Overpriced fire trap

One of the worst places I've ever stayed in - overpriced fire hazard with broken smoke alarms, cramped rooms that stink of cigarette smoke and unhelpful staff. A complaint of a burning smell coming from a radiator was dealt with by spraying the room with air freshener! Avoid at all costs.

Avoid at all costs

Avoid. Lift not working. Very difficult to carry bags up 4 stories of narrow, winding staricases. If you were elderly or disabled - forget it. Tiny,tiny, bathroom with little or no hot water. Took one shower and flooded entire bathroom. I didn't bother again. Go elsewhere.

Absolutely Awful!

Our short stay in the Royal Norfolk was beset with problems from the beginning.

Rooms are described as being medium sized (and perhaps this is true of London hotels) but to my eyes it was barely big enough to fit a double bed and a bed side cabinet. Furnishing were mediocre, reasonably clean but drab and clearly in need of repair. The carpet was pretty disgusting -- vacuumed but stained and generally worn out.

The heating didn't work and there was a draft coming through the window. The bathroom was the smallest I have ever seen in my life! - only big enough to fit a sink, toilet, and a small shower cubicle. The shower water pressure was poor and the water lukewarm at best. Overall the rooms feel drab and depressing, certainly not a place you'd want to spend any significant amount of time.

The elevator is absolutely tiny, fitting no more than two average sized people at any one time. The rest of the hotel is simply decorated; it's not too bad but certainly could use a lick of paint.

The majority of hotel staff seem to be foreign students, most of whom were reasonably polite if not exactly friendly. We made a complaint about our room and it was logged in their complaints' book....it was clear that we weren't the only ones complaining!

All in all the Royal Norfolk is far and away the worst hotel I've ever stayed in. I wouldn't have minded so much except that it isn't exactly cheap. Take my advice, look around before booking and be wary of any sample room photos that you see on the web.

Most Run-down hotel ever!

Booked over the internet at a seemingly reasonable rate, however, on staying here, I paid way too much!

The 1st room I had (before complaining!) was clean and good size but the "shower" consisted of a shower head off the bath taps, with no hook to fix it to the wall and no shower curtain. After complaining three times they eventually found me a room with a fully functional shower (after claiming they were fully booked). This room was AWFUL, although admittidly had a shower in the pink barbie-doll size bathroom/cupboard (As described in another review). Room was tiny, with v. draughty windows and a smelly bathroom. Also had to walk over an outside bridge.

Obviously where they place the "moaners"!!

Hotel is very run down and I would never stay there again. The only plus is it is very close to Paddington Station, but then again, so is the Hilton!

Oh Dear

This hotel was very poor. The bathroom was not even big enough to fit my 6 ft boyfriend in, smaller than a wardrobe (Do not even attempt if claustrophobic, i'm not and could not close the door without fear setting in). The lift was about the same size. We used it once, never again. Breakfast - After a 40 minute wait with no apologies or explanations we were eventually seated, a further 30 mins passed before breakfast was served. OK but not much alternative to meat, toast cold and hard. Don't know what the staff were doing because there seemed to be lots of tables free but none of them were being cleared. Very rude germans jumped the queue but i suppose thats not the hotels fault. In bedroom we found pornography in bedside cabinet, very disturbing (makes me wonder who else was using the hotel). Also heating was on full whack. This was over August Bank Holiday weekend. To get some air we had to open window over hearing all the sounds of Paddington. Do not book to go here. Its not even that cheap. I've had better rooms for cheaper in London. I am not really a moaner and am disappointed to do this but i feel that people should have a good idea exactly what to expect from this hotel. Thank You

Worst "hotel" ever

worst hotel ever it's not even a half-star hotel. It promised complimentary breakfast, bar, concierge, restaurant, none of which existed. After 2.5 hours of waiting after check-in time for the room to be cleaned, we were told we can at least put our bags in the room. The 2 of us could barely fit in the tiny old elevator, then we found the "housekeeper" in jeans just hanging out with her legs kicked up on a table smoking a cigarette. Then the room was a nightmare. We asked for 2 twin beds and got one small double bed that filled up almost the entire room. The bathroom I thought was a shower with a toilet in the shower. The whole bathroom was half the size of a bath tub. There was no place to put our small carry-on luggage! We immediately demanded a cancellation, which we had to argue with the reps from **** on the phone for almost an hour. I'm still disputing the charge they have yet to drop. Don't book this hotel, and don't book with ****.

Stay somewhere else!

3* Joke. Stuck in a little room 111 behind kitchen with a pink barbie doll bathroom inside a cupboard. Everytime you flush the loo, water comes up the basin drain. I read it was refurbished, I don't think so. All the staff spoke strange languages, and the guy on reception was very rude about not returning the key everytime we went out. Not worth staying at any cost, as you will not enjoy. Kids hanging around kitchen, and fire doors wedged open all day. I did not feel like I was in a UK hotel, and I would feel more at home in spain.

Great little hotel, good location!

Great little place!. I stayed here in June 2002, and again in Jan 2003. The room is small, and the shower is smaller but the bed is comfortable, the room is warm, TV ok, and staff were very accomodating. The full English breakfast was a bonus and there are ethnic restaruants nearby, a cyber cafe, and proximity to both Paddington Underground and Paddington Main line station was great. Post office around the corner, and tanning salon. I had a wonderful short visit. I booked on the net thru ... and got a great deal!.........recommended! Joanne

Dump

Filthy, overpriced, in disrepair! I've stayed in 3 star hotels in third world countries that had more amenities and were better maintained and cleaned. The accomodations we had reserved were not available and the hotel would not issue credit. I was shown 5 rooms before I found one with bathroom facilities were at least minimally functional. The only redeeming quality was the location convenient to Paddington Station (although noisy through the broken window in my room) .

Overpriced

I spent three nights here in May, 2002. I booked at a promotional rate over the web that I thought was a steal. As it turned out, it was barely worth what I paid for it.

I had an average to small sized single, with an ensuite bathroom. Everything was clean, but the water pressure was the worst I've ever experienced. The room was relatively bare with cheap furnishings.

The hotel is made up of two buildings. If you take the elevator up from the lobby you'll have to walk outside over a catwalk to get from the top floor of the main building to the other. I recommend taking the stairs, if you don't mind carrying your bags. A lovely grand staircase wraps around behind the reception desk.

The hotel is very convenient to Paddington station and some rooms overlook a small park.

I can't recommend this hotel at their advertised rate. It might be worth a try at the 50% discount. But even in London, I've paid less for better rooms with more character than this one.