WNS Hotel

For £109 on a Monday night, I thought this was really good value for a one-night stay. The room looked recently fitted out and was done to a good standard. It was clean, the bed was comfortable, and the shower was hot, though a little quirky in the way it was fixed to the wall. The chap at reception was friendly and helpful. A couple of things to know: check-in runs from 3pm to 9pm, which might not suit everyone, and there's no breakfast or dinner option. I walked past several food vans nearby that looked appetizing. I'd definitely stay again. The photos are from after I stayed, by the way. The bed was nicely made when I arrived.

The only positives were the location and the kind girl at reception at the other location. For what this place is, it should have cost MUCH less. For only £30 more a night, I could have stayed at a very good hotel in Canary Wharf. I was at 19 Pepper Street in a room advertised as deluxe double, but I had to share a bathroom with four or five other people, which was absolutely disgusting. The room wasn't clean, and the flies, spiders and mosquitoes right outside my room and the main entrance were shocking. As a solo female traveller, having no receptionist on site made me feel very uncomfortable. I also thought the door and its lock could have been broken. There was nowhere to hang towels to dry, and no bedside lamp. The walls were so thin I could hear other guests talking. Even in the middle of the day, I couldn't nap without being woken by the cleaning staff's radio at full blast. Oh, and bed bugs.

The reception staff member was lovely and showed us to our room. We only stayed one night, but for what we paid it was well worth it. It was a nice, tidy, clean place and felt different from the usual hotels we stay in. It was like a little apartment: we left reception and went into the next door, which had its own lock so only guests could get in after 9pm. Our room was then one of only two on that floor. The room was a decent size, with a fridge and a fan that we really needed during the heatwave. We had our own bathroom, which was a good size too. I know lots of reviews mention a shared bathroom, so maybe make sure you book the right room type. The location was great. Our only tiny suggestion, not even a complaint, would be to leave more towels. It was 34° and we took several showers, but there were only two towels and a hand towel. Aside from that, it was literally perfect. Definitely recommend it, especially at that price.

The ground-floor room made things easy with the kids, no stairs to deal with, and we could walk to The Hunger Games and other places around Canary Wharf. I picked this hotel because it had a family room, the photos looked genuine, and there don't seem to be many places with a decent family option. I could've used another pillow, and I did hear the overtrain, though I had earplugs with me. I'm a light sleeper anyway, so I usually come prepared.