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Elephant Guesthouse
City of London, England
71 Marcia Road

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    Overall User Rating:  2.4

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 Value for Money  2.4
 Rooms  2.2
 Cleanliness  1.9
 Location  3.0
 Security & Safety  2.6
 Service & Staff  2.0
 Food / Dining  2.1
 Total  2.4

"Nicht noch einmal!"

User Rating:  1.7
Reviewer:   Torsten G. of Dessau, Germany
Reviewed:   November 10, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   May 2015     Type:   Family
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
Die Lage ist o.k. Damit erschöpft es sich dann aber schon fast. Der Vermieter ist sehr schlecht zu erreichen. Schlüssel in einem kleinen Tresorfach an der Tür. Keiner zu erreichen, der einem den Code sagen kann. Thomas der Hausangestellte ist total überfordert. Bei ihm wohnt noch ein Freund von ihm. Dieser bringt auch noch seine Freundin mit.... Man wird angehalten seine Schuhe auszuziehen (bereits unten im Flur). Der Teppicboden ist aber so schmutzig, dass man schmutzige Socken bekommt. Ein Zimmer war nicht abschließbar. Wäsche unserer Tochter wurde unrechtmäßig aus diesem Zimmer entsorgt. Die Küche ist ein Dreckstall. Dort finden dann wilde Partys anderer Mieter statt, Thomas bekommt es nicht in den Griff. Toiletten sind nicht sauber, ständig feht Toilettenpapier. Duschen gibt es, gemessen an der Anzahl der Mieter, viel zu wenige. Was bleibt ist einzig die relativ zentrale Lage. Fazit: Nicht noch einmal!!

"voyage"

User Rating:  3.7
Reviewer:   Corinne F. of france, France
Reviewed:   August 6, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   July 2015     Type:   Family
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
Agreable maison cuisine fonctionnelle
Couchage de bonne qualite
Mais bcp de bruit cause par certaines personnes
Et manque d insonarisation .
Bonne situation geographique bien desservie par
Les transports proche des principales attractions

"Nic moc"

User Rating:  2.2
Reviewer:   Igor M. of Krnov, Czech Republic
Reviewed:   July 20, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   July 2015     Type:   Family
1 2 3 4 5
 Value for Money
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 Cleanliness
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Comments  (English):
Po příletuve 23.00 nám majitel SMSkou oznámil, že naše předplacená rezervace neplatí z "organizačních důvodů", což s dětma byl dost problém...Nicméně domácí po příjezdu nás ubytoval. Poloha dobrá, cena odpovídá... Organizačně velmi špatné!!!!

"Avoid!"

User Rating:  2.2
Reviewer:   Elizabeth A. of Christchurch, New Zealand
Reviewed:   June 10, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   May 2015     Type:   Couple
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
We stayed here for 5 nights while looking for a flat in London. Yes it is very reasonably priced but the guest house is run very badly. We never saw the owner. There is a young Spanish guy who looks after the place and basically he and his friends use this as a halfway house to socialize.

When we were there we had more than a few evenings we had to ask them (us being paying guests) to be quiet so we can sleep. Unacceptable. Also the place is very dirty. The kitchen esp bad. Beer and alcohol bottles from guests and the keeper's socializing were collected on the bench "for recycling". I had to hunt around for clean towels and toilet paper as this was not replaced. There is only one upstairs bathroom shared by quite a few rooms. Shower is terrible. Also the downstairs toilet which was most likely used by the young man and his friends was very dirty. I think he moved the vacuum and mob around so it looked like he cleaned.

Re the room - we were in a room so small you can't place a suitcase flat on the floor or move around without the other person leaving the room. This was advertised as a double but on key is says single. The sash windows don't stay open so extremely hot in the room even if you turn the heating off. We placed a can under the sash window to keep it open! The outside area is very dirty and I can't see how anyone would want to sit there. Most of the photos on the website very misleading. If you are unable to climb stairs note there is no lift.

Rubbish was building up at the front door. The only plus is the large Tesco across the road and the Nr 168 busstop that goes to central London conveniently close. Elephant Castle area is a bit "rough" so be careful if you are a single female traveler.

My advise is to try and find a youth hostel in Central London if you are a tourist as it will be cleaner and cheaper.

Won't recommend this guest house at all.

"Horrible place to stay! Please avoid it!"

User Rating:  1.3
Reviewer:   Maria Teresa Z. of Dublin, Ireland
Reviewed:   May 16, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   May 2015     Type:   Other
1 2 3 4 5
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Comments  (English):
A quick resume: we were ask at the last minute to change the hostel while we were already heading to the previous hostel at 23:00. After that we had no keys to open the main door, thankfully someone was leaving and we could access to the hostel. Next day we still had no key to open the main door and the person in charge to do it , didn't help us at all. The room was really dirty and full of hair all over the place. Also I asked to fix the key in our bedroom cause was a problem to close it properly, he never fixed that so we ended up waiting to be fix for nearly 3 hours, and we weren't able to get our belongings for that time. It was a disgrace, they didn't even apologies to us. We claimed our money back. And we are still waiting for that.

