Maisonette No. 06 Magdalen Mews

We called ahead and got an early check-in for £10. Room 6 was huge, with a large bathroom, a lovely shower and complimentary toiletries. The radiators were on, but the windows opened and there was a radiator valve too, so you could adjust the temperature. There was also a nice coffee machine and a couple of complimentary water bottles. The main drawback was a noise outside the room, like a pump, that came on every half hour. It wasn’t very loud, but it was noticeable. We went to bed early and could hear the music from downstairs until about 11 pm. The pillows were big, plump and really hard. A few tweaks could make this a perfect 10.

We hardly slept. The heating was turned up so high when we arrived that the room felt unbearably hot, and we had to keep the window open all night to cool it down. That left us hearing people out on Friday night and the pizza restaurant opposite until the early hours, with loud traffic noise as well. The bathroom ceiling had some big cobwebs, and the floor corners hadn’t been cleaned, although the rest of the room seemed clean. The location is central and good value, and the room itself was attractive and spacious. The bed was comfortable, the shower was lovely, and I liked having both shampoo and conditioner. The chocolate and oat milk sachets for tea and coffee were a nice touch I don’t often see.

Jason was a pleasure to deal with, friendly, welcoming and professional. The room was spacious, clean and modern, and the location is excellent, with local bars just a two-minute walk away. Chesil parking is about 50 metres away, good value, and free overnight. My room, number 3, did get traffic noise from outside, though it bothered me less between 11:30 pm and 6:30 am. Good value overall.

Chesil car park is nearby, and it’s an ideal spot to set off on foot into town. The room was spacious and beautifully decorated, with a very good bathroom. If I come back to Winchester, I’ll stay at Kyoto Rooms again.