Travelodge London Central Marylebone

The location is great, beside Marylebone station and the tube, and about a five-minute walk from baker street. The staff were welcoming, and the hotel manager was there and seemed to have a good handle on things. The “super room” wasn’t so super. The bed was uncomfortable, the pillows were small, and the sheets felt itchy, as if they’d been overstarched. Although the curtains were blackout, they left a sizable gap at each end of the window, which made it hard to recover from a long flight. One of the two elevators wasn’t working, and the other had no lights. The manager kindly explained at check-in that mechanics were due to fix them.

Traffic and loud drinkers were a nuisance too, though I suppose that’s just London. The utilities were noisy throughout the hotel, with a humming that sounded like a bath running all night. During my second week I booked a superior room, which was good otherwise, but the noise continued. I stayed two weeks in a row. The first week’s saver room was tiny and depressing, almost like a cell, and not the cleanest. A services cupboard outside hummed all night, so I got no sleep all week. Fine for a weekend out, but if you’re travelling for work and need a proper night’s rest, avoid it.

The bathroom was one big wet room, so after showering I had to put a towel down just to use the toilet without standing in a soaking wet floor. The room felt like a prison cell: tiny and dated, with the bed right under a window letting in cold air. When I put my bag down, I saw what looked like a fresh white substance on the sheets and felt disgusted at the thought of sleeping there, as the room clearly hadn’t been cleaned. The staff member I showed it to seemed to disregard it, which still baffles me. He did agree that having no bed sheets was unacceptable and said we should try to get our money back. On arrival we’d been told there were no duvets because “they had been stolen by the previous guests,” even though we had two separate rooms on different floors. The only offer was as many bed sheets as we needed. The room was opposite a noisy lift, and the window did nothing to block outside sound. I had ear plugs with me, luckily, though I still barely slept. This was easily the worst hotel stay I’ve ever had. Luckily it was booked through work, not by me. If you’re looking here to save money, spend a little more elsewhere for peace of mind and a better night’s sleep.

The staff were good and kind. On the last day the lift stopped working, and someone from staff brought my luggage down from the sixth floor. The lift had been dark and felt unsafe, and the hotel didn’t have full wheelchair access. Other problems included a faulty toilet and heater, water in the soap and shampoo bottles, and no Wi-Fi. It was extremely expensive for that experience. I wouldn’t complain about the lift help, but I’d reconsider staying here.