More about Apollo Hotel
think twice if come back
by TripAdvisor Member travel_loving
I wish to tell others about the Apollo hotel London(Bayswater)
lousy service and the contacted taxi service arranged by the hotel staff.
This hotel dose not deserved even one star. For there's no
service whatsoever. Starting from the checkin. The clerk at the front desk harassed for the price higher than what was quoted at booking time.
Tha taxi arranged by another staff overcharged us with the help of the hotel staff. In addition we forgot our belongings in the taxi which was returned with extra charge.
The hotel club should do something about this for the standard of the 2 star hotel dosen't meet what's expected.
Thai Tourist
look for something else
by TripAdvisor Member griseldis
i stayed at the apollo hotel london (bayswater) for 5 nights last month. as it is a budget hotel i did not expect the ritz but at least an appropriate surrounding for a human being. i start now with the positive aspects: the hotel is close to hyde park, 1 minute from bayswater road where all buses leave direction oxford street etc. there are lots of small restaurants and shops near by as well as some small supermarkets. the hotel staff was friendly, the check in was quick, the breakfast continental (toast, rolls, jam, butter, cheese, tea, coffee, all ok).
now the negative point: the room. it was just awful. as it was very very tiny i could only move sideways between my bed and the wall to get into the bathroom. the bathroom was the tiniest i ever saw in my life (and i saw a lot of rooms during my job as a travel agent and frequent traveller). i am not a big person (1,65 m, normal weight) but i really felt like getting claustrophobic in this hole. the furniture was flea market style, all very worn out. i had no access to the wardrobe as a chair was placed in front of it (obviously to put some stuff on it but that meant you could not open the wardrobe door). but the worst was the mattress: it caved in and really, i could feel every spring which made sleeping very unpleasant. it was depressing, fortunately i was away at lot. i stayed in other budget hotels before and they were acceptable but this place was bad beyond compare.
don´t go there.
Ten times better than expected!
by TripAdvisor Member Andy-S60
Having booked the Apollo as a cheap hotel for a night away with my wife in London, and having read some of the previous reviews, I was almost dreading the whole experience. Needless to say we were pleasantly surprised at the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff (so what that they are not English...?), the cleanliness of the bedroom, albeit it not the biggest we'd stayed in (we opened our cases on the bed instead of the floor, and it worked for us) and the more than adequate continental breakfast where coffee and toast was served at the table (even an Ibis doesn't do that). The elevator worked fine and even told it's passengers what floor they were on, the corridors were well lit and the main staircase wide and safe. We even took our room key out with us and no-one demanded we leave it in the hotel! For us, it more than served the purpose for the money we paid; had we wanted a big room and luxury showergel then we'd have paid twice as much somewhere else, but this was just fine for our weekend away and meant we had more to spend on some local excellent English cuisine!
Small rooms, creaky floors
by TripAdvisor Member nblaschke
Our group stayed at this hotel. The rooms were small if it was only for two, but large for four or more. The desk clerk cut off our phone after we called the desk a few times. He did not want to be bothered while he was chatting on the Internet or sleeping on the couch after 11. The stairs and floors are very creaky and make alot of noise anytime someone walks down the hall or up and down the stairs. The only thing this hotel had going for it was the location which was basically across the street from Kensington Park and very close to shopping and the Tube.
Apologetic Apollo
by A TripAdvisor Member
I stayed at the Apollo from June 23-28 with my mother. I have never been treated so badly.
We requested a wake-up call and never got it. Thankfully, we got up with the early summer sun and did not miss our flight. We had a feeling that we would never get the wake up call because he scribbled a note in a paper and turned around to chat with his computer. The morning we departed we mentioned that we had not gotten the call and he smiled and apologized. This receptionist is moody, careless, and rude.
In general, this hotel is overpriced for what they offer. I did not feel safe or happy here.
Way too expensive! Go to a hostel instead!
by TripAdvisor Member wildrose71
This hotel would have been ok if I had payed half the price! I have been in London many times and stayed in hostels as well as five star hotels...This was the worst so far.
First of all, the tv did not work at all which I did not care all that about since I wasn't in town to watch tv. But still, it is a nice background noice.
The mattress did not have a bedding mattress meaning I basically slept right on the spirals *ouch* I had to get massage the next day to even be able to stand up. I complained about this and since ther was no other rooms so i could switch they offered me a new mattress. That was ok with me. However, when I finally came home in the evening after a long day in town I found the mattress in the corridor and had to drag the old one out and replace it on my own. NOT ok! When I complained about this the receptionist simply said he did not know which bed I wanted it in. Who cares?!
After that ordeal I wanted to have a shower but there was no hot water, again. Had asked about that already in the morning and been adviced to let it run for about 10min. I know all about how bad showers can be in London so ok, I would try. That didn't work. I called down to ask if he could check it and he said he would. I heard nothing so after 20min I went down to have a cigarette and asked. Apparently the boiler had shut off and the water would be fine within 30min and it actually was.
However, the water smelled like rotten eggs and made my eyes bright red.
