Elegant 5bdrm Townhouse in Camden

The photos are badly outdated and don’t match what you’ll find at the property. We left with our children and paid for a Travelodge, then filed formal complaints after our London trip. When we sent the host pictures, she said she hadn’t realised it was that bad, which suggests she doesn’t visit or inspect the place. We eventually got a full refund from the host, although she lied to us twice over text and on a phone call, saying she’d notified booking.com. When we spoke to Booking.com, they said she hadn’t contacted them. They got in touch with her and made sure the refund was arranged. The easiest advice is to stay away. I wish I could give minus stars.

I lasted just one night of the four we’d booked. For the high price, the stay was extremely disappointing. The place felt shabby, neglected, and as though it hadn’t been looked after in a long time. The shower didn’t work at all, so it was completely unusable, and the host’s lack of communication or concern made things more frustrating. The house is also directly above a subway line. When trains were running, the noise was constant and loud, making sleep difficult, sometimes nearly impossible. This Airbnb was grossly overpriced for what it offered. The poor maintenance, lack of basic amenities, and unresponsive host made it a regrettable stay. I’d strongly advise against booking it.

We booked the two-bedroom flat for two nights, January 16 to 18, 2025. It’s advertised on Booking.com under both The Pink House and Beautiful 2 bedroom flat in Camden, 65A Chalk farm Rd. The location opposite the market seemed good at first, and the flat initially looked nice. Then we found brown mould across a whole section of the sitting room wall. Hannah said the flat above had leaked, but the wall still hadn’t been painted. There was mould in the bedroom and bathroom too, stained and uncomfortable futons, a smelly fridge with old food in the freezer, and filthy communal carpets. Even the path in from the gate was dirty. The bedroom carpet wasn’t much better. We told ourselves it was a bit of a dump, but cheap and only for two nights. That changed when the cheap IKEA metal bed slats snapped on the first night, leaving two of us on the stained futons. There were no spare sheets or duvet. The other “double” was actually two single mattresses pushed together on a cheap, mould-stained day bed. Hannah didn’t answer our calls the next morning. We got a text saying the cleaner would fix the bed, which couldn’t be fixed, and later another telling us to leave and offering a refund. Still no call. When she finally answered in the afternoon, she wasn’t apologetic. She said her mother had cancer, which I believe was meant to make us feel guilty for complaining. I believe that claim may not have been true. The access felt unsafe too. The front gate code door was often unlocked, and the house’s front door was constantly open. There was no landing light for Flat 4, so we had to use a phone torch or feel along the wall for the switch at the top of the stairs. Hannah has a bad reputation and lived up to it. She seemed to care only about the money, with no pride in the property or customer service. She raised her voice, wouldn’t listen to our complaints, and threatened to have the cleaner remove our things unless we left. We stayed until Booking.com confirmed the refund in writing. She used her mother being in hospital to ghost us, and a cancer diagnosis to manipulate us. This place is a total kip, run by someone with no people skills or idea of customer service.

The noise was unbearable. The apartment next door had a house party with a DJ until 4 a.m., and the sound vibrated through the room. The place also felt unsafe: the host left a master key in the hallway where other guests could get it, and tenants often left the gate open. The room itself was filthy. The sheets were stained and full of hairs, and I refused to sleep in them, so I stayed awake all night. I tried to find somewhere else to stay but it was late and I couldn’t find anything. I didn’t finish my stay, and the host ignored my calls and messages. You’d think cleanliness would be a priority during a pandemic. The property photos are filtered and don’t show its current state. There was mould on the ceilings, and the broken double bed was propped up with wooden logs. The whole place felt like a DIY project gone wrong. If you want a sleepless night in a dirty, unsafe room, this is the place. A solid 0/10.