Travelodge London Walthamstow

I had a terrible night, with very little sleep. Other guests woke me with a loud argument, and the toilet made noise all night. Earlier, I missed a planned meal while trying to sort out access to my room. After a day out in London, my key no longer worked. At reception I was told my name hadn't been added to the group booking by the staff member who checked me in the day before. The receptionist initially refused to let me into the room, even though I'd stayed there the previous night. I'd never been told there was a problem with my name and had assumed check-in was handled properly. My phone had run out of battery, and my belongings were locked inside. I explained the situation, described the room and my things, and pointed out that the hotel's own admin error had caused this. I asked to retrieve my phone so I could contact my partner, who had made the booking, but that was refused too. The receptionist was polite, but her initial response was essentially that it was "hotel policy," with little apparent concern for the practical consequences. I was far from home and couldn't access my room or belongings because the hotel had failed to record my details correctly. I was eventually allowed back into the room, but by then my evening was ruined and my meal was missed. This was the worst hotel experience I've ever had: poor administration, an inflexible response to the hotel's own mistake, disrupted plans, and a sleepless night.

The disabled parking spaces can't be reserved and fill up fast, so be ready to look elsewhere for parking. The hotel is in a great spot for nearby venues and amenities, and you can hop on a train or tube. Staff were helpful and approachable, and there's a nice little eatery serving fairly priced hot food. If you don't have somewhere else planned, you can get a good meal at a sensible price without heading out into a cold winter evening.

I don't think I'll stay again. The place feels tired and badly in need of an overhaul, and the price can be hard to justify: 35 quid on a midweek winter night seems okay, but the 100 quid we paid for a recent Tuesday was not good enough. It's well located for transport, though that brings traffic and people noise. I've stayed in several rooms, and many windows seem ill-fitting, so you can still hear the noise even when they're shut. The rooms we've had recently all smelled awful, like sweaty socks. The windows are always open when you arrive, so it seems they know about it. I'm not sure if it's the carpet or mattress, but it's unpleasant. Room cards keep failing, which means going back and forth to reception for replacements. There's no aircon, and even with the window open in early May, the room was far too hot.

The breakfast was great, and the staff were nice. The towels were lovely, the bedding was very clean and good quality, and there was plenty of tea, coffee, and milk. Our triple room was big, but it all felt dingy and a bit rough, and I wouldn't want to spend more than 2 nights here. The room felt grubby and needed decorating, while the bathroom was dated and worn. It was noisy, even though the location next to the tube was handy and the window could be opened. We had to go back to reception for a hairdryer and an iron. Reception is on the first floor, so walking in felt like entering a block of flats, not very welcoming.