Queens Drive Hotel

The staff were really pleasant, and both the breakfast and the convenient location were highlights. Prices are reasonable for London. The rooms are clean, though very small and spartan, and the floor rugs are in poor shape and could definitely do with replacing.

The location makes getting around London easy. It’s a short walk to the Victoria line, which connects to other major lines. Service was fantastic, the staff were friendly, and breakfast came out quickly and tasted good, with an alright continental selection. Good value for money, though the room felt a bit claustrophobic. The en-suite was small and there wasn’t much room to move, but it did have all the amenities.

I had mixed feelings about this recent stay. The hotel looks lovely, with nice decor and a fresh scent throughout, and the staff were genuinely friendly and helpful. Breakfast had a good range: a help-yourself continental spread as well as a hot English breakfast you can order. The location is also very good, right across from the park. Finsbury park station is a five-minute walk away, with lots to do nearby, and you can get into central London by tube or take a bus to Haringey green lanes. The practical side was much harder. There’s no lift, and even ground-floor rooms involve stairs. The breakfast area is upstairs too, so this isn’t an option for wheelchair users. I had a lot of bags and had to carry them up the stairs myself. Since I booked at the last minute, I hadn’t checked the layout, and getting in and out with luggage was difficult. The bathrooms are incredibly cramped, smaller than a standard public cubicle, with barely any room to move. It felt like a toilet in a caravan or at a festival. It’s a nice-looking place for a quick visit if you’re traveling light, but the tiny bathrooms and lack of a lift are major drawbacks. Despite how kind the staff were, I wouldn’t stay again because of the layout.

I had breakfast included for tomorrow, but I’m not going. I just want to get out of here, and I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to anyone. I’m not a snob, but really? The carpets all over the hotel are filthy. My bed was soaking wet and uncomfortable, with only one pillow and no headboard. There was a plastic spoon in the room instead of a metal one. The bathroom is so tiny I can’t move in it, and the shower is another level. I hand-washed tonight because I couldn’t face stepping into it. The radiator is rusty and covered in black muck. I’d maybe pay £20 a night for this, not £110. I don’t normally book somewhere like this, but I was desperate because everywhere else had sold out, and I’m here for work. When I finally got to my room, there was a polite cleaner, but the corridor was a hazard, with hoover leads and bags of dirty laundry I had to step over while carrying my case. At arrival, they said my room wasn’t ready, possibly because there was a concert on. The receptionist was okay, but passed me to a trainee, and I found the customer service rude. It’s odd that you have to leave your room key at the hotel when going out. They say the desk is staffed 24/7, but I waited 10 minutes to hand in my key. I rang the bell, no one came, so I just posted it on the other side. I’m not sure how this is a three-star hotel and not a one-star one, unless it’s because it’s convenient for the tube station.