Russell Square Serviced Apartments by Concept Apartments

The room didn’t match what I booked on Booking.com: I expected a spacious three-bed apartment with a kitchenette, kettle, and coffee maker, but got a cramped room packed with furniture and neither appliance. The bedding was stained and didn’t look changed, and there wasn’t even a toilet seat. The listing promised a 24-hour reception, but nobody answered the bell when I went to complain. I waited an hour, then tried the supplied phone number, which was disconnected. Booking.com told me they couldn’t reach an agreement with the hotel. I’d already paid in advance, and couldn’t get anyone there to respond. The photos and advertising felt fake, and this whole experience felt like a sham.

For $100 in London, some Americans seem to expect The Savoy. This is a decent hotel if you have a more realistic idea of what everyday life costs. You get what you pay for.

I waited outside for about an hour after arriving, but nobody opened the door. The hotel’s phone number couldn’t be reached either. It felt like a scam. I should have checked the reviews first. That was my mistake, and the stay cost me time and money.

The only thing I liked was being close to the tube station. We thought that made this place a good deal, but I’d spend a bit more and stay somewhere else. We arrived a little before check-in with another group. The hotel was locked, and nobody answered the door or bell for 30 minutes. We eventually had to call out to other guests to find the person looking after the place. The phone number on the booking didn’t work either. When we finally got inside the so-called lobby, the owner or staff member told us to leave our bags in an unlocked room and go away until our room was ready. The room was filthy. They advertise air conditioning, but all we had was one tiny fan and an old window to open. The bathroom was tiny and dated, with no window or fan, and the shower pressure was awful. The bed was too small for a couple, despite the listing, and the walls were so thin that it sounded like someone was banging on our door or trying to get in. Sleeping was impossible.