Melia White House Apartments

The hotel itself seems fine, with friendly staff, a smooth check-in, and a great spot next to Regent’s Park. But the apartments are another story. Mine was tiny, worn, and nothing like the photos. It smelled strongly of mothballs or disinfectant, the bathroom was tiny too, and housekeeping didn’t seem very thorough. Apartment guests also seem to be handled through a separate system or list, with a later check-in time than hotel guests. It gives the impression that you’re treated like a second-class customer. The apartment felt poor value and nowhere near the standard suggested by the hotel. I was on a business trip and too tired to deal with the hassle of asking for another room, though I probably would have otherwise. I wouldn’t stay here again unless I booked a proper hotel room.

The biggest problem was the decor. Our studio apartment was bleak and soulless, and very different from the website photos. Most walls were bare, with obvious patched paint. The carpet was stained, and the sofa and bed headboard had an unpleasant gold lame plastic covering. The plastic table had a sheet over it and looked like an altar, and there was only one seat. There were no bedside lights. They brought one when we asked, but it had a two-pin plug, so we then had to ask for an adapter. The kitchen had no kettle either. They supplied an ancient one on request, with a loose lid. We heard a neighbour calling reception with similar complaints, so clearly we weren’t alone. It felt like a tired student bedsit from the 1980s. That’s a real shame in an otherwise fairly plush hotel. The apartments seem almost like they’re run by a different team from the main rooms, with no love or imagination put into the decor. If you book one, I’d suggest insisting on a refurbished room that matches the website pictures. There are some good points. The public areas are attractive, the location right by Regents Park is outstanding, and the staff were great. Breakfast was pretty good, with an extensive buffet, though only two of the four coffee machines were working and the queues got long. Our studio was more spacious than a standard room, with a basic kitchenette and sofa for self-catering, and we chose the breakfast option anyway. The bathroom had nice tiling and fittings, and the bed was very big and comfortable.

I arrived at 3 pm and was turned away because check-in was supposedly at 4. I came back at 3:50, was told the room still wasn’t ready, and they took our passports while leaving us standing at reception for about 30 minutes. Even after 4:10, past the official check-in time, they still said there was no room. I had to insist repeatedly before they finally gave us one. It was chaotic, badly managed, and dehumanising. I’m a Meliá Gold member, and this was easily my worst hotel experience. I’d sent detailed feedback through the hotel questionnaire and got one reply, but my actual concerns weren’t properly acknowledged or followed up. The apartment needs serious maintenance too. Loose bathroom tiles cut my feet several times when I walked barefoot, a real health and safety issue. The hotel photos are misleading, and if they’d shown the actual condition, I would never have booked. After numerous complaints, we were eventually moved to the hotel, which I appreciate, but it shouldn’t have taken that much persistence. I was promised that my board would be changed to Bed & Breakfast if I paid the extra breakfast rate, but it wasn’t applied until I got to the restaurant. I had to sign the bill in front of several groups of guests waiting in line behind us. I was also told restaurant charges could go on my room, but had to return to reception to set that up and then go back to the restaurant to pay. When the lift broke, my key card failed too, and I had to walk between reception on the ground floor and the eighth floor twice to sort it out. Neither the stay points nor the restaurant spending points were added to my membership account. The 10% dining discount included in my booking was never applied. I planned to use Meliá points towards extra expenses but was told that wasn’t possible because the booking was for an apartment, which had never been explained on the reservation. This has made me seriously reconsider staying with Meliá again.

Our family trip was a big disappointment. We booked apartments at the Meliá White House in London expecting the usual Meliá standard, but the apartment we were given was very old and poorly maintained. The bedroom was so small the bed had to be pushed against the wall. We waited at reception for over an hour on arrival, then got an apartment with a sofa bed that couldn’t be used. Our children couldn’t even sleep together. I hope the hotel improves the apartments and the check-in experience, because this wasn’t acceptable for a Meliá property.