Lords

The noise made it impossible to get a restful night. You could hear people walking, moving around, and talking, then loud banging on the stairs when guests went down for breakfast. We also chose not to eat breakfast because the room conditions and the reviews we’d read left us with no confidence in the food. When we arrived at 3 p.m., the room wasn’t ready, so we waited about half an hour in the lounge with other guests. It smelled strongly of fresh paint or varnish, which made waiting unpleasant. Our first room, room no. 3, had a large patch of mold on the ceiling. We reported it right away. The receptionist was friendly, but the woman responsible seemed annoyed, didn’t apologize, and just said we’d get another room. We saw no effort to address the mold. The second room had no mold, but the warm shower had almost no pressure and took ages to heat up, making a proper shower nearly impossible. The bed was worn out, with a hammock-like mattress that caused severe back pain. We won’t be back and can’t recommend this place.

Bayswater is a convenient base for a couple of days on a budget. There are other hotels, coffee shops, bakeries, and restaurants nearby, and it’s not far from central London or the main tourist spots. The nearest bus and Underground stations are only a few minutes away. I was travelling alone as a woman and felt safe both at the hotel and around it. My room was clean and cleaned daily. Towels were changed every three days. The area was quiet, and I didn’t hear much from neighbours. There’s a radiator, and you can open the windows. The facilities seemed new, though there was an unpleasant bathroom smell. I didn’t try breakfast. It’s free, with the option to add other things. The lounge is nice and has tea, hot water, and water available. I can’t recommend the coffee, which was horrible, but the hot chocolate was alright.

The location is great, with good restaurants and shops nearby and plenty of Tube stops within walking distance. Check-in was quick, and I could go straight to my room a couple of hours early. Unfortunately, I was put downstairs under the staircase beside the breakfast room. The stairs and hallway were noisy until 1 a.m., and voices from the dining area carried from 6 to 10 in the morning. It was very frustrating, and I’m sure it was the worst room in the hotel. Breakfast was included and advertised as a main selling point, but it was only continental, with four items total if you count a drink and things like butter or jam. Cooked food cost extra. On my second morning, I followed the sign to wait to be seated, but was told to come back because there were no tables. Three groups then came in and sat themselves. When I did the same after waiting ten minutes, staff told me to move. They were also very slow to respond to requests.

For London, the price was lower than most hotels, and the stay was okay. It’s in a pleasant area, not far from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Staff were friendly, and there was a good choice at breakfast. The bathroom had been modernised, but the room felt a bit bland. It’s a shame there were no tea or coffee making facilities, and the TV was ancient.