The staff in day time was very nice and helpful at night not so helpful but not rude either. Maybe he is shy or something? Unfortuenatly one has to be a bit polite, talkative and friendly when working in a hotel so....
Good sides, the location! I don't like to stay in Bayswater but the location is good. Easy to go into town and to various other places with bus or tube. Many restaurants close by and a mall.like place with lots of shops, restaurants and cinema.
Also, the room was clean and new towels every day.
The few +'es doesn't help though. I will never stay here again! I almost feel bad about writing this since i am sure the place could be so much better with only little effort put in...I hope the owners read this and try to do something.
Best value for money I've ever had in London
by TripAdvisor Member 24eeyore05
I'm a German English teacher and I stayed at the Apollo with a group of 41 students and I have to say that this is the best budget hotel I've ever stayed in by far. The rooms are clean, the furniture ist less than five years old, the bathrooms are recently renovated and we paid only GBP 20 per person/night (excellent group rate!). Two years ago I stayed at the King's Hotel next door to the Apollo and we paid more for less. The location is great - Bayswater and Queensway tube stations right around the corner, as well as the night bus stop, a quiet street with little traffic and Queensway with its great restaurants and shops just two minutes away - who could ask for more? O.k., the staff sometimes is a bit moody but hey - we're all only human aren't we? Don't get me wrong, this is a budget hotel. Anybody who expects the Hilton is definitely in the wrong place there but my school is currently planning another trip to London for about 50 students next year and it'll definitely be the Apollo we'll be staying in!
Worst ever with arrogant unkempt staff
by TripAdvisor Member PM1977
DO NOT GO THERE!
My parents won a weekend stay in London and took the opportunity to visit me for the first time in 3 years. I should have straight away told them not to bother. When we arrived at the hotel the reception clerk was wearing a stained polo shirt and I mistook him for a member of the maintenance team.
When we went to the bedroom it was tiny (ok you expect this anyway), the headboard of the bed was leaning against the front of the bed, and the cable of the portable heater was in loops across the floor. The general cleanliness appalling: fluff on the carpet dust on top surfaces and yellow mould in the bathroom. I went back to the reception and asked for an alternative room due to concerns to health and safety (how I phrased it, trying not to offend anybody). Bluntly, the receptionist told me to go to another hotel this room is all they got and nobody can expect more from a 1 stars hotel. And I am only paying £30.00 quit for the room anyway. -DerTour will be happy to know their rates are revealed btw. I am aware you get what you pay for, but even if its old and cheap it doesn’t mean it must be a this kind of hole and whatever I am paying for I get insulted for free if I want to!
Never ever stay there
by TripAdvisor Member Linsay-Morton
In November my parents and grandparents stayed in this hotel.
I knew it wouldn't be the Ritz but at least it should be friendly and comfortable.
The location is nice and very central but that is the only positive point.
On check-in the rooms were allocated in the basement, it was a nice thought because a group of young people stayed upstairs, but the rooms were literally in the dark basement overlooking a horrible dumping area.
A lot of things didn't work like the TV, light bulbs not fixed, doors squeaking and towels missing.
After calling the reception everything got fixed quickly what was actually fine.
The kettle in the room had to be put in unsafe positions to use it, because the court was to short. There was a lot of rubbish behind the desk what hasn't been cleared since a long time.
At night they could here the underground very clearly, loud noises arise from some boiler or heater room, what kept them up for a long time.
Breakfast is not to recommend Rolls, Croissant, Cheese, Jam, Cornflakes, Orange Juice and some Milk. Coffee and Tea was alright. Every day exactly the same. It's not even a continental breakfast.
One night they had an electricity cut. It was caused by some builders on the road. The Hotel Staff had no attempt in even checking if they were alright downstairs in the dungeon. They had to do everything in total darkness. No candles or torches were supplied at all. They went out to get some coffee from a shop because they didn't serve any in the breakfast room.
I was nicely asking for the charges to be taken care of and to inquire about any information’s about this situation. The man on the reception started shouting at me in a very rude manor.
He refused to talk to me and mentioned to talk to my parents but they don't speak any English so he just laughed and continuing his games on the PC.
The electricity didn't come back by 5pm in the afternoon.
I stayed over very late on the last night and we didn't inform the reception. At check out the same man accused me of staying over the entire stay and having breakfast as well.
He started straight away shouting and insulting us. He forced us to stay there till we paid everything. He grabbed my mom on the arm and took our backpack. He threatens to punch me.
He wanted to call the police, but they should rather have him arrested.
He wanted that I pay for everything. Of course this wasn't true. I paid him breakfast (total of £8.50, what I would have got cheaper in the shop for better quality and choice) and one night (he charged £30). He refused to give me a receipt, what he is actually entitled to.
I don't recommend this "Hotel" at all. It doesn't deserve the three stars it supposes to have. The rooms are horrible, the breakfast is not even a continental breakfast and most of all the service and the staff are life threatening.
This thing should be shut down and I hope with this review I can prevent of more people staying there.
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