The Garth Hotel

The receptionist was especially kind, polite, and helpful to my daughter and her friend throughout their stay. They're young and on their first trip to London, and I wanted a well-located BBB hotel where they could save on transfers and be close to everything. Their room faced the street and had a small, renovated bathroom. Cleaning under the beds could be better, but it didn't spoil an otherwise satisfactory stay. It's a good way to see London without spending a fortune. Thanks to SHREY y SHASHWAT !!!

The location was convenient, but that was about the only upside. We found the door really hard to open and hadn't been told how it worked. Another group and we were stuck outside for almost 30 minutes, and nobody answered when we called. You have to twist it oddly and pull. There was a strong mold smell in the bathroom, and the mini fridge smelled different but just as bad. It made the whole room smell rotten, so we asked to have it taken away. The neighbor spent two nights screaming and groaning loudly after coming home and turning up his TV. We called reception because it scared us and kept us awake. Someone came, knocked on our door and then his, and said he'd call him. We heard the phone ring and then stop, but nothing changed. He kept making noise all night. We also ended up with what seemed to be bed bug bites, which appeared on our bodies about a week later. This was the only place we could have picked them up. Truly the worst hotel I've stayed in.

We were left outside for over 20 minutes in the middle of the night, still within check-in hours, because the main entrance wouldn't open with the key. We rang the bell again and again. When someone finally came, he was wearing earphones, and even he couldn't get the door to work. Inside, the room was filthy. The carpet was stained and lifting, the curtains and walls were dirty, and the beds and pillows had awful marks, some that looked like blood. I found a live insect on a pillow and hair in the bed. I was genuinely afraid to lie down. Sleep was also a problem: the corridor door slammed whenever anyone walked by, and the thin walls let through every conversation from next door. The shower barely had any water. The Garth Hotel was run down and horribly managed. Avoid it.

We never actually stayed, so I can't honestly review the room. We arrived to find the hotel under renovation, with no warning at all. Before and during our supposed stay, automated messages even asked how we were enjoying it. We had to find another hotel, and luckily did, but the lack of information was unacceptable. This could all have been avoided with proper communication. We tried several phone numbers and nobody picked up. The location was fine, but there are other hotels on the same street. I've never heard of such a bizarre situation. Given the communication, I wouldn't recommend staying here.