Montcalm Chilworth Townhouse, Paddington

The noise made this stay completely unacceptable. We were woken just before 10pm by what sounded like furniture being dragged and things thrown around in the room above, which turned out to be the restaurant. It went on past midnight. I tried for more than two hours to reach reception, after being told someone was available around the clock, and got no reply. Hotel.com also spent 20-30 minutes trying to contact the hotel the next morning, with no response. We were awake again before 6am after still being up at 1am, so I got less than five broken hours of sleep before an important medical appointment. I was absolutely exhausted. I booked because the hotel was in a quiet part of London, advertised soundproof rooms and was supposedly five star. The room was not soundproof at all. It was a cramped basement double, with a narrow, short bed accessible from only one side, so one of us had to climb over the other. The stale-smelling room was only sort of clean, and the hotel felt dated and worn. That didn't bother us much by itself, but it hardly seemed five star. The tea and coffee weren't five star quality, some glasses were chipped, and the shampoo bottle was empty. The bathroom was small but functional, with a powerful shower and good sink tap. There were no robes or slippers, though that didn't matter much for one night. There were exterior stairs right outside the window, which was almost door-sized and opened very wide. Someone could literally step into the room from the stairs, so it didn't feel safe to leave it open. The check-in staff were pleasant and helpful, although they said we were getting the same room we had been allocated, just on a different floor. The hotel is near Paddington tube station, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, with Notting Hill and Holland Park not too far away. At checkout, nobody asked whether we were happy or enjoyed the stay. There was no mention of the messages or attempted calls, including Hotel.com's efforts and the voicemails. This is nowhere near five star, and I won't return or recommend it.

After a long day out or in meetings, it was lovely to come back to somewhere so quiet and peaceful. The Montcalm Chilworth Townhouse sits on a leafy, charming street, less than five minutes on foot from Paddington Station, which is handy for the Heathrow Express and long-distance trains. Getting around London was easy, too. The place mixes Georgian architecture with modern interiors nicely. My room was clean and well equipped, and the rain shower was great. Staff were warm, professional and attentive throughout. A secure, restful base in London, and one I'd happily recommend.

The staff were so friendly and helpful. They moved us to a larger room without charging extra, and after we'd checked out on our last day, they let us use a quiet room to pray while we came back to collect our bags. Special thanks to Kamalin for being so kind and helpful. I'd definitely book here again if I return to London.

I was running very late and feeling anxious, but the hotel staff made me feel at home. A special thank you to Daliia, the front desk manager, for being so kind and helping me feel comfortable. I liked the room too. It was clean and had what I needed, including a hair dryer, tea and a mini fridge. Just what I wanted after a long trip. I'll definitely be back.