Another two hotel reviews from me, quite the unexpected results too! Certainly I'd have expected it to be the other way around...
30th August 2015 - Malmaison, London
I won't do the total reviews in this thread, as I'll be keeping those as TripAdvisor exclusives. Not that I've posted on there yet, that job is for tomorrow. The below will still suffice as a idea though of what to expect.
Immediate reaction, after an approximate 5 minute walk from Farringdon station, that this place is posh! I feel ridiculously out of place here, I've never had a hotel with a mini bar in the room, let alone a cocktail bar downstairs!
The free WiFi works on my phone, a miracle in my experience, and it's very reliable and quick too!
The bed, well it's not terribly comfortable but it's still better than Travelodge beds. The pillows are better than Travelodge too, but not by as much as I'd like.
The coffee is some sort of weird filter coffee in packets, not Nescafe at least, which is odd to me but it works. Usual hotel nonsense of not enouh milk or sugar of course!
Bathroom, while posh, had a shower that really didn't like me much and just about got to lukewarm eventually. This was in room 203 for reference
My experience was also ruined by the fire alarm going off at 0320 in the morning. Someone was smoking in their room apparently. It took forever for the heart rate to return to normal!
Breakfast continental box was a ridiculous £16.95 so I declined that!
I'm not coming back here, too out of place there and too many negatives for me to recommend it.
31st August 2015 - Lansdowne Hotel, Croydon
Ah now this is more like it. It's a 5 minute walk from East Croydon, and while modern the reception isn't full of snobbish people. The reception guy was most pleasant and professional, and I was soon in my room, number 402 for reference.
The only issue I had with my stay was that the door needed attention for my room, as you had to bang it to make it shut. It must have been more than awful for those in the adjacent rooms!
Bathroom was a good size, and the room itself huge. The bed is not super comfortable, but still better than the one in Malmaison and Travelodge. Good pillows too, just the sort of thing I want in a pillow, nice and soft but also thick enough for good support.
The shower worked well and knew what hot was, happy days and always a bonus to have a decent shower in a hotel room!
Very good kettle and tea/coffee provision but the usual hotel thing, not enough milk and sugar! There's even a sofa in this room, which is a trifle odd in my experience. The free WiFi worked happily on my phone, always a bonus, and was reliable and quick too.
I can't comment on breakfast, as I didn't pay for it.
I was very pleased with my stay here and more than happy to recommend this one to anyone needing a place to stay in London. I finally have a London hotel to add to my favourites, slowly but surely I'm finding good ones around the country!