LSE Bankside House

Having looked at the LSE website, I was optimistic about our stay. A pity that my optimism was unfounded. Apart from the location, I can find nothing at all positive to say about this accommodation. The room resembled a prison cell and contained a bare table, a plastic chair and two [single] folding beds. I would HATE to be one of the students who has to use this place for a whole term/semester.

There was building work going on next door and a mechanical digger was ripping up concrete from 7.30 each morning. We asked to move room to be away from the noise and were told we couldn't as the place was full. We asked to cancel the rest of our stay as we weren't happy and were told that no refunds would be given. How can an operation be allowed to get away with such a shoddy attitude?

The place was swarming with surly teenagers and the staff had no absolutely control over them. I can't think of enough negatives to describe this place. Avoid it like the plague. If I could give a rating worse than "Terrible", I would.

2 guys, we were well impressed with this accommodation - traveled to London on a 1c flight :) . It was very easy to find ( just follow the orange lampposts from Southwark Tube .

Also the lit tower of Tate Modern made it an easy find returning at night . The staff were nice, beds were comfy, the breakfast was great.

Just a few minutes walk from the Tate Modern ( have coffee on the balcony, and from lovely walks by the Thames .

I liked it so much have booked two more of lse's vacation buildings for a trip this weekend.

Also have to say every one we met in London were very kind re directions etc.

We opted for ensuite but in reality no need - shower was tiny but no complaints. .

Cost us 190.00 for two nights, worth it for the location alone, but compared to reviews of cheap hotel accommodation when you consider the cleanliness, the staff, the security - would stay here again an y time (if it was available)

London begins at the Bankside, for all 5 of our visits starting in 1999. Its location, two blocks from the south end of the Millennium Bridge to St. Paul's, can't be beat. We love walking home from the theatre along the strings of lights on the riverside. We love checking the tides and seeing the boat traffic go by.

We take a double room for a week, with two comfortable single beds and a pair of desks that quickly fill up with our books & theatre programs & newspapers. We start every day with a full breakfast in the large, busy cafeteria, full of tourists and students of all ages, but never so noisy or crowded we can't find a comfortable table to gossip about the people all around us.

The first thing we buy in London on each of our trips is a pair of cheap and colorful mugs, to use when we make tea every afternoon with the tea setup in our room, often accompanied by pastries from nearby Borough Market or from Louis' pastry shop in Hampstead.

And the last two things we usually do is (1) visit the Tate Modern, which is right next door, but which we are always too busy to see until the last day; and (2) use the coin-operated laundry room down on the ground floor to be ready for our further travels.

What's wrong with Bankside? The only thing we can think of is that it is only open summers, when the London School of Economics is not in session.