A handy hotel in the centre of London (Travelodge London Marylebone)

Member Name: nixtee

Product:	Travelodge London Marylebone
Date:	05/06/09 (81 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Centre of London, good prices, next to Marylebone tube and mainline station

Disadvantages: Traffic outside, but you get that with most central London hotels.

Marylebone Travelodge is situated in central London, next to Marylebone mainline and tube station. Don't let this put you off though... You can't hear the trains from your room (and I had a room which faced the station). I chose to stay at the Marylebone Travelodge due to it's proximity to the train station. Our train goes to the Marylebone station so this hotel is handy as I can book-in and drop off my bag/s without having to lug them around London. Also, as the tube station is there too, it's handy that I can walk out of the tube station and practically straight into the hotel after a tiring day in the city.

I booked my room online at www.travelodge.co.uk for £69 a night (arriving on a Monday and departing on a Wednesday), paying an extra £10 for early check-in. My train got into Marylebone at 11.25am and so I didn't want to be handing around or trudging around London with my bag. I checked in around 11.55am and was greeted by a staff member as soon as I walked through the door and up the steps (I didn't count, but there's around 20 steps up into reception, but there is also a stairlift to reception and to the bar/restaurant, should it be needed).

There was a bit of delay in checking in due to a computer problem, but it only took 5-10 minutes. I was asked if I required breakfast (£7.50 each, which can be booked online or when checking in), but I wanted breakfast at Covent Garden so declined and I was handed 2 keycards (there was 2 of us in the room).

Our room was on the 2nd floor and this can be access by either the stairs of the lift. We took the lift as a trip to London often involves a lot of walking!

The keycard easily opened the door (I have had one or two problems with these in the past) and we walked into the room.

The room was painted white with Travelodge's trademark blue carpet on the floor. The twin beds were in the centre of the room, but I was surprised to see that they were pushed together like a double bed and there was no way of parting them. A desk, along with a cream bucket chair, was between the beds and the window (which had been left slightly open for us due to the heat). An open wardrobe was set into one wall (containing clothes hangers, a spare pillow and a spare large towel), with an LCD TV and a mirror on another wall.

The bathroom was small and contained the usual toilet, bath/shower and sink, along with small & large towels, 2 plastic cups and a tiny soap.

Travelodge believe in providing a simply room with only the necessities, so it cuts costs and lessens the price customers pay for the rooms.

Apart from the beds being so close together and the sink taps needing a damn good scrub, the room was as expected - clean & tidy. I always take the spare pillow from the wardrobe as the beds only ever have 1 pillow per person and I just don't find that comfortable.

Each twin bed also had a book light next to it which you could manoeuvre to suit your needs (and are handy if you want to read, but your friend/partner wants to sleep). They're quite close to the bed though, so you do have to be careful your don't catch them.

Oh, I nearly forgot... There was a handy bottle opener on the side of the desk which was quite handy should we have taken a couple of bottles up to the room.

Also, I don't know if it was because of the hot weather, but the open wardrobe had a standing fan in it, but we didn't feel the need to us it as the room cooled down with the window open (although it was a bit noisy with the traffic).

On the first night of my stay (I stayed two nights), I got back to the hotel quite late after a concert (nearly midnight), but still got greeted by the member of staff behind the desk.

The hotel seemed quiet throughout my stay. I did hear a baby cry at one stage and I saw a man at one of the two internet computers in reception, but that was all. Though I'm sure there was more of us than that staying at the hotel!

Talking about the internet... If you'd got your own laptop or wifi enabled device with you then you could purchase wifi time. I didn't need to do this on this during this stay (although I did during a previous stay at a Travelodge with no problems) and had I needed to have used the internet then I could have used the coin operated internet computers in reception.

So all in all, I had a comfortable sleep on both nights and I felt that the stay was well worth the money, especially considering it is a central London hotel. With Marylebone station on the doorstep (with its shops and food places) and Baker Street station and more shops a short walk away (along with places such as Madame Tussauds), I would definitely recommend a stay at the Marylebone Travelodge.

Summary: An enjoyable and affordable stay in the centre of London.