Sheriff Inn

We checked in at saturday night, at a moment we saw on all the hotels "Hotel Full". The guy behind the windows (it was too small to be a counter) said they received some complaints about bed bugs and they we're waiting for the exterminator, so we would be transferred to an other hotel. A young guy (connected to his cell phone) brought us to the Marne Hotel, somewhat closer to Victoria Station on Belgrave Road.

I cannot begin to describe this hotel. First of all, I was glad they we're honest enough to tell us about the bed bugs. It's also a possibilty that the hotel was overbooked and they needed a good excuse.

The Marne hotel was old, crappy, small and guest unfriendly. The beds were terrible, I can still feel all the springs. The sink was in the room, simply because there was no room for it in the "bathroom". To get to the bathroom, you had to squeeze through the doorway between the wall and the bed. The bathroom was accessible from both rooms (not shared), so there were double doors. You had to stand in the shower to close the second door, and then there was the toilet. Thank god it was kinda clean.

For the first time I was glad housekeeping didn't show up the next day, now we knew all was still there.

The hotel was very near Victoria coach station just a 2/3 min walk with suitcases. Close to Buckingham place Road. More local shops in the opposite direction inc, Nero coffee shop, Tesco, Sainsbury etc.

Steps to front door. The reception is very cramped, hardly room for two people leave your cases outside!. The reception was “manned” during our stay by a person who speaks poor English. The room we were allocated was not in the main hotel but around the corner 75/100 yards. Steps to front door and narrow stairs to room (no lift) on first floor. (We were given a key to our room and the front door) We had booked a double room en suite. The room was very small, just room for a double bed. No wardrobe, very limited hanging rail with just 3 wire hangers. The window, which over looked a quite street, was a sliding slash held open by a piece of 3x2 timber. The smelly en-suite contained a toilet and shower cubicle which was covered in mould. The en-suite was so small that the wash hand basin was in the main room itself so washing your hands after using the toilet was impossible. I finally found the shower cubicle fan switch and turned it on, it worked! After a while this diluted the smell! The TV was a disaster wires everywhere connected to a sky /freeview box which didn’t work. There was a portable aerial but it was impossible to get a picture!! The smoke alarm above the bed was showing an alarm condition but there was no alarm!!! (I have contacted the local fire station about this) The bed was OK, just, sheets clean, mattress firm not lumpy. The breakfast was in the main hotel and consisted of a stale croissant 4 slices of toast and a pat of butter. As much coffee as you wanted.

All in all hotel not to be recommended!!!

It was a girlfriends shopping trip, we´re in our 30´s, so we´ve had the good and the bad. When visiting London you just have to curb your expectations and realise that England doesn´t seem to have the same hygienic standard of the rest of Europe.

Staff seemed friendly, if hardly ever available. Rooms of course are tiny and cramped, carpets are always lacking a good vacuum, but the beds seemed halfway clean, as well as the shower and toilet. We wanted to spend our money on shopping and not on a hotel- so that´s what you get- a flophouse for tolerant people. Don´t think that it will be better if you pay more, if you want halfway good service and cleanliness stick to names you know, but be prepared to shell out the dough. England really could use a franchise like Motel 6.