyles/Borders/Blackwells trio on Charing Cross Road offer a wider range There's a nice bar to refuel on the top floor which also has a good view. This branch also does have regular book signing though in the future, you may have some tighter security to contend with after today's incident read more

My first review of my big trip to Europe is.... a bookstore? Hell yes it is. I absolutely freaking loved Waterstone's. Listen, I love books. Love. Browsing a bookstore used to be one of my favorite pastimes until bookstores in America started going out of business, which is totally lame. So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon Waterstone's. It was all the things I love wrapped into one. Books? Check check check. Spacious floorplan so you're not tripping over your fellow book browser? Checkity check. Cafe? Check. Friendly employees? Cheeeeeck. Did I mention I'm in LOVE? And I didn't even make it to the floor where they apparently serve booze - what's not to love? (America, you've been doing it WRONG.) I brought 3 books with me on my trip to keep me entertained on various plane and train rides. I bought 3 more at Waterstone's and had to restrain myself from buying more. I also got the most fabulous re-usable tote that I adore. It might actually be my favorite thing I bought over there. Walking around I felt like I had been deprived of oxygen for too long and was breathing for the first time in a long time. This place just made me furiously happy. Oh, Waterstone's. Will you please come to the States and show us how it's done? read more

Waterstones claims this location is Europe's largest bookstore with eight miles of bookshelves and six floors of books. The children's department is modeled on a Piccadilly Circus theme. This store is gorgeous and seemingly has every title. There is a cafe on the mezzanine level. www.waterstones.com read more

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Great selection of books. I went several times when I was in London. I liked the travel selection and how they displayed the books. Definitely check it out! read more

Waterstones is one of my favourite chain stores, so much so that I have worked for them the last three Christmases running. (not this branch, other ones). I love the feel of the place, they are always so relaxing and even the one in Piccadilly, despite having the potential to be an annoyingly busy and difficult environment. By the time you've reached the first floor you will have completely forgotten that you're a few years away from one of the cities busiest junctions. This branch is a great place to meet the stars too. This one is where all the big names stop off to do signings and often tickets or early arrival is essential. The sheer size of it also means that there is a wide selection of books to choose from and you will be highly likely to find what you want. Price wise the books are quite expensive. However, if you go to Waterstone's website then you can often get the same books a lot cheaper. I tend to use the Piccadilly branch as inspiration but normally to avoid spending excess money I go online and order from there. Parking wise it is a nightmare getting to the store by car and there are some spaces in the side streets behind the main entrance if you are lucky enough to find a free one. Staff have always been helpful and have a good knowledge of the books they have on offer. Downstairs in the basement is a quiet little Costa Coffee too which is nice for a little break. read more

Business Travelers: When the internet is working, the cafe on the top floor is the best space to work in while telecommuting in London. It offers lunch, quiet, etc. I feel like I am using one of those Regus shared desks. One issue is the internet can sometimes be down:( read more

Ok so here is the dealio... I like books. NOOO I LOVE THEM. && I needed a book for the train ride back to Edinburgh so my friends took me to this Waterstones and I was just a tinsy bit overwhelemed by the FREAKING SIZE OF THIS PLACE.... but in a good way. IT WAS ORGASMIC.... I too am not a fan of chain stores but I gotta say any multilevel bookstore is GOOD in my books. *chuckles at my own corney joke* read more

This is one of the largest Waterstones that I have been to. It has a humongous sci-fi/fantasy collection. I visited with a friend who was having trouble sourcing books by a couple of his favourite authors and he managed to find quite a few of the obscure books on his wishlist at this location - which is quite a rarity in brick and mortar bookstores. They do have a cafe on the premises. If you do buy books regularly from Waterstones then the loyalty card and the stamp card are worth collecting. read more

Don't let anyone else tell you differently: This is the biggest - and therefore best - bookstore in London. Bigger really does mean better when it comes to books. read more

