New Kent Apartments

Our only real plus was the convenient spot near Bayswater Underground Station. For what we paid, we expected better facilities and service. The building is old, as are the furniture and bed, and the room felt uncomfortable and smaller than it looked in the photos. There was no elevator. I'd asked for a ground-floor room, but didn't get one; I know requests like that aren't always possible. The heater wasn't working, so we kept coming back to a cold room in winter. We appreciated the electric heater they gave us, but it wasn't enough to warm the place properly. Parking with our car was confusing for us as tourists. The receptionist suggested parking near Bayswater Station, but paying required a local parking app that was hard for visitors to use. We contacted the receptionist again and offered more than the fee in cash just to borrow access to the app, but they couldn't help. At 2 a.m. we were still confused in the car park, and later found out we'd been fined, only discovering it after returning home. A nearby shop eventually gave us parking advice, and that's when we learned the parallel parking outside our apartment was FREE!! It was a frustrating stay, and there are better places to stay for this price.

The toilet was broken too. Waste from another room came up whenever we didn't flush, leaving us to wake repeatedly to a dirty, used toilet. It was shocking and completely unhygienic. From our very first night, we woke with painful bites, red welts and rashes only on the parts of our bodies that touched the bed, and it got much worse each night. Once home, a doctor said the pattern and distribution confirmed bed bug bites and clearly ruled out an allergic reaction. Less than a week later, the marks were still very visible, swollen, intensely itchy and burning. When we told the staff, they seemed completely indifferent. There was no proper inspection, another room, help or refund. We had to ask for clean sheets and were told to carry them up and change the bedding ourselves. The hotel's total lack of responsibility left us in pain and discomfort, stressed and emotionally distressed. Since returning home, we've spent a lot on doctor visits, dermatological treatments, antihistamines, creams and having our belongings professionally cleaned. This was absolutely unacceptable and completely ruined our trip. We're posting this with photos so no one else has to go through it.

We needed somewhere at the last minute after Airbnb let us down, then I read some reviews that made me nervous. Turns out it was nice and clean. We had Room 3 in the lower basement, with a window and air conditioning. It could use a few things, like new pillows and a mirror in the main room, but the staff at the main hotel were lovely and really helpful. The location is excellent too.

We didn't get the room we booked for three, and the TV didn't work. The fellow at the front desk said he'd send someone, but after 1.5 hours I went back and was given another room. The keys still wouldn't work. I had to return them two times before getting keys that did. The apartment was very dated and dirty, and my socks got filthy walking around. The bathroom hadn't been cleaned properly either. I complained and they sent a cleaner while we were out, but the areas we'd pointed out were still not done. This tiny apartment cost $450 Canadian a night. I know it's London, but I expect it to be clean. We found a better hotel, Princes Square, in the same neighbourhood for $75 Canadian a night more. It was clean, bigger and had exceptional service.