St Athans Hotel

I was travelling alone and found this hotel just right for me. I’d seen mixed reviews, but it matched what I expected from a lower budget place and I was perfectly happy. The room was private and the bed comfy enough. It got hot, but opening the window helped, and they lent me a fan. I used earplugs for the street noise. I never had to wait for a shared bathroom. If you’re after a safe, clean place to sleep in a great location, especially as a solo traveller, I think it’s a good choice. Some of the more negative reviews may come from people expecting too much of a low budget hotel.

Nothing fancy, but it did the job as a place to stay. It’s definitely budget accommodation. Be ready for lots of stairs in a really tight stairwell, something I think should’ve been mentioned in the booking description.

The hotel’s 24-hour staff were very friendly, and there’s a spacious lounge with tea and coffee available all the time. We also got recommendations for breakfast and were glad we followed them. It’s close to bus stops, the subway and the main train station. Our room was comfortable and quiet. We chose it at the last minute after a bad experience at our previous hotel, and it turned out to be the better choice. There’s no elevator, which is something to keep in mind, though our small suitcases were no problem. The stay made our time in London really enjoyable, and we’ll definitely return.

The location was very convenient, near both train and underground stations. Staff were friendly and especially kind when I borrowed a hair dryer, and the room cleaning was thorough. There’s no air conditioning, and my third-floor room was really hot in late June. The narrow stairs creaked as I walked up and down. Sharing a shower room and toilet for the first time, in a building that’s over 60 years old, felt like quite an adventure. I stayed seven nights, so it took some patience. In most Asian hotels there’s an electric kettle in the room, but here you can get tea and coffee in a lounge that’s open 24 hours. For what I’d call my “first scary UK trip,” it was a quality experience, and I’d recommend it to budget travellers.