Arran House Hotel

The staff were great, the in-room service was good, and our room was clean. It’s a central location that’s easy to explore on foot. They gave us a ground-floor room because of our mobility needs. For the price, $146 USD a night, it was probably fair, though I’d have liked the option to save a little by skipping the difficult breakfast. At first there was a lot of scent in the room, then a noticeable pipe smell. Neither was horrible, but both were noticeable. If you have mobility issues, getting breakfast and hot coffee isn’t easy. The stairs to the “cafe” are steep and narrow, and there’s no lift. The cafe room is tight to get through and was packed when we went in January, so we gave up and bought food and coffee across the street. The coffee in the room was instant.

The room’s cleanliness was disappointing. The bathroom smelled bad, the carpet hadn’t been cleaned properly, and the sheet, especially the one on arrival, was stained. On the positive side, the heating was excellent and the shower was always hot, despite what several reviews had said. I appreciated that towels were changed daily. Staff were friendly, welcoming and helpful. The location was convenient, with several tourist attractions nearby, and breakfast was excellent and delicious for London, in my opinion.

We enjoyed our stay and will come back. It’s a nice place in a great location, and the room was comfortable, clean, spacious and had a nice bed. Breakfast had plenty of good, simple food, and the breakfast staff were excellent at keeping items stocked, as well as polite and friendly. Front desk staff were always nice and helpful too. A few small things could be better. We ran out of coffee, tea and milk in the room several times and had to ask at reception, so it’d help if those were replenished daily. Housekeepers sometimes took used towels without leaving fresh ones, which meant another trip to the desk. Also, the mini-fridge seemed to switch off when we left the room. It was good to have one, but better if it kept things cold all day.

We booked a basic double with a shared bathroom, and I was initially quite sceptical. In the end, it was a pleasant short stay. The room was snug but clean and welcoming, and the bathroom was always clean and unoccupied when we needed it. The breakfast was very nice and a great start to busy sightseeing days, though the basement dining area felt a little cramped. Staff were friendly, and the location is amazing for the budget price. It’s within walking distance of Euston station and a manageable walk from the London eye, big Ben and Oxford Street, among other places. We absolutely loved our stay at the Arran house hotel and would definitely recommend it as a lovely budget option with great value.