Brick Lane Apartment Guesthouse

The owner or operator was no help, and the place felt old and dirty. The shared ground-floor shower was tiny, like a cupboard, and had no hot water. I asked about it a day earlier and was told someone was looking into it. A cleaner later said it should be working, but when I got back from a night out it was still freezing. Rooms above ground level have their own showers. What they promise doesn’t match what’s there. It felt like a total scam, so look elsewhere.

Our booking for this apartment had been in place for months, and we’d paid in full. We’d also received check-in instructions and key codes from the owner. Then, around 3pm on the day we were due to arrive, while we were already halfway to London from North Wales, the host messaged to say the booking was cancelled because we hadn’t paid a deposit. We’d never been told about any deposit or given payment details for one. After cancelling, the host became impossible to contact and our Booking.com reference was void, so we couldn’t get help through them. Looking at other reviews now, I think this apartment is a scam and that the host takes people’s money and cancels whenever they want. Leaving four people stranded on the way to London, despite full payment and no notice of a deposit, is unacceptable. Avoid it unless you want to be stuck without a place to stay and out of pocket.

The room itself was okay, but the rest of the apartment was disgusting. There were two bathrooms and two toilets, all with mould and rust and no toiletries. It didn’t seem to have been cleaned during our two-night stay, and we could hear people talking in other rooms. I felt embarrassed in front of my parents. Don’t be fooled by the price or description. This was the worst part of my London trip. I booked a family room for three, but the area didn’t feel suitable for a family. It was my first time in London with my parents, and they were frightened by how dodgy it seemed. There was a nearby bar with junkies outside whenever we walked past. Communication was unprofessional too. I couldn’t reach the property for 24 hours when I tried to say I’d be late for check-in. I nearly had to book another hotel. When someone finally answered, he was rude and took another hour to provide the information I needed. He messaged over WhatsApp, with a profile picture of him drinking with friends. That’s fine in general, but not what I expect from a manager. I made the mistake of paying in cash. The property manager’s “friend” said they only accepted cash and, since I wouldn’t be there at his proposed times, asked me to leave it in the room. I refused several times but eventually gave in. Now the same amount has also been taken from my bank account, and apparently there’s no way to get it back.

I’m hoping to find somewhere better tomorrow. This place doesn’t feel safe, isn’t clean, and doesn’t feel like an apartment. The room had three double beds, but no towels or kettle. The Wi-Fi didn’t work, and the one rickety wardrobe nearly fell on me when I opened it. The keys stick in the doors, and the building is down a dark alley, so I felt unsafe going out after dark. Don’t stay here.