Braid Apartments by Mansley

We only decided to go that morning, so this was a last-minute booking. We hadn’t booked ahead and went to the apartment to ask if there was a room. Luca was on reception and booked us in, being polite, professional, and very helpful. The room was spacious and spotless, with everything needed for a lovely holiday and a welcome basket. We slept well in the comfortable bed. The shower door had a small problem. I told Luca, and he came to fix it right away. He was exceptional at his job, and I’d definitely recommend a visit.

Having laundry facilities in the building was a bonus. The bathroom was large and had a heated towel rail, but the toilet roll holder was awkwardly placed. It could perhaps go under the window, where a shelf or half cupboard would also give guests somewhere to put toiletries. The shower was in the bath, quite narrow and high to climb in and out of, so it needs a step. The dispenser is awkwardly high too. The accommodation was clean and comfortable, with a good-sized bedroom, comfortable bed, and separate lounge and kitchen. The kitchen had tea and coffee, hot chocolate, fresh milk, utensils, microwave, stove, dishwasher, and glasses, though no bottled water. The tap pressure was so high that water sprayed everywhere unless I turned it on very carefully. A restriction device in the pipework could fix that.

The room was comfortable and really nice, even for a longer stay, and the price felt fair, especially for a work trip. It’s very central, though the entrance is down a back alley, where you hear glass bottles now and then.

We paid USD 962 (GBP 713.70) for three nights as Booking.com Genius Level 3+ members, so the nightly cost speaks for itself. The apartment’s bedroom was tiny, barely large enough for a double bed. Its window was right above the headboard, putting the coldest spot above your head, while the radiator was behind the door. The shade cord was on the wrong side, so opening it for daylight meant climbing onto the sofa. The other shade wouldn’t stay up. We arrived on Christmas Eve to find the apartment at 17°C. The sofa was blocking the radiator, so I moved it myself once I got the complicated thermostat working with help from the manufacturer’s manual. There was no staff available. Our assigned place was BA03, and hauling luggage there was quite a trek: up 10 stairs, right through a fire door, down 10, left and down 7 more, right through another fire door, down another 7, along a bit, then up again. The apartment looked onto an alley and parking spaces. Before even getting inside, we saw overflowing, foul-smelling trash containers at the entrance. The listing photos show flattering angles and what looks like a staffed reception. After booking and paying, though, Braid Apartments requires you to download their app and communicate only there, and then tells you the property is unattended. That compromises the privacy I’d expect when booking through Booking.com, and the platforms don’t have a record of those app conversations if there’s a dispute. We got the entry code by text and email.