Only from about 3 years ago. It was my hotel of last resort for London - if my agency couldn't get me in to any of my favourites or I was only staying one night, I'd stay there. The standard sized room looks about twice the size of any I ever got. It certainly didn't look like that. Despite many requests for a quiet room, I invariably ended up next to fire doors, which hoards of American teenagers (sorry!) would bang through all night, talking in the loud American teenager manner (what would be considered shouting over here - sorry - I get grumpy with lack of sleep, and the large amount of grumpiness due to those kids, I still remember ). No air con in the rooms. Maid service invariably ignored the 'do not disturb' sign on the door and insisted on trying to clean your room at 0800. When I was still in bed, usually hungover and very grumpy I think on my final stays, I took to barricading the door with my luggage!

Bad, bad queues for breakfast - but actually if you could get in, it wasn't too bad. Good reception staff and a very handy location - but no tube stop particularly near.

In fairness though, it was still on my 'would stay there if desperate' list despite the drawbacks. For me the biggest one was the noise - I always went there hoping I'd get a room not by fire doors - and it never happened If it wasn't for that, it would have been ok. But there are some I stayed in which I wouldn't have stayed in again, no matter how desperate (a certain Best Western in Pimlico for example).