CityLiveIn London Wembley

It was cheap, but that's the only good thing. I arrived in pouring rain and couldn't get inside. I buzzed reception several times without an answer, and only got in when someone else left. My room key wouldn't work either, and it took three trips to reception before I could get into the room. The basin tap was loose, the shower temperature wouldn't adjust, and neither the shower nor basin drained properly. On Sunday morning, other guests slammed doors for over two hours. During my whole stay, the bed wasn't made and I wasn't given fresh towels. It's also a good spot if you fancy putting up with loads of screaming students.

We booked a six bedroom apartment for the August carnival weekend, and it was disgusting when we got there, even though staff had said they were still getting it ready. There was mouldy food in the fridge with expiry dates from early July, dirty plates in the sink, sticky kitchen surfaces and floors, and a microwave with red stains. A bathroom door was damaged too. We were worried about losing the huge deposit for damage that was already there, so we asked to move rooms. They said none were available and sent one cleaner, who said the apartment would take five minutes to clean. They poured cleaning liquid on the floor, mopped one corner, quickly wiped the surfaces and binned all the food. Staff were condescending and didn't seem to care. I wouldn't recommend it. You're better off at a Premier Inn.

The one real plus is the location, right inside a mall with lots of food around and two underground stations to pick from. The apartments are better suited to students. They're small, with one window that barely lets in any air. On a hot summer day, it gets far too hot and stale, making the air feel sickly. The double bed is smaller than usual, and the shower sometimes won't get cold enough to cool you down. Our bathroom shower didn't drain well either, so we had to keep showers to a quick minute.

These are student accommodation rooms rented out to people during summer. They're about what you'd expect for student housing, but modern and clean, and the staff are really friendly and helpful.