My partner and I recently stayed at Chapter Aldgate for a total of 13 nights. I was finishing a barber course in Farringdon and my partner joined after 3 nights. Over the last 6 months we have been back and forth to London, but with lockdowns and the course repeatedly being put on hold it has been very difficult. That being said, we have stayed in many different areas, hotels, privately owned properties and air bnbs over the course of his studies. With only 2 weeks left of my course, we booked Chapter Aldgate as it was within walking distance and had a kitchen. We lost a lot over the pandemic and used all of our savings to book our stay which cost £900, the most expensive we have paid yet.
To say we were disappointed is an understatement. The windows leaked into the room every night, the toaster did not work, the utensils were dirty and hair was found on the plate when we first took it out of the cupboard. Cleaning equipment was not provided so we went out and purchased toilet bleach, washing up liquid, sponges, a dustpan and brush etc. I cleaned everything again and when I went to cook my meal realised there was no knife to cut with, a scratched and flaking frying pan and no oven, only a microwave oven (the advertisement for the room stated that a kitchen and utensils were included, as well as an oven). After a few nights of uncomfortable sleep with the sheet coming off every night as it was not deep enough for the mattress, I reported some of my issues to the front desk.
My partner went to the front desk a total of three times with my issues, the first two times she was told to 'come back tomorrow as there was 'nothing they could do'. On the third occasion, she was assured new sheets and a toaster would be provided to which she informed the receptionist that we would be out all day and to please put them inside my room.
Two more days went by and I decided to contact Chapter Aldgate via Airbnb where I was then offered to move rooms if I replied to them by 8 pm. I received this message when I returned at approx 10pm and explained that I had two nights left of my thirteen-night stay anyway and would be out the following day and checking out the morning after.
The fact that for the whole weekend my partner was told to come back the following day by the security guard is appalling. I wasn't shown any facilities upon arrival, nor told where to put the bins, where to find cleaning equipment or anything like that. The same security guard who kept telling my partner to come back misgendered me upon arrival, claiming my ID was 'a girl's ID' and I found him asleep at the desk when I went to complain about noise from a party in a neighboring room. Covid safety wise, to find utensils which had food residue on, a plate with a hair on and the very fact that a party was able to occur is absolutely horrifying. Alongside the ill-quipped and falsely advertised room as well as the lack of support from the front desk staff, I am so disappointed with my stay.