The Benjamin House - self check-in

The room had a lumpy bed, though the heated bathroom floor was nice. The photos were misleading, and the place felt no better than a hostel. It was far from the old city, especially unpleasant in -19 weather, and there was no room cleaning during my stay, though it had at least been cleaned beforehand. Self check-in meant handling all my communication with The Benjamin House over “whats app,” with no reception. My key suddenly stopped working during my short stay, and the whole setup made me feel very unsafe. Only one elevator went to the 4th floor, with no sign telling you which one. I also couldn’t unlock the room where I was supposed to leave my baggage until check-in.

A distinctive, romantic place for a drink or an esthetic-session, with vintage interiors that feel both cozy and impressive. The bar and surrounding rooms give you the sense of stepping into another era, almost another dimension. Booking through booking.com and picking up the keys yourself with the smart-n-simple system was easy, and meant no reception to deal with.

I’ve stayed at this hotel more than once, and it’s gotten worse each time. The rooms are very dirty, with lots of dust on the walls, furniture, and floors. The loud parties that keep being held there are the most frustrating part, so it’s not somewhere I’d choose for a relaxing stay. Aside from the location and the hotel’s historical significance, there’s nothing special about it.

I booked three nights but left after just one. The room was very dirty, as were the carpets in the rooms and corridors, which were covered in mould. The bathroom had an unpleasant damp smell. I coughed a lot and felt quite unwell because of the mould. The filthy table lamp and mouldy carpets in the attached pictures are just a couple of examples. It’s a historic place, but appearances are deceptive and it badly needs refurbishing. Even though my booking was non-refundable, I decided to move to a much better, more central hotel for the same price.