The Z Hotel Shoreditch

We were in town for a concert and stayed for three nights. The staff were friendly, and the hotel and room were clean and comfortable. The basement rooms are tiny and have no windows, so they can get hot. You can also hear the subway moving underneath. The noise didn't bother me while sleeping, but it did feel strange. The hotel is close to the subway, and plenty of buses reach the centre in about 20 minutes. There are lots of cafes nearby and an Aldi too.

The room was the worst part: extremely small, with no window or natural light. That wasn't made clear when booking, which felt misleading. Waking up without daylight or any sense of the time was unpleasant and made the space feel claustrophobic. Staff were rude and unhelpful throughout. Even simple questions were met with an attitude that made us feel like an inconvenience, and customer service seemed like an afterthought. At £200 a night, I expected a comfortable room, honest advertising, and at least polite, professional service. The hotel fell short on all of that. It was an extremely disappointing stay and not worth the price. I wouldn't stay again, and would strongly advise others to look elsewhere unless they're happy paying a premium for a windowless box and poor service.

You can hear the Tube passing, and the air conditioning is noisy. My room had no window, a thin mattress, long blonde hair on the bed, and a bug. The lift wasn’t working, which is a rough start for someone with a disability, and big laundry trolleys were left in front of both the lift and stairs. I can’t wait to go home, and I won’t stay here again.

We packed a lot into our mother-daughter London weekend: Kricket, Gloria, Duke of York Theatre, ABBA Voyage, pie and mash, breakfast at E Pellicci, and cocktails at Satan's Whiskers. The hotel made getting around easy, thanks to its Shoreditch location, an easy walk from Liverpool Street Station. It was a lovely way to celebrate my daughter's birthday, even though her actual birthday had been the week before and she lives nearby in Bethnal Green. I arrived early and the staff kindly kept my bag. When I returned, they’d already taken it to my room, which was a thoughtful touch. Everyone we met was friendly and professional. The room was small, spotless, and had what I needed for a short stay. My only minor reservation is the bathroom’s frosted glass partition instead of a solid door, which might feel awkward when sharing with a friend or colleague. Great value and a fun base for the weekend. I’d recommend it.