ibis London City - Shoreditch

The staff were pleasant and accommodating, and the location is handy: right by a tube station and Tesco, with easy access downtown and a reasonable distance from the Excel convention center if you're attending a conference. Rooms are small but comfortable, with little storage. The bathroom is also small, though the shower has plenty of room. The worst issue was the WiFi in the room. It worked well in the lobby and breakfast area, but during the first few days I could connect from bed, not from the desk. Later I had to stand by the door and balance my laptop on the edge of the bed, and even then it dropped after a few minutes. Breakfast had some choice, but most of the food was poor quality. The coffee was the worst I've ever had, and the bacon, cold cuts and scrambled eggs were tasteless or unpleasant. The beans, bread and croissants were nice. There was a unit that looked like air-conditioning, but a note called it an “air control unit”; it could blow air but didn't actually change the temperature. The pillows were among the worst I've slept on, and cleaning seemed limited to making the bed and changing towels. The room's cleanliness was questionable. It was a compromise.

I got a good price after the receptionist suggested I check booking sites when I wanted to switch my twin room to one of my own at the last minute. I found it £30 cheaper, so that was great service. As an Accor member, I was also allowed to check in early. The staff were friendly, and breakfast had a nice range in a large dining area, typical of a hotel breakfast. The location is excellent, right beside Aldgate East station, with a Tesco Express next door. I'd stay again.

The whole team was kind and helpful, though Marina really stood out. I needed to switch rooms, and she sorted it straight away with patience, professionalism and care. She made sure I was comfortable and that everything was right, and she made a real difference to my stay. I was very satisfied and would happily return and recommend the hotel.

We booked two rooms for a week, including an accessible one for my cousin. The rooms were very clean and perfectly fine, and we were pleased with the welcome and the evening service in the restaurant and bar. One thing to be aware of: the bedroom doors are extremely heavy, perhaps because they're fire doors or something similar. We managed, but a wheelchair user may not be able to operate them easily.