Hotel Lily

The only positive thing I can say is that you do get a room. This is based on the common areas and our twin room, 203. Maybe it will look good when it's finished, but I won't stay here again and wouldn't recommend it. The location and room were seriously poor. One lift was out of order, and the other could barely fit two people without luggage. We took the stairs to the second floor instead, but the stairwell smelled incredibly musty, as if it hadn't been cleaned in ages. The room itself was badly kept, with wall stains, areas needing repair, a broken mirror covered in stickers, and a broken window. There wasn't even a bin, so there was nowhere to put rubbish from drinks or snacks. The bathroom was tiny and covered in black mould. The toilet seat was so loose that I nearly fell off when I sat down without knowing. The mattresses were awful and gave no support. I could feel the whole metal bed frame under me all night. The other bed had the same mattress problem, though it was on a divan base and was a bit better.

The location is the one good thing here. The hotel is about 200 metres from the District line at West Brompton station, and from there central London is easy to reach. The area felt quiet and safe. Even walking around very late, I never felt that my wife or I were at risk. We paid 100 euros a night, about 90 pounds, over Christmas. The price depends on when you book. At that rate it wasn't worth it. In an off-peak month, it might be an option for no more than two days if you have no other choice. It could suit a short business trip in a quiet period. Don't bring your wife. My wife and I work in tourism and stayed eight nights as a traveling couple. I'm writing this to help others choose a place in London without spoiling their trip. The room was extremely small. My wife and I couldn't walk side by side anywhere in it. The window wouldn't shut fully, letting cold air in every night, which was miserable in London in December. It also let us hear everything outside, and people outside could hear us, so there was no privacy. The bathroom lights didn't work, and we had to use a phone flashlight whenever one of us closed the door. We could hear water flowing across the bathroom floor all night, as if a pipe might be broken. The TV seemed as old as Tower Bridge, and there was no mini-fridge or safe. Cleaning was almost nonexistent. During eight days, the sheets were changed once. There was dust everywhere, and when I checked the bathroom with my phone light, I saw old grime. The shower curtain was yellow, not just its original color. We moved it on the first day and it hadn't shifted at all afterward, so I assume nobody entered the bathroom. We got one towel each. One had to go on the dirty bathroom floor, and the other was only face-towel size for us to share. It smelled like frying oil and had yellow stains. Each morning they only sprayed deodorizer in the room and tidied the bed. I could say more about the cleaning, but this is already long. Service was bad. We're not demanding, but we know the difference between poor, decent, normal, and good service. The man at the desk had a strong non-English accent, which wasn't a problem by itself. But he spoke so quietly and quickly, as if trying to get rid of us, that I couldn't understand him even if he were speaking Italian. On our last night, a couple in two rooms next to ours were fighting. That can happen, but the walls are so thin it felt like we were in the same room. They yelled, banged metal objects against the walls, some kind of alarm went off, and police arrived. We tried calling reception because I wanted to make sure my wife and I were safe, but nobody answered. I had to leave her alone and check for myself, putting both of us at risk. And though everyone has to eat, if the desk employee is taking a meal someone should cover for him. If that's impossible, guests shouldn't find him drinking beer and eating McDonald's in the lobby.

The bed had clean sheets, but it was extremely uncomfortable. The entire property, from the entrance and reception through the corridors and lift, looked badly neglected and abandoned. The room was in a shocking state. The curtains were filthy and greasy, the lights didn't work, and the TV was tiny with no remote. The bathroom was so dirty I couldn't bring myself to shower. Its mastic sealant was blackened and rotten, clearly neglected for years, and there was only one small bar of soap, not even enough to wash my hands properly. It looked centuries old. What bothered me most was that management considered these conditions acceptable for paying guests. The claustrophobic, partly destroyed state of the place made my stay genuinely traumatic. I've rarely written a negative review, and this may be the first one I've ever posted, but I felt I had to warn people. I can't understand how anyone could call this suitable accommodation and charge for it. Please avoid this property.

Getting around was easy from here, with the train station only a few steps away and most places reachable within 30 minutes. The bathroom was clean, but the rooms were very small, the furniture was old and damaged, and the cleaning wasn't great. For the price, though, it was okay.