Zedwell Piccadilly Circus

I travel to London regularly for work and had stayed here exactly a month earlier. That visit went smoothly and the room was very clean, so I’d even recommended the hotel to others. After this stay, I can’t recommend it in good conscience. It was around 30 degrees on arrival, and the room was unbearably stuffy and hot because the air conditioning wasn’t working at all. I reported it to reception. They contacted maintenance and asked me to wait in the room for about 30 minutes. I waited 50 minutes with no sign of anyone and heard nothing, and the delay made me miss my dinner reservation. When I went downstairs again, two other guests were already reporting similar problems. One was quite verbally aggressive toward the manager on duty. I didn’t want to add to the staff’s stress, so, as it was getting late and I still needed dinner, I asked to change rooms. After another 30 minutes I finally got keys to a different room. The replacement was much smaller and far away. After taking the lift to the third floor, I had to carry all my luggage down several flights of stairs. At least the air conditioning worked, but the room was absolutely filthy: snot in the sink, dust everywhere, makeup and pen marks on the pillowcases, makeup stains on the sheets, and stained towels. The cleanliness was extremely poor. It was already very late and I still needed to eat. As a solo female traveller, I didn’t feel comfortable going out much later, and I simply didn’t have the energy to ask for yet another room change, especially after hearing another guest had already asked for five changes. The next day, once things had quietened down, I told staff about the dirt in the replacement room. They said I couldn’t move because I’d already slept there. They gave me fresh towels, but that did nothing about the wider room problems or the stay. I understand businesses can have difficult days, and the staff seemed under pressure. But there were too many problems to excuse: the broken air conditioning, long delays, missed dinner booking, poor communication and unacceptable cleanliness. The hotel didn’t meet the conditions I expected for my stay.

For the location, the price for our one-night stay was reasonable. The room was just the right size, and both self-service check-in and check-out went smoothly. Staff were on hand and helpful. Most tourist spots are a short walk away. The sink in our room drained a little slowly, which is why I’d give it 9.5/10 😅. Otherwise, it was a very good hotel, and I’d come back.

The room design at Zedwell is fantastic: modern, calming and one of the better hotel concepts I’ve come across in London. The zen, capsule-style layout is beautiful and thoughtfully done. But the service ruined the stay, and I wouldn’t come back. On one of London’s warmest days, the room air conditioning stopped working, making it nearly impossible to sleep or stay comfortable. I contacted the hotel several times during the day and was repeatedly told it would be fixed by the time I returned after dinner. It wasn’t. By then, they said transfers to their other capsule hotels had all been used up, leaving guests like me in overheated rooms with no real solution. All they offered was a small bottle of warm water, which felt dismissive. The AC breaking was frustrating, but things happen. What disappointed me most was the lack of urgency, communication and care. Staff seemed to have no real answer and showed little concern for guest comfort.

Those rooms are quieter than you’d expect from a hotel right in the middle of London, and the bed, hooks, and bathroom cover the basics for a city break. The room is compact and plain, but functional. The lobby and café look polished, and check-in is quick at the self-service stations. Staff are around and helpful if you need a hand. The central location is a real plus. I did find the toilet paper flimsy, and the shampoo and body wash seemed very watered down, so bring your own toiletries if that matters to you.