Travelodge London Central City Road Hotel

There are plenty of good restaurants and pubs nearby, and it's only a short walk to the tube. The hotel makes a great base for seeing London, right in the heart of the city. Its bar stays open late, which was handy for a late bite, and the pizza was fab. Breakfast was decent and filling too. The shower was my one small gripe, since the pressure was poor. Still, it's a very cheap, decent hotel.

Most of the staff were genuinely friendly, but little else about my stay was positive. The drain gave off a foul, sewage-like smell that got worse after using the shower or sink, making the whole room unpleasant. The furniture and equipment felt old and as though they hadn't been renovated for years, and the beds were so uncomfortable I struggled to sleep properly. Breakfast was very basic, with little choice and poor quality for a hotel in this category. For the £178 / day I paid, I've had much better stays in hostels. I wouldn't stay here again.

After a late arrival, I was told the hotel was overbooked and had no room for me. Staff said they'd transfer me to a property in Woolwich, but the taxi took me to Sidcup instead, miles out of town and completely the wrong way. The next morning, I was promised a taxi back into town, but the Sidcup property said they didn't hold cash to pay for it. After an hour's frustrating wait, I finally got a cab in rush-hour traffic. Rather than take me to a nearby transport hub, they made the driver return all the way to the original hotel so someone could hand him cash. My time was wasted because of their internal accounting problem. Management then refused to refund the large difference between the £270 room I paid for and the £70 alternative I was left in. Staff were appallingly poor and seemed unconcerned by the disruption. This was the worst hotel experience of my life, a routine check-in turned into a logistical nightmare. Avoid it if you value your time, money, or sanity.

We booked seven days with breakfast and have been here three days so far. Housekeeping cleaned the room only at check-in; after that they came only when asked, and then just replaced towels, with no proper clean or vacuuming. That matters in a small carpeted room with kids. We had to keep reminding reception about basic things, and the service hasn't justified the price. When we asked for a universal power adapter, reception suggested buying one at the shop across the road. The person was trying to help, but providing basic guest support is the hotel's responsibility. There's no bottled water, and breakfast is okay but the same items each day for £12. Having to pay extra for WiFi also feels outdated when room rates are already decent.