Central Hotel Golders Green

Booking.com was kind and refunded me, but the stay itself was horrific. Chloe shouted at me after a call and accused me of leaving without paying, even though I had paid for an extra night through booking.com and had confirmation before I went out for coffee. I’d already discussed the payment with her colleague, who knew about it and had said I could stay in the same room. Chloe’s aggression and rudeness brought on a serious panic attack, and I had to call the police. They told me they’d had “recent previous bad dealings with the guest house.” Chloe and her colleague swore at me several times and used foul language in front of me. I was told one of them had a headache and was stressed, by a policewoman who came to deal with a situation that wasn’t even my issue. The room was poky, with an extremely hard, cheap-feeling bed. The building was horrible, and other guests told me there were loose wires and cables in their rooms and elsewhere. That raises questions about safety, though this was something I heard from someone outside the hotel after they saw I was upset. The receptionist also sometimes walked around in dressing gowns and pyjamas, which looked unprofessional and made the place feel seedy. I’ll be contacting Barnet Council to ask them to investigate and review the licence, if there is one. This isn’t a hotel in any real sense. It’s a revolting, disgusting place run by two women I found nasty and vulgar, and I think they should be fired for their swearing and treatment of guests. I’ve seen others describe similar filthy abuse from these women, and I’m glad it wasn’t just me, though it’s sad others went through it too. Stay well clear. There’s a reason it’s cheaper than other places nearby.

The room was dirty, the hallways smelled of weed, and the doors rattled loudly whenever anyone entered or left. The bedding was the one thing that seemed okay. There were stains on the carpet and curtains, and the stay was unpleasant overall. Getting inside was awful too. I arrived in the afternoon and waited outside in the dark for 40 minutes because nobody was at reception. I called the number on the door, and the woman said she was coming to let me in. Eventually a dodgy-looking man came from the room opposite reception and handed me the keys. The receptionist still hadn’t appeared after 40 minutes, so I called again, and she screamed, “what does it matter where I am you b**ch,” then hung up. A lovely welcome, really. At checkout the next morning, the receptionist was wearing pyjamas. I’d give zero stars if I could. This was the worst hotel I’ve stayed in, and I don’t know how it can be legal. The customer service was appalling, and I wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy. The receptionist should be fired and the “hotel” should shut down. Worse than a jail. Do NOT book.

The room was filthy and unhygienic. I found used batteries and hairs behind the table, yellow stains on the toilet seat and bathtub, and a dirty floor. It felt like nobody had properly cleaned it in a long time. Even getting in was stressful. We called to ask someone to let us inside because no one was there to check us in, and the owner screamed at us for calling. She shouted and threatened to kick us out before we’d even said anything. I’ve never encountered such aggressive, disrespectful behaviour in hospitality. The owner’s attitude was shocking, the room was disgusting, and the whole experience was stressful from beginning to end. This hotel should be ashamed to take money for such poor service and conditions. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone for even one night. Stay somewhere else.

I booked a month but moved out after two weeks because the conditions were unacceptable. During those nearly two weeks, the room was never cleaned, despite daily housekeeping being listed on Agoda. I asked the staff at least five times; they kept promising to arrange it, but nothing happened. The bed stayed unmade, towels weren’t replaced, and the bin overflowed. Several advertised basics were missing too, including air conditioning, a refrigerator, free bottled water, and a working TV. Reception was often locked, so I had to ring the bell and wait outside for help. Agoda took six days to answer and repeatedly told me to wait for the property to respond. In the end, they refused to refund me. The stay was nothing like the listing, and I wouldn’t recommend this place.