Normandie Hotel

Paddington station was conveniently close, but the room was cold, with the heaters off. A small heater only warmed the space around it, leaving the rest of the room chilly, and the bathroom was extremely cold too. The shower was hot for two nights, then cold for the other three. I found a small empty water bottle behind the curtains in room 5, and there was a sizeable gap under the door that made it possible to look in from outside. I put a blanket at the bottom so people couldn’t see in. The lock was stiff and a bit iffy. It wasn’t a great stay, though manageable for the time I was there.

On the first day, the shower only ran boiling hot. Its broken faucet couldn’t adjust the temperature, and when I told the staff member on duty, I was told, “Sorry, nothing we can do.” For a stay that was supposed to last almost two weeks, that wasn’t acceptable. The next morning, we woke covered in bed bug bites. We found them throughout the mattress and took photos. Reaching management was nearly impossible, even through our booking agent. The only staff member on site, who also cleans rooms, helped us check out early. We weren’t offered a refund despite the serious health and hygiene issues. We lost a day of our trip taking everything to a laundromat, and the bites were uncomfortable throughout the stay. I rarely write reviews, but I want to warn others. This property shouldn’t be operating in these conditions. There are other hotels in the same price range with safer, cleaner accommodation.

We stayed two nights and the place was dreadful, even though we’re not fussy and are happy with the basics. There was no heating in late November, the toilet wouldn’t flush properly, and the floors creaked with every step. The shower ran cold, and its broken faucet wouldn’t let us adjust the temperature. The only brief warm water we got came from the cold tap while I was brushing my teeth. I’ve since read other reviews mentioning broken shower faucets and wonder if it’s deliberate. At checkout we hoped to leave our luggage in storage for the day, as advertised, but couldn’t. The website also claimed tea and coffee facilities, an in-room safe, a lift, and 24-hour reception, none of which were available. These weren’t especially important to us, but lying about them is scandalous. I wish I’d read the reviews before booking, including the horrendous accounts with photos. Spend a little extra and stay elsewhere.

The location is the one good thing: it’s very close to Paddington station and Hyde Park. We stayed four nights in room 14, and at first everything seemed fine except for a strange smell. By the second night we realized it was coming from the pillow and mattress, like old puke from the 1970s. The receptionist was reluctant when we asked for a fresh pillow but did give us one. After that, the staff weren’t so nice to us. The shower never had hot water, and we had no cold water from the sink for the whole trip.