The Paddington Hotel

What People are saying

I checked out 30 mins after checking in

midnight-movie on 24/10/2017 20:19

Let me be up front - I'm not fussy about hotels. I stay in 2 stars all the time, 3 stars, airport hotels. Here's all you need to know about this hotel - 1) the front door is like a regular house front door. The lock locks, sure, but there's no desk in the hotel, so nobody there if someone tries to break in. There are CCTV cameras, relayed to the parent/sister hotel across the road (where you go to check in), 2) You have to go to a different hotel across the road to check in, 3) They give you a key but tell you you have to return the key to them whenever you go out. That's not unheard of, but it is 2017. Sure, let's pretend you're fine with dropping your key to them - but dropping your key to reception in your own hotel building you're sleeping in, not a problem, as you have to go past it on the way out. But you have to leave, lock up, go across the road, wait/queue for service (I waited 10 mins inline to check in, but lovely staff when I did). So that sucks, 4) There's no lift and the stairs are not your average stairs. They're pretty steep, 5) The hotel isn't 'faded glamour' - it is downright shabby. I felt like I was on the set of Withnail and I or something (not in a good way), 6) My room was nice size, and seemed clean, but didn't smell clean. Musty, feint smell of urine in the bathroom (prob bad plumbing, not their fault), dusty. Full size fridge in the room felt like it was a bedsit. Basically, the abandoned/no 'Reception'/flimsy lock feel to the building made me feel like I wasn't going to leave my stuff there overnight. CCTV is fine, but preventative is better. But hey - you get what you pay for. In the hotel's defense, the staff were lovely and apologetic and issued be a refund immediately - because I dipped 30 mins after checking in. Shame, as there are so many hotels on the same stretch that are decent. There is no excuse for not spending money on the rooms, or sorting out the mustiness, or even putting decent signage up or brighter lighting. Refurb and a good steam clean pls.

Cheap, well placed and fairly 'private'

Evievv on 09/10/2017 13:07

Originally reading the reviews on here I was a bit worried about our stay but if I am being honest, the stay wasn't bad. I didn't vote 4 because that describes it as 'very good' when I would say the stay was just 'good'.

The hotel is conveniently placed about 5 minute walk 2 underground stations, if you google map it, it's very easy to follow the roads to get to the hotel. If I hadn't looked online for the front of the hotel - we would have walked straight past as there were no signs apart from a small one next to the door with the name of the hotel. There was a paper sign taped on the door saying to go to the hotel across the road.

What I find funny is they send you to a pretty posh hotel to go back to the run down one! When I say run down, I just mean dated, it hadn't been updated in good few years but that comes with a lot of small hotels in London. You were given a key to the main door and your room and we had 2 flights of stairs to climb - no problem, it keeps you fit!

Our only main concern was the breakfast, it was served from 8-10 (I think) but I had a race the next morning and needed to either get something brought to me or be able to access breakfast. The guy at the desk in the other hotel said we were free to go down and grab whatever we wanted whenever. We ventured down on saturday night as we were a bit skeptical with being able to go and get the food but he was right, there were cereals/fruit/toaster/kettle out on the side for us to access. We even went and got some juice out of the fridge of the kitchen (sorry we kind of let ourselves in) but we needed to make sure we could eat before the run.

There's clearly no staff at this hotel, if there is, it's a breakfast but we didn't see. It's a very look after yourself hotel - we actually preferred this.

The room wasn't bad, you had a fridge, kettle, wardrobe, towels and shampoos provided in the room. For us, it was a good, cheap stay. We felt it was relatively quiet - it was the guests shutting doors that kept us awake but nothing else. It felt fairly 'private' to be honest. You didn't really see anyone or do anything.

You could store your bags at the other hotel (which we did) and it was a 2 minute walk to Hyde park so I can't really complain because that's where I needed to be.

Yes, the hotel needs to be updated or there needs to be a bigger sign but to be honest - it wasn't a bad stay, its not an awful hotel, its cheap, cheerful & well placed.

An Shaky Start to a Solid and Basic Stay

JRBrookes on 11/09/2017 20:02

After a recent one night stay at The Paddington, I was reminded that sometimes we must make a leap of faith when chosing a hotel online, particularly when that choice is affected by issues of time or money.

While we can limit the potential for true disaster with the assistance of helpful websites such as this one, in the end we make a decision that is often guided more by gut instinct than anything else.

When I recently booked one of the 19 rooms in this 3 star hotel, I did so with less than one hour’s notice, as I had been let down by another hotel that I had intended to stay at. My necessarily quick scan of what was available in my price range did include a quick scan of comments provided by previous guests, the description provided by a few different sources (primarily to confirm that what the hotel said about its facilities was not entirely self-serving) and a quick look through whatever photos I could find on-line.

So, having done a little bit of quick research, I was reasonably confident with my very low budget choice, as the hotel was in a nice area I knew reasonably well so I wouldn’t struggle to find it.

Or so I thought anyway.

When I got off the tube I started what I expected to be the short walk to where I thought the hotel was. The hotel is an area of large Edwardian terraced homes, so I was looking out for an awning or sign which are often seen in areas where such houses have been converted into hotels. However, when I didn’t spot anything and was also sure I had been walking longer than I should have, I checked the address again and realised I had walked past my destination without spotting it.

My slight concern about how I had walked past the hotel without noticing it increased to something approaching alarm when I walked back to the hotel’s address, as the building I then stood in front of looked nothing like a hotel and at first glance looked completely abandoned.

Looking closer, I did spot a small sign with the hotel name, which is found amongst a number of notices that had been taped to the window of the front door.

As I got closer to the door to read the notices, I was startled when the door opened just a bit and a woman who I hadn’t noticed standing behind the door in the dark hallway, called out to me and said “go to the hotel across the street”.

