Flat in Bethnal Green

Everything smelled sour and like sewage, and the place was filthy: dirty bins, floors, windows, and shower. The toilet was loose on the floor, and the furniture wobbled and seemed to be falling apart. I know it was cheap, but that doesn’t excuse dirt and bad smells. I’ve stayed in plenty of budget rooms and never had anything like this. We couldn’t get in until 6pm even though check-in was meant to be at 4. There’s no reception, so I texted the number just before 4 for the entry code. They said to wait because someone would arrive in half an hour. After 50 minutes, he texted that it’d be another 10 minutes, then it turned into another half hour. Only after all that waiting did they send the code, which made no sense. There was also a room mix-up, and I think they’d double-booked. We unpacked and went out; when we came back, somebody had entered our room and packed everything into our bags. Our clothes had been taken out of the wardrobe, chargers unplugged, and our toiletries, towels, and an Oyster card were gone. You should be told how awkward the entry system is before booking. If I’d known, I’d have booked somewhere else.

The bed was pretty comfortable, but I wouldn’t stay here again. Our sheets were used and dirty, there was no toilet paper, and rat poison traps were on the floor of our room. The window wouldn’t shut fully, so wind and rain made it hard to sleep. Bring towels even if the listing says they’re provided, since the host may text to say they don’t have any. Also, don’t expect the host to be there on time, we waited an hour. There was no Wi-Fi signal in our room, at least the one of a familiar size, and the shared bathroom shower only had very hot water. Its door wouldn’t open from inside the bathroom either, which is awkward if you’re alone. This place sucks.

Check-in was smooth, and the Wi-Fi is free. The beds need replacing, though, the spring mattresses were awful. Electricity was cut during the day, maybe on purpose, so I couldn’t charge my phone in the room. It was well below what I expected.

Hi, warning everyone, don’t book this hostel. It’s a waste of time and money, and it’s non-refundable. If you’re late, nobody opens the door or answers. When we got there, builders were working inside and there was no room for us to stay. We were told to find somewhere else. Absolutely horrible, I can’t explain it all here...