Alexandra Hotel

The location is excellent, and the rooms and breakfast were actually fine. But I saw mice running around the lobby. When I told the receptionist, he just said, “I know,” then went back to playing on his phone. I wouldn’t recommend the place unless you’re on an extremely tight budget.

The location near Paddington Station is fantastic, so it’s okay for a one-night sleep. The breakfast was odd: bad coffee, cold toast, no egg holder, and strange ham and chicken cuts. The room felt old-fashioned, like something from the 80s. The lift was broken, so I had to carry a giant suitcase up five flights of stairs.

We only needed somewhere for one night, but choosing this place was a mistake because of the claims and how things were advertised. The room was in the attic, which wasn’t disclosed on the website or in the confirmation. My mother has arthritis and struggled badly with the climb. They wouldn’t help her or move us to another room, and the booking was non-refundable. They also apparently advertised free parking. When we arrived, we were told the parking was full and that it had to be paid for anyway. We spent 2-3 hours struggling to find parking because the whole area was residential parking only. We needed to warm up food and were directed to the dining area, then had trouble finding the microwave, which was in a staff-only area. We got no help. When we tried it, it started smoking within 3 seconds and ruined our food, which had charred bits on it. Breakfast was pretty basic and had no Halal options. The ham and chicken were on the same plate, and we saw people use the same tongs for both.

The rooms and ensuites were very clean, and the location was great for transport. It was quiet outside at night, but the walls are so thin that earplugs are essential. I’m not a light sleeper, yet I was woken by a neighbour’s shower, packing and phone calls, plus staff playing the radio while cleaning other rooms. Cleaning staff came in every day without warning, and there was nothing to hang on the door to stop them. That felt a bit disconcerting. Phone service was brusque, though someone was always at the desk and they arranged a late check-in.