OK, I haven't stayed at the Philbeach but I know many folks who have and I have seen some of the rooms. I have used the restaurant there and the bar (the restaurant and bar are good)

The rooms are very small and perhaps in more need of some loving attention than you would expect to find in a regular hotel. The lighting is not particularly good (more of a problem if you're looking to put on make-up I admit!) and it's not unknown for guests to be engaged in quite noisy activities in the privacy of their rooms late at night.

At the weekends and on Monday nights you may find the place is full of drag queens, trannies and other assorted cross-dressers and their admirers.

The hotel is generally safe, is convenient for public transport but parking anywhere near is a nightmare.

It's not particularly close to Soho and Old Compton Street (London's Gay district) - if you're planning a late night out it's probably worth prebooking a minicab from Freedom Cars (the hotel will have details) as it's often infuriatingly difficult to get a cab late at night from anywhere in the West End.

Hope that helps.