Central Studios Tennyson Road

No breakfast. Out of town location.

Good location, accessible to facilities and shops are nearby. Local park, etc OK for the rate.

As a HMO, necessary facilities such as pressing iron, board etc should be available in a common area.

Nothing of note

Central Studios was an absolute nightmare upon check in and we did not even end up staying there, besides two people who had absolutely nowhere else to go. I had to call and ask for the codes to the door locks, even though I was supposed to have received them earlier on in the day. We also had to pay a £400 security deposit despite the listing saying it is a £100 deposit. Upon opening the main front door, the hallway heavily stank of smoke, despite there being a no smoking rule. The first room we opened we were greeted with live ants all over the sides, in the draws etc. All of the rooms were filthy and had mould, damp and water damage present. One of the windows does not shut, and the handle is completely broken off- anybody could open it from outside and get in. The kitchenware was unwashed and there were bugs crawling around the cupboards. The kettles were full of limescale. One of the fridge-freezers was completely frozen up, making the freezer draw inaccessible and there was a pool of water on the top of it, accompanied by black mold. The sheets appeared unwashed. The rooms were not fully stocked- one of them had a few ceramic pieces. Another was equipped with only a can opener and a fork. The sides were not cleaned- we noticed leftover ketchup/sauce (i think) on one of them. In our upstairs room, there was a large dip in the floor covered with a rug, which was deep enough for me to consider a trip hazard, as I almost did after stepping right into it. This upstairs room was also the strongest smelling, with a really musty smell that we think came from the shower cubicle situated directly in the room next to the bed. The walls below these shower cubicles also seemed like they were crumbling apart. In one of the rooms, there was a large amount of black mold under the sink. Of the two that stayed there, one mentioned his asthma was acting up, and he did not feel safe during the night as he heard somebody try his door in the early morning without asking.

I was set to room at 87 Tennyson Road but because my card bounced several times I was moved to 298 Gloucester road, Building B. My review pertains to this room with two twin beds only. Staff was absolutely lovely and joinable in the Booking app at all times about it. Location is 10min from train station with handy bus line to coach station. A supermarket/corner store (Tesco Market) for supplies as well as a few pubs even as we're far from the city center (35min on foot or 10-15 via aforementioned bus) I initially wanted to drive here but had a financial issue. However even having travelled via coach, I couldn't help but notice the big courtyard with plenty of room to park. Several vans and even a campervans could fit making it suitable for people traveling with their accommodation with them having not found an appropriate campsite spot. Bathrooms were excellent and I loved the smell of the wash, though it wasn't suitable for sensitive skin. If I were to come with my sensitive skinned child, I would bring appropriate soap with us. Having a sink saved me from having to go to the shower on a night I stayed up late and needed to freshen up before bed with a quick wash before passing out. For people who do not like separate bathrooms and for whom it's either acceptable to quick wash at a sink or who have religious need of ritual ablution, it's a boon! Also useful for preparing the complimentary tea with the provided kettle. I felt proper British with my cup of P&G on morning 2, lol. I had chosen the 87 Tennyson road for the price and ended up closer to my destination with the move to Gloucester road by a good 20min. Next time I might book Gloucester road right away.

Windows did not close all the way. They are secured against intrusion and theft and I was on the 1st floor, but I wouldn't like to room there in the winter and I got woken up by rain in the inside. Since the material is wood I wiped it to avoid leaving damage that could be billed back to me. It also made noises such as ambulance and police sirens hard to ignore. Thankfully between EVs being really popular in the UK and the neighbourhood being super calm, it was not too much of a bother past midnight, which if you account for French times, was way past my bedtime and close to my passout in bed even if you're reading on your phone time. Bedsheets had some damage at the seams and were very used and old. They were super clean but some people might take offense. I keep reusing mine and mending them that way so it was not a problem at all for me aside from fear or being billed should I be "one too many sleeper" and end them. Thankfully as a cosplayer and costuming afficionado, I had materials to mend it if it happened but that's not everyone. Building B has big bay windows looking over the courtyard where you can park as well as come and go. I closed the curtains at all times as my hyperhydrosis makes me dress down so I can air dry. However, because it was a sweltering July, I could not open the windows AND the bay windows without feeling like I could expose myself from trying to create a draft. The curtains are heavy and excellent occultant but do not hide much if they fly. I ended up closing the bay window so I would not commit a criminal offense by accident, but the sweltering hotness stayed for a long time, meaning I had to run to the shower rather than wait to shower in the morning, which is a bit of a waste of water... The fridge was at 0 degrees (freezing threshold) when I arrived. I did not notice and forgot my bottle of water when leaving for the first day of my trip.

Spot on