Merit Kensington Hotel

A mouse appeared in my second-floor room and walked freely across the floor. There was a huge gap under the door, and it seemed clear the mouse had come in that way. I booked for one night, but the room felt more like a student basement than a hotel. Hygiene, maintenance, and safety were all zero. I told reception right away. Their proposed fix was to send a man up to look for the mouse, which I didn't consider acceptable. They refused when I asked to change rooms, and also refused a refund so I could leave. No apology, no responsibility, and no alternative. The policy seemed to be that I should accept a mouse in the room and sleep with it. If you care about your health, belongings, and sleep, stay away.

The deluxe room was clean, comfortable, and well equipped, and we had a pleasant stay. Breakfast and the welcome were both excellent, though I'd have liked a wider pastry selection. The bathroom was generally fine but a bit small. There was a worrying issue with the towel bar: I hit my head on its corner when standing up from the toilet and ended up with a painful head injury. It wasn't there two years ago, and where it is now feels like a safety hazard. Reception was excellent too, though I hope they can restock the first-aid kit.

LOCATION IS AWESOME. The room design is nice, but the rooms are too small even for one person, and there's nowhere for luggage, with no space under the bed. They change the towels daily, but if you don't leave a tip they won't clean the room. Good for a stay of 2-3 days at maximum.

The location is great, but the rest of my stay was disappointing. I emailed a week ahead to ask about having two separate beds and never got an answer, so communication was poor from the outset. At check-in I was asked for a £100 security deposit that hadn't been clearly explained in advance. The bigger concern was that one of my shopping bags went missing after the room was cleaned. I reported it and tried to talk it through calmly, but the response felt dismissive, and the issue still hasn't been resolved. The convenient location couldn't make up for the poor communication and customer service. I wouldn't feel comfortable coming back unless management improves how guest concerns are handled.