Charles Hope Apartments - Staines City Centre

I stayed for a few weeks and found the place clean, roomy, and good value. The Wi-Fi was reliable for work, and the weekly cleaners were lovely, respectful, and much appreciated. It’s right by the station, shops, restaurants, and supermarkets, in a lively little town with a riverside nearby. The terrace was nice, especially with the view of the building in front, though the pavement smelled odd when it got sunny and warm. The towels had a faint food-like smell, and there was no coat hanger by the entrance. Also, I could hear footsteps from above so clearly that they woke me at night, even though I’m not a light sleeper. The floor seemed to bend with the noise, somehow. Arrival was confusing, and the emails had lots of text but left out the useful details. I’d pay closer attention to the directions than I did.

Avoid this place. My company booked it, so I didn’t even pay, and the stay was still miserable. I think the property is being run by a conman or rogue landlord turned property dealer, with no customer service skills, trading on the name "charles hope". I don’t know how they’ve got away with it for so long. Getting there was a mess. The entrance is behind the main street shops in a gated private area, and Charles hope apparently can’t bring guests’ cars in even to drop them off or collect them. We paid for shopping district parking, then hauled our five suitcases 200-250 metres. No directions explained where to park or how to get in. There’s no lift either, and our flat was on the third floor. At night the first metal stairs were pitch black, and with a baby along, one slip could have hurt her badly. Inside, the narrow gallery had dirty walls and carpet. The room smelled awful the whole week. The next-door apartment’s doors slammed so loudly that we kept thinking someone had come into ours. The bathroom had poor ventilation and mould everywhere, and its light made a loud, strange noise whenever it was on. The washing machine was so noisy it was impractical to sit in the lounge. The Wi-Fi didn’t work when we arrived. Customer service told us to use the next-door apartment’s network for now and said they’d look into ours tomorrow “if possible.” Then, around lunchtime the next day while we were out, they emailed to say we had caused the problem by putting a hanger on the cupboard. I was furious at that response, though I managed to keep my feelings in check. I’ve attached the speed test for their so-called “business class wifi” once it finally worked. The password was also easy for people in other Charles hope apartments to use, which could have let them access restricted content and got us in trouble. We had to drag all that luggage up three storeys, and there was no lift. In the end, the poor service and the rest of the stay made this a terrible place. Save your money and stay somewhere else.

Sharon Wood has made everything easy from the first contact with Charles Hope Apartments, months ago, right through to now. She’s proactive, conscientious, communicates brilliantly, and keeps going out of her way to make sure everything is sorted. Nothing seems to be an issue for her. We’ve stayed in Southampton and Staines, and we’re currently at Heathrow North / Hounslow East. Every apartment has been modern, spacious, clean, and well equipped. They’ve all been in central spots near supermarkets and restaurants, and the properties feel secure. Reception or a concierge is there to help if needed. Parking has been secure too, with nearby allocated bays even for my oversized vehicle. The latest stay is another example of the booking and accommodation being first class. The apartments are set up so you can arrive with your personal belongings and get on with things. Useful information is placed around the flat, and any instructions you need beforehand arrive by email. The facilities have clearly been thought through. We’d happily recommend these apartments and will keep using them. I hope you’re as lucky as we’ve been to have Sharon Wood as your contact. Absolutely fantastic.

The apartments are nice, and the service was helpful before and during my stay. But I checked out about a month ago and still haven’t had my deposit back. The follow-up has been close to incompetent, with no accountability.