"Dissappoint -not hygien at all-this is not a bed and breaksfast and the place is not manned at all"

User Rating:  1.3
Reviewer:   Jenipher T. of london, United Kingdom
Reviewed:   May 15, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   May 2015     Type:   Family
1 2 3 4 5
 Value for Money
 Rooms
 Cleanliness
 Location
 Security & Safety
 Service & Staff
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Comments  (English):
This was a disappointing

the shower room was blocked and the land lords DID NOT care
the place is a house and not manned at all so on arrival you are likely to be stranded if you cant get hold of the owner to direct you where the key to the door is.
The good thing only is the Tesco supermarket which nearby
the price is ok for having a roof over you

"Décevant par rapport à l'offre de Booking"

User Rating:  2.1
Reviewer:   GAS D. of Londres, United Kingdom
Reviewed:   May 11, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   April 2015     Type:   Family
1 2 3 4 5
 Value for Money
 Rooms
 Cleanliness
 Location
 Security & Safety
 Service & Staff
 Food / Dining
Comments  (English):
Sur l'offre de Bookiing, les images prises de la chambre ne correspondent en rien à ce qui nous a été loué.
Deux lits doubles dans 10 m2, de décoration médiocre, un store sur deux cassé ....
chambre non insonorisée, beaucoup de bruit surtout côté rue, etc ....

On a connu mieux avec Booking.

Seul côté positif, quartier populaire sympathique à 20 mn en bus de Big Ben.

"nemrac"

User Rating:  3.3
Reviewer:   Carmen I. of sorrento, Italy
Reviewed:   May 10, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   May 2015     Type:   Active/Adventure
1 2 3 4 5
 Value for Money
 Rooms
 Cleanliness
 Location
 Security & Safety
 Service & Staff
 Food / Dining
Comments  (English):
posto pulito,collegato bene,ospitalità buona

"DONT STAY HERE"

User Rating:  1.0
Reviewer:   Nicola M. of swansea, United Kingdom
Reviewed:   April 28, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   April 2015     Type:   Family
1 2 3 4 5
 Value for Money
 Rooms
 Cleanliness
 Location
 Security & Safety
 Service & Staff
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Comments  (English):
I BOOKED TO STAY AT THE ELEPHANT GUEST HOUSE AND PHONED HOURS IN ADVANCE TO SAY WHAT TIME WE WOULD ARRIVE. THOMAS THE CONTACT DID NOT ANSWER THE PHONE ON A FEW OCCASIONS, I COULD NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE AS MAIL BOX FULL. PHONED AS I WAS ARRIVING AND STILL NOTHING. GOT TO THE GUEST HOUSE AND WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE THAT I COULD NOT ENTER THE GUEST HOUSE UNTIL I HAD SPOKEN TO THOMAS, CALLED AGAIN, NOTHING, WENT FOR A COFFEE , CALLED AGAIN , THEN WALKED FOR 45 MINS DRAGGING MY CASE AND ASKING IN ANY OTHER HOTELS ETC IF ANY VACANCIES, FINALLY FOUND ONE, SHATTERED. SINCE THEN CALLED MANY TIMES TO GET MY DEPOSIT BACK BUT STILL NO ONE IS ANSWERING. I THINK THIS IS DONE ON PURPOSE, OVERBOOKING, NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE. KEEPING DEPOSITS. IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE YOU WILL NOT STAY AT THIS PLACE, SAVE YOURSELF THE TROUBLE IF THERE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM ANY PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS WOULD HAVE CALLED, APPOLOGISED AND RETURNED MY DEPOSIT. I AM DISGUSTED WITH THIS GUESTHOUSE. WHAT A PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A BUSINESS.

"Bad experience"

User Rating:  1.3
Reviewer:   Monica S. of Tønsberg, Norway
Reviewed:   April 15, 2015  (see hostel reviews from Instantworldbooking.com)
Traveled:   April 2015     Type:   Family
1 2 3 4 5
 Value for Money
 Rooms
 Cleanliness
 Location
 Security & Safety
 Service & Staff
 Food / Dining
Comments  (English):
1) Vi bestilte 1 familierom med eget bad på Elephant Lodge Guesthouse. Vi så bildene på deres nettside og likte godt rommene. Vi skulle være 4 på rommet: mor, far og to ungdommer på 14 og 15 år.
Alle rommene på Elephant Lodge har kaffe- og tekoker i følge nettsiden. Flatskjerm TV også. Det var ikke på vårt rom, og ikke i henhold til avtalen.

