The Holland Road Residence

I arrived yesterday and found only a very small hand towel in the bathroom. There was no bath towel or floor towel. I got in touch to ask for some, and was told they were "experiencing a shortage of linen" and would give me towels when they could. I'm still waiting.

We stayed at Holland Road stays for five days over Christmas 2025 and wanted to leave as soon as we checked in. The bed was so uncomfortable that sleep was nearly impossible, and we could hear neighbours snoring. There was mould in the shower, it was freezing, and dust kept getting into our noses. As someone with allergies, I found the stay really rough. The walls and bed had stains from substances we couldn't identify, and there were hairs in the bedding that was supposedly freshly changed. The water cooker and coffee machine still had water in them, and I don't want to think how long it had been sitting there. Every piece of furniture seemed stained or broken, and the oven was splattered with oil and residue, so I wouldn't plan on cooking. The tiny room was advertised as an "apartment," and the deluxe double bed apartment was about the size of a small storage room, not a cosy one. We contacted customer service on arrival and explained our concerns. They promised a thorough clean the next morning, but all they did was change the sheets again. We asked for another blanket because the room was so cold, but got nothing. The longer we stayed, the worse it looked. Don't be fooled by the photos, which look nice at first glance and seem to hide the faults. Afterward, when asked for feedback, I explained how disappointed and disgusted we were. They "sincerely" apologized and offered a discount on a future stay, plus a digital inspection and choice of room before arrival. We received no compensation for the stay itself, even though they knew about all the problems. We would never stay there again.

The room hadn't been cleaned before we arrived. There were stains on the walls, cobwebs, filthy toilets, broken beds, and a door that wouldn't lock. The cooker and stove were already used and greasy, cups and saucers were left in the sink, and the bathroom flooded when we flushed. The TV wouldn't turn on, the window barely shut, and the drains smelled horrendous. Floors were wet, stained, and foul-smelling. The bin was full, and the brown, holey towels smelled like sewage, so we couldn't use them and had to buy our own. In the hallway, it was dark and dusty, smelled of mould, and had letters on a small table. The fire alarm went off every five minutes because residents were cooking. With my two kids and husband, we waited outside for an hour and 45 minutes because nobody opened the door and the ring doorbell didn't work. The manager had to come all the way to let us in, but was rude and didn't apologize. It was an absolutely horrible stay, and the standards were beyond ridiculous. This place isn't suitable for anyone; it needs quality checks.

The bedding was stained, the toilet lock was broken, and the toilet smelled awful. The carpet was rubbish, and the place was dirty and unsanitary. Don't be fooled by the online photos; read the reviews before booking. The only good thing was the location, within walking distance of bus stations. I stayed in basement #1 at 8 Holland road and would never recommend it.