NOX West Hampstead

For the price, I was impressed and would stay again. We were there just one night as a concert stopover. The location is excellent, with loads of restaurants nearby and easy underground access to central london. The area feels pleasant and safe. The room was modern, nicely decorated and a reasonable size, with lots of useful things like a smart TV, coffee machine and fan. The bed was comfortable, and we had a quiet night's sleep. A few things brought the rating down. The hallway, which serves a block of flats, needs work. The receptionist wasn't especially welcoming at check-in, though I get that people have bad days. The other staff interactions weren't positive either. At 10.40am, while we were gathering our last things before the 11am checkout, a staff member unlocked the door without knocking. When I said hello, they asked if we hadn't checked out yet, then left and shut the door. It made us uncomfortable and felt unprofessional. The air conditioning didn't work, though there was a fan, so that wasn't a deal breaker. The milk had expired, and some biscuits and tea had been opened or had liquid spilled on them. It seemed those items weren't checked between guests. We only noticed late, after reception had closed. Without those issues, this would've been a five-star stay.

We were in a triple room that was exceptionally spacious, spotless and serviced every day. The beds were comfortable, the sheets soft and the shower hot. Our building was very quiet and well kept. We checked in late without trouble, and the only hitch was that a few electrical outlets had accidentally been switched off. The office responded straight away and were always friendly and helpful. For eight nights, we had a really great stay. Getting around was easy, with unmatched access to transport. I'd say this is a perfect choice if you plan to be out most of the day, or feel connected to this lovely neighbourhood or the ones nearby. Just don't book if you need a lift or elevator. I'll definitely stay again.

My colleague was left in a stressful spot as a non-UK resident, travelling on a train and spelling out his email address over the phone so he could get the late check-in instructions and avoid sleeping rough on West End Lane. We had made the booking through a travel desk, shared contact details by email and called twice during business hours to explain the problem. At 22.53, there was still no reply to our email. He needed to check in after midnight, but staff said they could only provide the late check-in details at 10pm, even though reception closes at 11pm. The staff were staggeringly unhelpful and unfriendly. I can only guess management is pretty awful to have staff behaving this way.

The room was roomy and clean, and the cool air coming through the window made up for the air con that didn’t seem to work. We had a lovely stay this past weekend and would happily come back.