2) En uke før reisen fikk vi beskjed av Ryanair at vår flytid var blitt endret fra kl.14:20 til kl. 19:55.
På Elephant Lodge sin nettside stod det at innsjekking var fra kl.14 til kl.22:30. Så vi regnet med at noen skulle ta oss imot når vi ankom hotellet kl.22.00.

3) Etter at vi booket oppholdet, fikk vi en mail fra Jonathan Simpson om at det var to typer betalinger:
a) Hvis vi ønsket å betale cash til stedet, skulle vi få en kode til inngangsdøra. Med koden, kunne vi komme inn på overnattingsstedet. Det ble litt vagt hvem skulle gi oss nøkkelen til rommet. Vi begynte da å føle oss veldig usikre.
b) Hvis vi ønsket å betale cash til stedet og at en vert skulle vente på oss, måtte vi da betale 10 euro ekstra til fordi vi skulle ankomme overnattingsstedet etter kl.19. Da ble vi forvirret. Innsjekking var fra kl.14 til kl.22:30.
c) Hvis vi ønsket å forskuddsbetale for hele oppholdet, skulle verten vente på oss og gi nøkkelen til rommet.

Siden vi reiste med to ungdommer, valgte vi å forskuddsbetale hele oppholdet.

4) En uke for reisen forskuddsbetalte vi hele oppholdet via PayPal og sendte kvitteringen til ansvarlig (Jonathan Simpsom).
Vi hadde sendt noen mailer til Jonathan men det var veldig vanskelig å få respons. Mannen min sendte til slutt sms. Svarene var alltid litt vage.

5) Når vi ankom overnattingsstedet onsdag 1.april 2015 kl.22, ble vi tatt imot av verten Thomas ved husinngangen og han krevde cash på stedet. Det var en ubehagelig situasjon der vi står alle fire med kofferten i en trang hall med en mistenksom vert som ikke trodde på at vi hadde forskuddsbetalt. Vi var litt sjokkert fordi vi hadde sendt kopi av kvitteringer fra PayPal til Jonathan.
Heldigvis hadde vi tatt med oss kopi av kvitteringen. Ikke så gøy å bli spurt om betaling som allerede var bekreftet OK.
Thomas fortalte at en e-post ikke var åpnet av han som skulle reservere rommet, og dermed fikk vi ikke rom i henhold til bestillingen. Eieren av huset, Robson, bodde et helt annet sted, så han kunne vi ikke snakke med.

6) Min mann reagerte med en gang på en høy pipelyd fra røykvarslerne i alle etasjene og spurte verten hva det var for noe, og han sa at en lekkasje hadde ødelagt alarmene. Mannen min nektet å godta slik skarp, gjentagende ulyd og ba ham fikse det ASAP.

7) Han informerte også at vi ikke skulle få rommet vi betalte for. Vi fikk et rom på loftet med skråtak, to store senger med skittent sengetøy, knøttlite bad og en stor edderkopp. Det var heller ikke dopapir på badet. Kun to badehåndkler til oss fire. Rommet var overmøblert men uten en eneste stol å sitte på og tv´en var blitt fjernet. Det lignet absolutt ikke det vi bestilte.

8) Vi ble rasende og jeg gikk ned mange ganger: for å hente dopapir, for å hente to badehandle, for å forlange at han skulle ordne med røyvarslerne. Vi skulle stå opp tidlig dagen etter og trengte søvn. Han blåste i våre klager og vi fire sov derfor veldig lite. Det pep i røykvarslerne omtrent hvert 10 sekund 24/7.

9) Dagen etter banket vi på døra til verten før vi dro til Harry Potter Studios, Vi forlangte at han måtte ordne med røykvarslerne. Han lovte at det skulle skje raskt.

10) Da vi kom tilbake fra Harry Potter Studios, var pipingen fortsatt der. Verten var ikke til stedet og mannen min ba kjæresten ringe ham på mobilen. De snakket sammen og han bekreftet at han skulle fikse alarmene samme dag.
Tiden gikk og senere på kvelden, med frynsete nerver, fikset han endelig alarmene.

11) Rommene ble ikke ryddet en eneste gang mens vi var der, hvis det var ønskelig måtte det betales for. Snakk om dårlig service, eller total mangel på det!

Vi er meget reisevante globetrottere, og har sett litt av hvert. Men, denne opplevelsen var helt elendig!
Dersom noen leser dette før de reiser til London: IKKE tenk på å bestille rom her! Finn et annet sted, det svarer ikke til bildene eller beskrivelsen på internett.

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