Leicester Square One

It's in a great location, but opening the windows brings a lot of noise in. Keep them shut and it gets too hot, and it's still noisy. There was no air conditioning, the Wi-Fi didn't work, and I couldn't find reception or anyone to contact for help. My room was on the third floor, and there's a fourth floor too, with no lift. The company sent suspicious emails asking for more credit card details even though we'd already prepaid. The shower handle was broken and hard to use, and the hot water ran out quickly. The bed was narrow and uncomfortable, with cheap, uncomfortable pillows. Even the coffee maker they provided was just for show and didn't work.

After all the hassle, I finally reached the apartment. It looked nice, like the pictures, but it was noisy and the thin blinds let in all the streetlight. It felt like sleeping with the light on. I don't recommend it. I'd booked through an agency and only found out at the door that I needed a code to get in. This is a serviced apartment, not a hotel. The apartment said there was no reservation; the agency then told me it was at another address, a 15-minute walk away, and asked me to send a copy of my credit card and ID. It was raining, and I was already late for dinner.

The room was clean and the place was convenient and comfortable, but not worth the money. Several lights didn't work, the sofa was damaged, and the whole place smelled of food. It's central, although tricky to find because it's not actually on Charing Cross Road despite the address.

There isn't an elevator, so you have to climb to the 4th or 5th floor, and the small room has no air conditioning. Instead of a closet, there's an Ikea hanger. Still, I was happy to have booked just for the weekend. The hotel is in the city center on a picturesque green street, and it was quiet at night with very little traffic. Chernyshevskaya metro station is five minutes away. There's a 24-hour shop nearby, and various cafes by the metro.