La Reserve Hotel

I was attending a conference at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea FC's ground). This was less than a one minute walk away. That was the good news. On the downside...when I checked in they had no record of payment (room had been paid for in advance). Fortunately I had documentation proving they were wrong.

In terms of the room, it was huge, but run down. Toilet hadn't been flushed by the cleaners. Small TV, only 5 analogue channels. When I woke the next morning, I noticed I was itching a lot...yes, bed bugs. And lots of them. Nice.

Breakfast was pretty poor. Cooked option was extra, so included in the B&B rate was cereal, bread rolls (no toaster that I could see) and cheese slices.

I have stayed in La Reserve in Fulham a couple of times this summer having discovered a good discounted rate online. It is within 5/10 mins walk from Fulham Broadway tube station (which has a good Sainsburys to stock up on snacks/drinks) on the District Line so very handy to get to South Kensington (museums), Harrods, and if going to Wimbledon, is just a couple of stops north of Southfields.

The first time I stayed in June I was at the front of the building which fronts the Fulham Road. This was a bit noisy so I had to close my windows and keep on the air con (the curtains also needed to stay over as everyone would be able to see in, although the curtains pulled over with difficulty!). The bed was comfortable, the tv small and up on the wall at a great height. The hairdryer blew a fuse the first time I used it, but reception had it fixed within the day. The bathroom was small but clean with a large shower. Breakfast was continental and had a sufficient selection of cereals, croissants, tea/coffee to suit (more than the Ibis offer). Full breakfast was extra although I didn't see anyone eating one. The staff were friendly and helpful (I left behind a pair of earrings which they kept for me and handed to me immediately I arrived for my second visit in August).

The second time I stayed there I went with my son. I had requested a room at the back (which faces the back of Chelsea's Stamford Bridge football ground, so not a great view but we didn't mind) so it was quieter and we could leave our windows open. We didn't have air con this time so had to leave the fan in the room on constantly otherwise we'd have been dripping in sweat in the London heat. The fridge didn't work (although we didn't use it), the bathroom was larger, had a bath and a shower over it this time and the room was much bigger than my previous one. While it was clean and functional and value for money, it just lacked a little finesse which a more expensive hotel would probably have offered (and a good lick of paint). Basic but clean.

The thing that really got us though the second time round was the attitude of one of the serving staff at breakfast. Having had an early start the previous morning, we lay in until 9.45 am and headed down for breakfast at 10.15, as breakfast was due to finish at 10.30 according to their literature. While there were other diners still eating breakfast, we were approached by one particular member of staff to tell us in no uncertain terms we were too late for breakfast, that it had finished at 10 am. I told her that it said 10.30 on their information in the room (it even said it on the card on the tables), she just seemed to ignore me and insisted that it finished at 10 am during the summer (having been there a few weeks previously I was not aware that this was the case). She "allowed" us to have something to eat, as long as we didn't take long. A similar thing happened on the last day of our 5 day stay, when we arrived down to breakfast at 9.40 am. She came over to tell us that as breakfast was finishing soon, we should hurry up. This certainly didn't make me feel very comfortable or particularly welcome. Was she in a hurry to get finished??

Aside from that the other staff were very friendly and they gave me a suitcase bag when I was checking out for coming back a second time which was a very pleasant surprise.