Travelodge Kew Bridge

The lobby, hallways, and bedroom were clean, the staff were good, and the location was okay. But the stay had too many problems to feel worthwhile, even at a below-average price for the area. The bed and bedding weren’t great, and two thin pillows would be rough if you’re sharing. Outlets are only at the desk, the heater is unintuitive and kept resetting to 20C, and the lifts are slow and clunky. The outlets themselves were fidgety and only charged if the plug sat just right. The shower warning says hot water can set off alarms. For a budget hotel, it costs more than it’s worth.

I’d read the reviews and was expecting a bad stay, but it turned out pretty good: no smells, reasonably clean, very quiet, and parking was convenient. The one snag was that we’d booked a twin because we wanted separate beds, but got a king-size bed and a child’s bed instead. We didn’t complain and it sort of worked, but it wasn’t ideal.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, though a little tired. The lifts are meant to work by key card, but the scanners do nothing, so anyone can walk in off the street and reach any part of the hotel. Breakfast was the worst hotel food I’ve ever had. And the bar made me sad just looking at it. Having a drink there would’ve been terminal.

There were several problems in the room: the towels smelled, there was no bathroom floor mat, the toilet roll had already run out, and the bathroom exhaust fan wasn’t working. I told reception, but they didn’t care. When we were leaving, we handed in the keys and asked the older woman there to open the door to the car park. She acted like she hadn’t heard us. After we asked two or three times, she opened it as if we were bothering her. I don’t recommend this place.