Uno Hotel

The manager eventually compensated us after the cleaner ate some of our expensive chocolates. It took another 4-5 days for our room to be cleaned, and when I checked out I overheard another guest asking the manager for a vacuum so she could clean her own room. Ours hadn’t been vacuumed during the stay. The manager seemed pleasant when we dealt with them, but the hotel as a whole felt like a front for something else. We first arrived for a pre-arranged late check-in and nobody was there to meet us. The room we were eventually shown had no outside door lock, no TV, missing light bulbs, dust and hair across the floor, mould on the hairdryer cord, hair in the shower, and a lumpy bed. It was 1am and we were exhausted, so we stayed the night. In the morning, the cleaner took our bathroom toiletries and put them into our toiletry bags, including a dirty makeup brush we didn’t recognize. The following afternoon, my husband asked for a different room because we couldn’t secure our belongings. The replacement was better, but still needed a proper scrub and vacuum. The fire alarm went off twice one morning, but there was no fire plan, so we didn’t know where to evacuate. Our room’s smoke alarm was covered with a plastic bag, making it useless.

The location near King’s Cross station is good, in a nice part of town with plenty of supermarkets and restaurants. The hotel staff waived our $100 deposit, presumably because the room was already so damaged we couldn’t make it worse. The beds were comfortable and the sheets clean. Beyond that, I wouldn’t stay here again. If you only need a bed for a night and running water, it might do, but it’s not worth the savings if you want to feel comfortable and safe. We were told our booked room was being renovated, so we were “upgraded.” They mentioned the missing bathroom tiles, which we said we could live with, but not the filthy ceiling above the shower or the many other problems. We asked reception for an electric jug and were told they’d sort it out, but nothing happened. The room looked nothing like the photos and was badly worn. It had missing bathroom tiles, no bathroom ventilation, mould stains, and a near-hole in the ceiling above the shower. The window wouldn’t latch or close fully, there was broken glass behind the toilet, and the floor had cracks and soft spots. The walls had plaster patches. There was no electric jug, two lights didn’t work, the couch was stained and worn, and the bathroom sink drained poorly. The bed bases were torn, the heat pump was full of dust, and there wasn’t enough crockery or cutlery for three people: just one mug and no knives. There was no dishwashing liquid or brush or cloth. The room smelled of smoke, apparently from a previous guest, and a plastic bag was tied over the smoke alarm. The Wi-Fi dropped every 30 seconds. They weren’t even providing an adequate budget hotel, and in my view the place shouldn’t be operating.

The location was great, and for the price I was pleased with the value. Staff were friendly and helpful, the bed and pillows were comfortable, the sheets were clean, and we had reliable hot water. There was also an unexpected extra single bed and a small kitchen in our room, though we didn’t use it. The property needs repairs. The curtains were barely attached to the wall, the main light had a hole in the ceiling with exposed wires that felt dangerous, and there was black mould in the bathroom. The bathroom tap didn’t work properly. If they fix the rooms and improve safety, I’d rate the value five stars.

I TOLD LUCY I WAS LEAVING EARLY IN THE MORNING, but when I checked out at 6:30 am, their email later claimed I hadn’t told anyone. After I raised the problems, I was told I’d get a $100AUS refund. When I emailed to ask when it would arrive, they said it had to go through the third-party payment method because they hadn’t received the booking money directly. They said it would take 10 days, that refunding me on checkout day had been the manager’s decision and against procedure, and asked me to send my card number and expiry date or wait for the third party to release it. They also asked how they could issue an automatic refund without my card or bank details. The room and lobby had cockroaches, including some that came out of the AC when I turned it on. The TV was broken, and the curtain was torn down, leaving the room exposed to the public, so I had to tie it closed for privacy. Bathroom fixtures were broken off the wall, and I had to hold the shower head to use it. When I complained, they laughed and made excuses like “well it’s an old hotel,” with no empathy. Lucy laughed in my face.