Viridian Apartments in St Albans Serviced Apartments - Abbott House

Water was shut off for two days, and management were less than helpful. The shower door had no seal, so water ran onto the floor every time. The windows didn’t close properly either, leaving a draught at the back of your neck when sitting on the sofa. We had to drape scarves and jumpers over our backs. The place looks great at first, but it’s been converted from offices very cheaply, with white walls and no colour or artwork. Getting in was a nightmare of locks and codes, and the code we were given was for a different apartment. There were no coat hooks, tea towels, or drying rack. We were told there was a dishwasher, but with only four sets of everything, we had to run it nearly empty. The sitting area had two bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling, and the wrong dimmer caused unbearable flickering. Plenty of other niggles too. Worst place I’ve stayed in the UK.

The windows barely open, there’s no air circulation, and the apartment gets far too hot to live in. I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep while I’ve been here, and I’ve stayed several times at the hotel up the road just to sleep properly. The shower is a safety hazard. I booked for two months and gave notice after one week. Viridian didn’t respond, and Hampton, who I booked through, offered no help once they had their commission. Avoid at all costs.

The apartment we ended up in was what we’d expected and hoped for at the start, but getting there was rough. We stayed eight days while a gas leak was fixed in the house and were moved twice. The first apartment had a supposedly brand-new washing machine that broke and damaged a whole load of clothes, costing £135. Flying Butler agreed to pay for the damage. The second had a supposedly brand-new shower that gave no hot water, though every other tap had hot water. Each apartment had different facilities, so by the end we’d moved all the good bits into the final one. The place was clean and modern, and the price was good for the area compared with competitors. Location and value were what attracted me initially, but it had only recently been taken over and there were a LOT of teething problems. The TV didn’t have Freeview or terrestrial channels, so on-demand and Netflix needed a subscription or account. The safe was either not tethered down, meaning you could pick it up and run, or missing from the third apartment. Flying Butler did offer £90 for one night, which I thought was pitiful given that we’d been displaced over the first weekend. They had paid for the damage, which was only right, but getting compensation from FB was a struggle. I had to accept the offer because there was nothing else.

It’s a very nice place, but the TV wasn’t working and we had no idea what to expect. There was no contact before arrival, and directions and entry codes came at the last minute. A brochure or website showing typical rooms and facilities would be helpful.