Leman Locke, Aldgate

The reception staff were very friendly, and having a café on the ground floor was a definite plus. The kitchen had basic equipment that worked well enough for small meals, but there was no dish soap. I ended up using the dishwasher for one pot, one plate and one fork because I didn’t want to wash them with just water. My room looked better in the photos than it did in person, and felt a bit worn. The drains smelled unpleasant throughout my stay. I found long black hairs on the floor, in the shower and on the sofa. A previous guest’s lady shaver was still on the bathroom shelf, and the sink and shower seemed to have had only a surface clean. The location was good, about a five minute walk from Aldgate East underground station. I’ve stayed at a Locke apartment in Dublin before, and it was much cleaner and probably newer. After this visit, I don’t think I’d stay here again.

The air conditioning failed in every room I was moved to, suggesting it may have been a building-wide problem. I reported it straight after check-in, but ended up being moved across four rooms and was asked to move to a fifth. With temperatures around 25°C and poor air circulation, I couldn’t sleep for long stretches. Moving repeatedly during a long stay was very difficult, especially with just one working elevator, and I even lost important medication during one of the moves. At one point, I was put in a room much smaller than the one I had booked and paid for. I booked the highest-tier luxury apartment at Leman Locke for a long-term stay because the website advertised amenities including air conditioning and promised “more than just a place to sleep.” I also saw other guests arguing with the front desk over similar problems, which gave me the impression this wasn’t an isolated case. I tried several times to resolve things directly with the property and management. They offered a partial refund, but I didn’t feel it reflected how long the problems lasted or how serious they were. I’m sharing this so future guests know. Amenities explicitly promised, especially air conditioning, should work reliably for a premium long-term booking.

In both rooms I stayed in, the couch was so dirty I didn’t feel comfortable putting anything on it. The hotel overall was worn and poorly maintained, and the condition of the rooms was clear in the photos. It may have been good when it was new, but now it’s far too worn, and I’d avoid it because of both the service and the rooms. One room had a strong sewage smell, which I reported to staff. They said maintenance would come, but nobody did. Later that night I was moved to an accessible room. It was thoughtfully designed for wheelchair users, with everything placed within easy reach, but the very low mirrors, sinks and surfaces made it impractical for me to use. They called it an upgrade because it was larger, though I was uncomfortable in it for those reasons. I was also asked to come to reception to pay for two extra nights I hadn’t booked. I had to spend time explaining and showing what I had and hadn’t reserved. When I asked how they would compensate me for all the inconvenience, they said I wouldn’t be charged for the room change, as though charging me would have been reasonable.

Ras was lovely and really helpful, especially when arranging a late check-out. We’d definitely stay again. The location was ideal, just a short walk from the train station, and we picked up coffee from the café downstairs every morning. Having a washing machine in the room was a real bonus while travelling, and the shower had great water pressure. We had such a great stay!