As I wasn’t sure if she was intending to give me instructions advice or even possibly a warning, I called back through the now closed door and said I couldn’t hear her clearly. In response, she knocked on the window of the door and pointed to one of the signs, which I then noticed said that reception and check in for The Paddington was at The Westbourne, which I saw was a hotel across and down the street a bit.

I could see on arriving that The Westbourne is a lovely hotel, where rooms are almost certainly in a very different price bracket than what I had paid for a room at The Paddington. However, as I waited to speak to someone I let myself enjoy a flicker of tiny hope that perhaps something may have happened at The Paddington and I might be staying at the Westbourne instead.

This faint hope was dashed when I was told that I was in the right place and they did look after the check in and reception functions for The Paddington.

I was quickly checked in and given a key that I was told would open the door to my room as well as the front door of the building. The key came with an enormous key chain to which it was attached, as well as a slightly ominously spoken warning that if I needed to leave the hotel for any reason that I was to leave the key back with The Westbourne desk and “under no circumstances” should I “risk” taking the key with me.

I returned somewhat hesitantly to The Paddington, wondering if my choice had been too hasty, while also taking the time to compare the picture of the well maintained exterior of the hotel on the hotel website with the very tired building with peeling paint and dark windows that I was walking up to.

I got the front door open without trouble and walked in to find what was clearly once an elegant foyer. There was not a sign of the woman who had sent me across the street, or anyone else actually.

As I then climbed the stairs to my room on the first floor I could see that while the exterior may have been ominously shabby, the interior was that of an elegant faded beauty of building which still had hints of what must have been its former glory.

My room continued this impression. It was adequate in size with a small ensuite with a shower. There were French doors that led to a small terrace, however these were chained so that they opened only part way, and there was an appropriate warning posted on the doors that guests were not to step onto the terrace which was clearly not safe to use. I would have been unlikely to want to linger and enjoy the terrace even if I could, as my room was at the back of the building and had only a view of the back of other buildings.

I then settled in to do some work, which required me to sit on the bed, as the room’s furniture didn’t include a desk (nor was there really space enough to fit one). In doing so, I opened the drawer to the bedside table and noticed the manufacturers label inside. When I read the label I had to laugh, as I realised that I had found the theme for my visit, and quite possibly a marketing idea for the owners of the hotel.

The label told me that the bedside table, and the rest of the furniture are part of the “Solid and Basic” line, which is a perfect description of what I got for the choice I made and what guests at The Paddington should expect.

I looked at what I got for the very low price I paid when I chose The Paddington.

The bed which I enjoyed using to work, relax and sleep on was comfortable and tidy. The internet worked. The hotel was quiet and clean. The water pressure in the shower was strong, and there was plenty of hot water.

In the morning, there was breakfast provided which was also adequate but basic.

Going to breakfast also gave me the opportunity to see that despite the fact that I had not heard a sound or seen anything to indicate that there was anyone else staying at the hotel, it must have been booked solid as the breakfast room was packed with other hotel guests.

Unfortunately, the breakfast buffet did include the curious staple found at so many lower price hotels.

I am referring to the packaged croissant shaped bread product which would cause either outrage or astonishment should the hotel ever welcome guests from France (or anyone else who has ever enjoyed the delicious original version of the imposters that are served at The Paddington and many other budget range hotels).

There don’t appear to be any staff on site at The Paddington other than for the purposes of setting out the breakfast buffet and cleaning the rooms. However, the telephones are connected to The Westbourne front desk should any help be required.
This, and the fact that the hotel does not have an elevator might be a point to be considered for anyone who would need to consider either of these 2 points for health or any other reasons.

All things being considered, and having decided to treat the memory of standing in front of the hotel for the first as a moment of comedy rather than tragedy, I enjoyed my one night stay at The Paddington.

That being said, I don’t know what I would have felt if my stay was longer, and I probably won’t take the opportunity to ever find out.

But would I recommend it to others who are looking for an inexpensive, well located “Solid and Basic” hotel in London?

Absolutely!

Stay away!!!

Cimi S on 09/09/2017 02:17

We decided to extend our stay in London for 1 more day (wish I could stay forever), but the hotel we were originally staying at was going to charge way too much than we paid. So I looked around and found this place. It was one of the cheapest places in the area and since we were going to spend most of our time outside, we decided to book it. And then my nightmare begins!
Not sure where I should start but I promised myself I'll NEVER try to downgrade just to save some money. When the taxi dropped us off, we tried to open the front door but it was locked and we had to drag our luggage across the street to check in. The reception area looked quite nice so I was happy but our hotel liked nothing like that. The girl at the front was nice enough and let us check in early. She gave us one key to open the front door and our room! So that means any guest could open our room because they have the front door key!!! She also said that we have to leave the key with the front desk every time we leave (for what reason, I don't know). I was already upset by that point and just wanted to get to the room and drop off our luggage. When we opened the front door, there was this really bad smell of old carpet and mold. We then had to drag our luggage up 3 floors since there's no elevator. The room also had that awful smell. There was no ac and the furniture and the bathroom were very dated and dirty.
I feel bad for any negative comments I made about hotels I stayed at previously because this place does not compare to anywhere else.
I had such a great time in London and this place just ruined it for me! So do yourself a favor and pay a bit more and stay somewhere else.

Stairs stairs and more stairs

Derick D on 03/09/2017 20:15

I like my stay here but I am not the fittest of people and we were on the 3rd floor. Check in was easy and they were very accommodating. It is nicely located close to Paddington station. The rooms are rather warm and they do provide a fan. Keep in mind that they are not allowed to alter the outside of the building so no A.C.. The price was affordable.