Reviews of Smart Russell Square

28 November 2011

Liked: Good modern kitchen, great location, staff friendly, bunk curtains (albeit no bunk light)

Disliked: Terrible ventilation, 24 bed dorm was excessively hot at night, and common room was sweltering and sweaty. Dorm bunks were very close together, most people didn't pay the daily fee for the use of lockers so bags were on the floor taking up most of the space making it difficult to get around. Showers are stalls with curtains in the basement, temperature cannot be adjusted, and output depends on how many other people are showering at the same time - often too hot for me. Wifi was unreliable and intermittent.

25 November 2011 Alexander would recommend this property

Liked: Close to metro

Disliked: nothing

15 November 2011

Liked: It was close to a tube station

Disliked: Pretty much everything really though the thing that stands out most of all was 2 men walking into our room with very little notice to put down misce traps and fill in gaps. We had to make our own beds, there was a sink in our room but it wasn't drinking water, the toilets were quite a way from our room, it was really noisy and there are a 2 inch gap under our bedroom door which didn't help. Also, they didn't give any directions on how to get to the hostel which was a bit annoying. I was really disappointed to have paid £30 for one night and then have to put up with this.

15 November 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Location

Disliked: Basic. Cleanliness could be improved.

13 November 2011 Nina would recommend this property

Liked: I like the location, because it's within walking distance to the city centre. I have to thank to the maintenance staff who let me have my breakfast one hour before the breakfast time. One of the best things were probably the beds - I liked the "triple bunkbeds" (I slept on the top) and it was very comfortable to sleep.

Disliked: I didn't like that staff couldn't do anything about people who entered the dorm in the middle of the night, turned on the light and talked loudly. I't true that I've been sleeping in a room for 24 people, but is some respect for those sleeping really too much to ask (I was woken probably ten times in one night)?

12 November 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: pleasant, clean and a good place for accommodation

Disliked: Wish you had a lamp in your bed so you dont need to put the main lamp on in the room. The electric contact is too close to the door that it was hard to have your telephone on charge and if you want to fix your hair it was long way from the mirror. Also some more hooks on the walls I recommend, to put up clothes or towels

11 November 2011 Martin would recommend this property

Liked: A cool place to meet friendly people, it has people almost "living" there so it creates a nice atmosphere for the newcomers.

Disliked: three-stories-high beds... it might get uncomfortable if you are up there and you are afraid of heights!

02 November 2011 gauthier would recommend this property

Liked: It's possible to choose different number of bed in a room, so it's possible to find attractive prices.

Disliked: I didn't like the locker room and the shower (too small) because they were dirty

01 November 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: warm place...nice living room...perfect place near underground...

Disliked: the staff checking u every time u want to entry!!

28 October 2011 MOJCA would recommend this property

Liked: It is very close to the center in a calm area. WiFi and internet available - good connection. Nice staff, clear rules, TV in the common room. Showers are almost excellent - hot water, clean.

Disliked: The hostel itself was clean enough, but I stayed in a room with 24 beds and it was busy, with no place for the laguage, very hot and for that difficult to sleep well. One could also come in at any time would wake up (non intentionally) those who were sleeping. Breakfast was "plastic": the cheapest marmelade and butter. But for the price I payed it was more than good. I didn't like paying everything in advance, but I guess that is a hostel policy. And 10 pounds cash deposit...

26 October 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: Location excellent. Good kitchen facilities and communal area.

Disliked: The beds are like shoeboxes stacked in and on top of each other and there is next to no room to put your luggage. Push button showers.

25 October 2011

Liked: Nothing

Disliked: It has a characterless, juvenile detention centre feel. The only showers available are in the basement and they are disgusting, with taps that turn off every 5 seconds. Rude and unhelpful staff. Wifi barely ever works. I was in a tiny 9 bed dorm room in the basement right next to the toilets. This is the worst hostel I have stayed at and definitely would not stay here again, I couldn't wait to check out as soon as I checked in.

24 October 2011 matthieu would recommend this property

Liked: location and price

Disliked: small and dirty

21 October 2011 Christiaan would recommend this property

Liked: The curtains at the beds.

Disliked: The breakfast was very, very basic. White toast, jam, cornflakes, milk, and tea.

20 October 2011 JAVIER would recommend this property

Liked: the atmosphere

Disliked: can't chose the temperature of the shower

20 October 2011

Liked: Umm... maybe a good location

Disliked: This place is absolutely disgusting. Do NOT stay here. The staff were borderline rude. They showed no interest in the fact that you were waiting in line. The showers are in the basement. So if you arent staying in the basement, you have to walk downstairs. I was in a 24 person room and there was no where for people to put their luggage. No lockers or anything within the room. This caused quite a problem so people had stuff all throughout the walkways. The rooms are loud at night and you can here everything from the floors above you. Somebody checked in in the middle of the night and couldnt find their bed so the staff had the great idea to turn on the lights in the room and wake people up to ask them where the free bed is (this was at 2:30am). If you are going to stay somewhere, I reccomend that you pay the extra few dollars a night and stay at a place with better reviews.

20 October 2011

Liked: Friendliness of staff. Very helpful.

Disliked: Too many beds in one room, too close together. Room was quite unbreathable, there was not enough air circulation- would hate to imagine what it's like in hot weather!

17 October 2011

Liked: Location

Disliked: All of the showers are in the basement, and have no private drying area which makes privacy hard. When asking for directions about public transport the receptionist wasn't helpful, however the manager was very good.

16 October 2011 HONG JUN would recommend this property

Liked: The security was really tight and the rooms were clean.

Disliked: The staff looked tired and were thus unfriendly.

14 October 2011

Liked: Location.

Disliked: Power points not functional in several rooms, inadequate wash facilities.

12 October 2011

Liked: Not a lot

Disliked: Triple bunks, small rooms, shared bathroom facilities are not very nice, for a lower price it would be fine, but for the same price as some hostels I had in Spain you got a lot more

09 October 2011 Nikola would recommend this property

Liked: Everything is clean (especially toilets wich was a suprise)and it has a large kitchen equiped with all you need (water cooker, tosters, oven...). Hostel is large and organised and very safe (they even have night guards). Area around it is great and it is like a minute away from Russel Sq. tube station. It has wireless connection though it doesn't reaches upper floors.

Disliked: Personell. Although they are helpful they seem to be in bad mood, all of them all the time, bordering to impolite. Hostel only has showers on the lower floors so if your room is up on the 3rd floor you have a quite walk.

06 October 2011

Liked: Free breakfast (although didn't contain much), location.

Disliked: Problem with window not opening - requested a staff member to look at it and no-one ever did, even after asking twice. Staff seemed slightly aggressive. Not secure at all, rooms had echo from outside. Poor quality furnishings and beds, and nylon fibre pillowcases (itchy!). Poor atmosphere.

05 October 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: The Location is really great. It´s only a stone´s throw away from a tube station and when you´re fit, you can walk the way to the city centre, too. And this was the first Hostel where we both got a key card and we really liked the systems with the key cards, because they make sure that nowbody else can enter the hostel.

Disliked: But in the rooms you just have very small space for your luggage and you have to store in on your bed during the day. So if you travell with a lot of luggage this can be a problem. (For me it wasn´t a problem).

05 October 2011 Customer would recommend this property

Liked: If you simply want a bed and have reasonably low expectations, this hostel is fine. It's run on an industrial scale so don't expect anything above the minimum, but for it's price and location it's fine.

Disliked: The staff was borderline rude and the breakfast was so basic they probably shouldn't have bothered.