Paddington Green Serviced Apartments by Concept Apartments

I stayed one night on business in an apartment near Paddington basin, close to its restaurants, bars and offices. Check-in was very simple, the kind of process I wish all hotels had. The apartment was extremely clean and well equipped, with a double bed and en-suite bedroom, plus stairs up to a kitchen with a table and sofa. Mine was on the top floor, and with no lift it was a bit strenuous, so be careful if you have accessibility issues. The only downsides were the fairly loud noise at night and the thin, uncomfortable mattress. I didn't sleep very well.

The kitchen was roomy and straightforward to use, and there was enough space for what we paid. We stayed four nights, and the place was easy to find from the directions. Getting around was convenient on foot for most of the things we wanted to see in London, then we usually took a taxi back at night. The heated floors were especially welcome after being out in winter, and the shower had good pressure and plenty of hot water. The bed, though, was rock hard. By the fourth night we were aching. And carrying big suitcases up and down those very narrow stairs was a real struggle. Self check-in and checkout were simple enough.

Paddington Station is only minutes away, which made the location really handy. The room itself was a decent size and had good amenities, and the bed was okay. I was in Room 1, down on the lower basement floor. It ran warm, and the ventilator didn't do much, so I had to leave the window open. That let in noise from nearby construction in the morning. The property has no lift, and since it's self check-in, there was nowhere to leave my luggage. The instructions first arrived in Chinese, which I couldn't understand. I could get to the English version through the link, but that wasn't a great setup.

The room looked nothing like the photos. We expected a studio apartment, but it felt more like a motel room. The rooms are so close together that you can hear everything in the corridor, and two rooms share an entrance door with barely enough space for one person. Getting through while dealing with your neighbour and the doors was awkward, and there was no privacy. If you're a light sleeper, the blinking light behind the door in that little half doorway can't be switched off and makes sleeping impossible. There is no lift, and the stairs are very narrow and steep, so carrying heavy bags up them is rough. Laundry costs coins. I ended up washing my period underwear by hand with more water because I need to wash it often. After already spending $700, another $4 each time felt a bit money hungry. Honestly, I think a washing machine could be included like the shower. We booked through Airbnb and only found out at the last minute that a big company managed the place. They made us fill in an endless online form before check-in. For what this is, the price is way too high. At that rate, I'd rather book the Hilton across the street.