Best Western Buckingham Palace Rd

Check-out was easy: we just dropped the key card in a mailbox. For the money, it was good value in London, and I liked the room despite its small size. The building itself is a bit worn. It's a short walk to Victoria Station through Victoria Place. I was hesitant after reading the reviews, but took a chance and made specific requests. I'd book again if I knew I'd get a similar room. The gentleman at reception was friendly and polite. Our room was ready an hour before check-in, which was welcome after a long flight, and check-in was quick. The small reception desk is open 24/7. Beside it, the breakfast area is extremely small. Instant coffee, decaffeinated tea, Earl Grey and water are available around the clock. Our room was in another building just a few steps away, and reception carried my suitcase up for me. Be very careful on the stairs: the treads are narrow and the risers high, and where the staircase turns, the steps are only half diagonal. The room was quite small but had good air conditioning. There was a luggage stand in the closet, and I had to put my other suitcase under the desk. The shower was spacious, with a small shelf above the sink and a deep drawer underneath for tucking things away. There were plenty of plugs around the room and a safe in the closet. I requested a quiet room and got a decent one. I could still hear trains, people walking upstairs and noise from next door, but it was quiet enough. I asked for an iron, and they brought it with an ironing board. The hair dryer only worked while I held the button down, which got tiring. After a few minutes on high, it overheated and shut off.

The staff interactions I had at check-in and checkout were fine, and the hotel is close to Victoria Station. But I wouldn't recommend it. The room was quite dirty, the bathroom clearly hadn't had a thorough clean in a long time, and the carpet needed cleaning or replacing. There was no toilet paper holder in the bathroom, and the room had an unpleasant damp and dusty smell.

The location worked really well for us, close to Victoria Station and the Tube, with many of London's main sights within walking distance. We also thought the hotel was good value. The rooms are small, but the beds and pillows are really comfortable, and there’s everything you need for a restful night after exploring London. Staff were lovely and went out of their way to help. Breakfast was satisfying, with plenty of options.

The staff were friendly and very helpful, and Victoria’s train and coach station is only a little over a five minute walk away. We stayed in a clean, modern, perfectly adequate basement room in an annex on Hugh St. The free WiFi worked brilliantly, and there were plenty of things for making drinks plus a large flat screen TV. The £12.50 continental buffet was good value and included scrambled eggs, sausage rolls, baked beans and hash browns. Highly recommended.