Almond House Lodge

Cramond waterfront is just a stone's throw away, and the area is gorgeous, fresh-air quiet. Staff were always cheerful, polite and easy to approach, and ready to help. My room was clean and tidy, with a fridge, kettle, TV, plenty of light and good ventilation. It even had cutlery and a cup. There's also a kitchen and laundry. A very pleasant stay.

It's a beautiful building in a lovely area, and the owners seem lovely too. Still, I'd choose somewhere else. It looks like a great place, but I wouldn't bring my family from mid-London here when Edinburgh has more suitable options. It mostly, if not entirely, takes people on DWP support who are waiting for a home. With some money put into it, the place could be mint. Sorry, owners. Thrive and live your best lives.

The location makes getting around a struggle. It's about a 20-minute walk to bus stops or houses, with the building tucked among thick trees and no street lights at night. I worry you'd end up hurt if you went out after dark. Inside, I found vomit in the drawers, peeling wallpaper, holes in the bathroom floor, stained sheets, a constant awful smell in the halls, and tiny bowls that hold maybe 100 ml. There was more besides. This is a homeless hotel, not a place for ordinary guests, and some residents seemed unhinged. The fire alarm goes off daily, not as a test, because people set it off in their rooms, and there is constant screaming outside and wall-smashing. Avoid it at all costs. To me, it's the Alcatraz of hotels. Only come if sleeping on the street is your only other option.

This is temporary accommodation for people who are homeless, but nobody should have to live in conditions like these. It feels as if people's worth is treated as less than an animal's just because they're going through a hard time. Seeing families here with little children is a shame, especially when mold is known to affect health. The place looks like a haunted slaughterhouse from outside, and passersby even stopped to take it in. Once inside, there was a smell of urine. The carpets were unclean, the walls moldy and apparently rotting with age, and the windows looked as if they hadn't been washed in decades. The curtains looked diseased. I won't even get into the bathroom.