Point A Waterloo

The staff were nice enough, and it’s a two-minute walk from Lambeth North Station. Calling this a Westminster location is a stretch, though: it’s on the other side of the river and frankly some miles away. There are no real facilities here, and this was by far the smallest place I’ve stayed in London. I’m here a couple of dozen times a year, but this time I had to book whatever was available at the last minute. My double room was barely bigger than a capsule hotel. I could stretch out my arms and touch both sides. There was no luggage space, hanging space, or drawers, and no kettle or tea and coffee facilities. They provided a hairdryer, but there was no mirror or plug where I could use it. The ensuite was absolutely tiny, aircraft-sized, and its door was see-through. The bed was pushed against a window on a busy, loud road, with articulated lorries, emergency vehicles, and trains all contributing to the noise. The air-conditioning and heating unit was loud as hell and blew air right across the bed. I got no sleep, which rather defeats the point of booking a hotel. You could also hear neighbours’ TVs, snoring, and other bodily noises. The price was poor value for the size and facilities. I wouldn’t recommend it. It feels like the owners are prioritising squeezing every centimetre of space over customer comfort and the need to sleep. Lesson learned.

We booked a windowless room on floor -1 for one night, and it was absolutely fine, not claustrophobic at all. We could hear the Underground down there, but it stopped by 00:30. The bed was really comfortable, and we both slept well enough that we didn’t notice the trains starting again at 5 am. Staff were friendly and helpful. The hotel doesn’t serve its own breakfast, but guests get 10% off at a nearby café. We knew the room would be compact, and it was, with a tiny bathroom, but both were clean, comfortable, and just big enough. The space was thoughtfully arranged and equipped: universal sockets with USB and USB-C meant we didn’t need our Spanish adapter plugs. There was air-conditioning, a large TV, a hairdryer, and four mirrors, including a full-length one on the door. No wardrobe, but there were several wall hooks with hangers, plus a folding table and chair.

I slept okay in the lovely, comfy bed, but traffic woke me at 6am. My room felt too small, though my colleagues’ room was a little bigger. The place was clean and compact, with friendly staff and easy check-in. It’s on the corner opposite Lambert North tube, so getting around is easy. There’s no tea or coffee in the rooms and no restaurant, and I wish there’d been somewhere to work in the hotel or a desk in the room.

It was quiet, and I didn’t hear any of the other guests. The hotel is reasonably priced and close enough to get out and see the sights. My main issue was the very small room. The bed was pushed against the wall, which made the space feel claustrophobic and made getting in and out with two people a huge pain.