The Hampton Residence

We paid £129 for one night, breakfast included, but left as quickly as we could. Most of the light bulbs in the room were out, there was mold in the shower and stains all over the carpet. It was a disgrace. Don’t waste your hard-earned money here.

The only good thing I can say is that the place was clean. The pub downstairs is closed and boarded up, which doesn’t make a good first impression. Inside, it’s dark, old and dated, with carpets worn through. There was no Wi-Fi in the bedroom or socket near the bed. The window wouldn’t close, and someone had tried to fix it with sellotape. There was an empty TV bracket on the wall, though the TV itself was on the desk. In the bathroom, the water pressure was poor and half the lights didn’t work. Nothing else good to report.

The rooms are nice to look at, but way too small for me. I’m 6'5" and big, so you can imagine me trying to fit in there! Most of the staff were friendly, except the man on the night shift, who acted as if guests were invisible. I tried talking to him and he completely ignored me. There were a lot of dodgy people around too. I got the impression the hotel might attract “ladies of the night” and “snow flour salesmen”, to put it as kindly as I can. The stay was decent overall.

This used to be one of the best pubs around Elephant & Castle, with a friendly, well-behaved crowd. From the hotel website photos, the interior seems to have kept its old warm and cosy look. It’s a shame that the place now called the “bar” is only open to hotel guests, so local people have lost a good spot for a drink. I hope the hotel management changes this unfair policy.