Waterstones never fails me. When I don't quite know what to do with myself, I come here and everything is better. I can spend hours just browsing the books, I am one of those people who love books so much that it is a good thing I don't own a bookstore (I would keep them all and never let anyone buy one!). There are comfy chairs if you can snag one, where you can take your pile of books and lose yourself in them until you've decided what you want or don't want. This is always a big plus for me, I hate having armloads of books and nowhere to sit with them. Waterstones is obviously a huge bookstore so you can generally find any book you're looking for unless it's something very specialist. Oddly enough, it's isn't just books that brings me to Waterstones it's....the 5th floor cafe! Now you wonder, why would anyone go to a bookstore for the cafe? Surely I can find coffee elsewhere? I will tell you why! Lovely plush couches, a great friendly and mellow atmosphere, deliciiiiious french fries, and...GAMES! The cafe always has a few games lying around for me to appropriate for a chill evening with my friends. I love board games because no matter what the weather is like outside (and in London it's unpredictable), you can always count on a board game for some laughter and good times. The cafe staff are nice and don't mind if you bring your own (which we do sometimes) or if you stay for ages (guilty), and with a neverending yummy supply of the thickest french fries in London I have ever seen, it's a wonder if I leave before closing time. And FYI, the mezze platter is decent if you want to share some nibbles with friends. I've had the burger as well, but the only thing that stands out is the chips:) read more

They're not kidding when they say this is the largest bookstore in Europe. Definitely one of my favorites. I was always impressed with the wide selection, oftentimes stumbling upon lesser known names I'd not find elsewhere. A nice little oasis in the middle of busy London, I loved grabbing a cup of tea and unwinding here. read more

Waterstones - Largest bookstore in Europe. - Bookstores Near Me - London, XGL

I went 3 times to this place during my visit to London... How can I express my love for this place? With all caps? Italics? I was absolutely floored by this bookstore. It contained thousands of books on various topics and it all seemed organized. They had a nice cafe on the 5th floor, the employees were polite, they had plenty of bathrooms, and most importantly, they had plenty of space to lounge around and skim through books. Admittedly, I built a small fort of books around myself as I sat on the floor---I was in heaven. Hands down, my favorite place in Piccadilly. read more

I couldn't buy anything cause of the exchange rate, however, my bestie and I spent a good 40 minutes looking through titles and book variations that don't come up to Canada, especially the cooking books. Great customer service. 6 large books of floors which was a heaven For us. read more

It's HUGE! A must see book store for people that love bookstores. It's not an original obviously, there are many Waterstones around, but this was was really sweet. The staff was friendly and gave excellent recommendations for books. read more

Whenever I'm in the area and if impossible happened and I'm earlier for a meeting than anticipated - I'd go and roam around Waterstones on Piccadilly. Comfy seating, spacious halls with tall ceilings, six (!) strories of books to satisfy the pickiest reader - this store has various sections on anything (literally) you would like. If you're looking for a new hobby - just go to the Arts, Crafts, Languages sections and I can guarrantee something will capture your eye. I like their ground floor where they have a section on seasonal reads: Summer reads, Christmas reads etc. Some books will float you in a hammock somewhere in American mid-West, some will offer you a reality of the future and some will just complete a rainy evening with some pages full of rainy mood. And to find that kind of time and space machine... you know the place. read more

I love spending time in Waterstones just looking for a new adventure to read and enjoying their selection. It beats shopping online! The staff are always great too! Will visit again soon once i have finished my new book. read more

Books are good. Yes indeed I like the odd book. Don't get me wrong I like TV too. With a brain like mine coloured pictures moving or still seem to win over all those little letters crammed into those small pages. But I know it's good for me to read, my parents, they guided me well. And Waterstones store on Piccadilly in the old Simpsons building is a huge space now dedicated to flogging books. On 8 floors, not the strangely inaccurate 3 floors quoted by another reviewer, Waterstones gives you a pretty splendid selection of books framed by one of Londons best examples of Deco architecture. I love a good building whatever the content. read more

What a wonderful bookstore with an impressive section! Our reason for visiting this bookstore was not really for the books, but for the High Tea on the 5th floor, otherwise known as the 5th View. My party of 4 all ordered our teas and each couple got a tray of sandwiches, pastries and desserts. It was delightful! One of the people I was with set it up for us for our quick weekend in London as he knew I would LOVE this sorta thing and especially in a bookstore! Ahh, the loveliness of people knowing you so well. Thanks, Peter! Everything was very delicious and the view of London was spectacular. To keep up with the British theme, I of course, ordered Earl Grey tea. This was a wonderful experience and a memory that I will cherish! read more