We stayed here twice last week. After first staying for two weekday nights we spent a couple of days away from London and then returned for one weekend night.

Summary: The location met our needs but the hotel was disappointing, or at best mediocre, in most other respects.

Reception: We weren't given a friendly greeting or made to feel at all welcome when we checked in. Although the staff were clearly not busy, their attitude suggested that they felt they were doing us a favour by checking us in. This was the same on both visits, with different members of staff. Perhaps the cookie is offered as an alternative to a smile? On our first visit, the oral instructions on how to reach our room ("fourth floor") didn't match the room number (116).

Rooms: On both occasions we had booked a standard queen room for an advance purchase rate of 203 GBP per night including VAT. On our first visit we were given a room with a king bed on the first floor. The room was overlooked by office workers at their desks on the other side of the (small) courtyard. That meant having to draw the curtains to change for dinner.

A wall lamp was dangling off the wall. A picture behind the bed was hanging at a very crooked angle -- examination revealed that it lacked a wire and couldn't be hung straight because of the way the frame had been tacked together. Not serious, but another sign of neglect. The television seemed rather small.

The temperature of the water coming from the above-bath shower varied widely and wildly and was impossible to control.

Second time around we got a suite, again on the first floor. It was larger, as was the television, but wasn't better in any other way. Selecting a shower water temperature was once again a game of chance rather than of skill. A defective or worn valve meant that water trickled through the WC all night.

Housekeeping etc.: In our first room we found unflushed toilet paper in the WC, a shower cap in the washbasin and someone else's leftovers (juice, a half eaten sandwich and other food debris) in the minibar fridge. The room safe did not work and needed a new battery.

Breakfast: Free but depressing. No one seemed to feel responsible for keeping the crowded room clean or tidy. The buffet selection was limited and unappealing. The coffee was undrinkable, so we left after a slice of toast and headed for Starbucks. We didn't return: there are plenty of excellent and affordable breakfast options nearby, including Le Pain Quotidien next door.

Location: As others have pointed out, this hotel is a perfect base for shopping and touristy stuff. Oxford Circus tube station is very close and offers direct service to the mainline stations at Charing Cross, Waterloo, Euston, Kings Cross/St Pancras, Liverpool Street and Paddington (for Heathrow).

The location means we'll be back there for a couple of nights in December, but we'll be going with greatly lowered expectations.