The Z Hotel Trafalgar

This is a good choice if you can get a low rate. The location is superb, right in central London, essentially Covent Garden. Staff are welcoming, and the small, basic rooms are functional and have AC. Free WiFi is strong. The rooms are extremely compact, with access to only one side of the bed, so be prepared if you’re sharing. They’re showing wear and need maintenance. Curtains let in too much light, and the TV remotes could be better, while the channel list needs fixing. Book direct and you get a free glass of wine and cheese board each day, plus unlimited tea and coffee from the bar.

The location was excellent, and the staff were friendly. There’s a police station just around the block, which explains the police cars nearby. It wouldn’t be wrong to call this a safe area. The rooms are tiny, but that’s understandable for London and this location. Ours had a glass bathroom. I understand the idea of making the space feel larger, but if you’re travelling with a colleague or a partner for the first time, two rooms might be preferable. We arrived about four hours before check-in, and our room was ready, but we were still charged an early check-in fee. That felt unnecessary, as most hotels would let you in. Breakfast was the main letdown for the price. I expected more: the advertised Belgian waffles were pre-packaged, and there wasn’t much choice. The location itself was excellent.

The room was clean and lovely, and a good size for what we needed. There was some mould on the bathroom ceiling in room 328, but it didn’t put me off. The hotel is close to the theatres I was visiting, in a great location. I’d stay again.

The air conditioning was out while we were there, which made the stay pretty miserable. The room might otherwise have been decent, though small. They warn you about the size, but honestly, there wasn’t space to open two bags at once.