Halpin House - Hostel

Bed bugs. I booked a single room and none available, and i was put in a sheared room. I was told that my stay will be free and will get a refund but haven’t seen any. Bathroom smells. I have a lot of bed bug bites. Bed bugs!

Bathroom smells and sink clogged. Shower room also smells musty. Kitchen is not that clean, has some dishes in the sink and stove top.i i saw BEDBUGS when i was about ready to check out in my towels and bed and bathroom that i reported to the receptionist (he told me the other room close to me has it and the person inside brought it).

The residence is located in an absolutely beautiful and safe area of London. It’s calm, charming, and ideal for exploring the city. The surroundings, transport access, and general atmosphere were all very pleasant. The building itself is nice and the common areas seemed well kept. Unfortunately, I discovered there were bed bugs in the room. No one informed me about this when I booked. I only realized the problem when I arrived late on the second day and saw that one of the long-term tenants had covered her entire bed with anti-bedbug protection. She told me about the issue. I was terrified and didn’t sleep for two nights. I didn’t open the bed at all and slept fully dressed, afraid of being bitten or taking the bugs home in my luggage. This is not just uncomfortable, it’s a serious health and hygiene risk.

The staff, the location, few neighbors I met in the corridors, and the price considering my dates (31.12-02.01), were great. The room is absolutely nothing special, but can be expected for the price.

Nice check-in experience with friendly and courteous attendant. Check out was accommodating. Not a good value for money experience. I got to share with a student who lived there all year round. She was very lovely and tried to be accommodating but she was proprietorial about the place and went on about her routine like I wasn't there. Mind you, I would be out all day from 11 am to after 1 am and she would be awake when I came back into the room, so I didn't bother her at all. She really wanted to have the space to herself and was anxious to know when I was going to leave, it seemed like she never went out of that little room. It's perfectly understandable. Again, she was a lovely girl. I had one small wardrobe and bedside drawer to myself otherwise her stuff was everywhere. If you don't know how to assert yourself and put your foot down, that can be an ackward experience landing in someone's home space. A youth hostel might be a cheaper option. You can also find private single rooms in the London Student Housing for a little bit more. The Halpin house was a good option for that busy time of the year, but I regretted not having spent a little bit more for privacy and to have a good rest.

I booked the room for one ight because the location was close to where I was working. The photos of the room were shown as clean, bright and pleasant which was false advertising in my experience. There is nothing to like about this property other than the location The room I was given was an awful, cramped, depressing and untidy hovel. It was full of the belongings of the people who live there full time. It was cramped, dirty and had a bad smell, no privacy and was in the deep basement of the property with no light. Not safe and in no way should have been advertised for visiting guests. Female solo travellers should avoid this place at all costs. The female receptionist laughed at me and refused to call the manager and refused to pick up the phone to talk to booking.com about my situation. She was rude, dishonest and unhelpful. The worst travel experience I have had through this App ever ! They wouldn’t allow me to take photos of the room.

Exceptional

Pleasant

The staff were very welcoming, the bathrooms were clean, plenty of hot water. The facility was generally clean. I got lost quite a number of times trying to locate my room

Exceptional

Terrible no signage anywhere See above plus blocked toilet

Staff were nice. I booked a twin room thinking it was a private one. I obviously misread the details. There was a room mate which was fine in a hostel. The room and the front door were both open and anyone could walk in, meaning I was worried about safty when going to sleep. The guy I was sleeping with had been there for 9 years and had clearly made himself very comfortable, and shuffeled in and out of the room every hour to go to the toilet. The room was boiling hot and the windows didn't open anymore. Finally the whole of the corridor stank of rancid chinese food. I had two nights booked but couldn't hack another night there so had to get a different place,

Exceptional

Very good

Good

The fact that there are more than one toilet and shower room It’s a bit old and doesn’t look well looked after

Exceptional

Good location. Excellent value for money. Safe environment. Lift.

While I might understand the appeal of its location or the price to some, I find it challenging to recommend this property based on my personal experience. I regret that I cannot list any clear advantages or elements I genuinely appreciated about my stay. The lack of clarity in the booking details, the mismatch between the listing and the actual state of the place, and the absence of support from booking are among my primary concerns. The publication does not clearly reflects the actual "hostel" state, is tricky publication. I didn't like the place in general. Most rooms doors had a sign hanging saying "I will do my own cleaning" (hanged by the guests obviously). my room was not properly maintained, with a trash bag in the center, dirty dishes scattered, and an unpleasant smell. The room also lacked proper ventilation, AC, or a fan which made it uncomfortably hot. Moreover, it appeared that many guests were long-term residents rather than short-term visitors, which should have been communicated clearly. This situation created an unusual dynamic where you're essentially stepping into the semi-private life of these residents, which might include noise disturbances during sleep or day-to-day routines that could be uncomfortable for some guests. I left the place after a few hours. Lastly, the non-refundable policy in the face of such gross misrepresentation of the property was disappointing. I believe a partial refund (which I tried to negotiate) would have been a reasonable response given the circumstances.

Superb