Elm House

Elm House's location was a positive aspect, situated in a diverse neighborhood with convenient access to transportation. it's about 10 to 15 minute walk to the town center or you can just take a bus which is located across from the building.

As experienced travelers who have stayed in numerous short-term rentals across 47 countries, we approached our booking at Elm House with optimism. Our extensive experience has encompassed a range of accommodations, from exceptional to challenging. Property Issues:Noise and Structure. The property's thin walls and floors resulted in significant noise transfer from upstairs residents when it's occupied. Late-night parties from neighbors were disruptive. Maintenance Challenges:Electrical Outage. Day one: Extended power loss. Staff response: Suggested waiting until the next day. Our action: Immediately reported to booking.com. Evidence: Our Ring camera footage confirming outage duration Faulty Door Handle. Resulted in temporary confinement within the property. Consequence: Missed important meetings. Repair: Delayed response from staff Appliance Malfunctions:Dishwasher: Subpar performance. Washing machine located in the kitchen yet upon use once, there was Minor bathroom flooding issues Booking Extension: Attempted to extend stay through booking.com for security. Staff contacted us via private WhatsApp. Noted price increase for extension. Concern: Possible non-reporting to booking.com to avoid commission Departure and Deposit Disputes: Stay duration: 3 weeks Our actions upon departure: Thorough video documentation.Stripped bed linens. Organized used towels and linens. Swept floors. Maintained overall cleanliness as we did for the duration of our stay. Their cleaner didn't have to do anything except give us linens and towels once a week. Expected full refund of 200 GBP deposit. Unexpected deductions claimed by management: Alleged wall stains. Plate stains (from malfunctioning dishwasher) and other ridiculous reasons Legal Considerations:Consulted Citizens Advice Bureau. Contemplating small claims court action. Engaging legal counsel Previous successful legal action in Germany for similar issues

Close to shops, nice and spacious

Parking permit

Booked for Reading Festival, really wonderful apartment to stay! Thoughtful welcome wine on arrival.

Property is new and very clean

Did not like the opening on the ceiling in the bedroom, too much light coming in and disturbing my sleep as early as 6am in the morning.

Immaculate property, comfortable and everything we needed for a weekend stay. There’s even washing machine and dryer if the stay was longer. Tea, coffee and breakfast cereal was a nice touch. Very comfortable beds, and plenty of space. The hosts, a separate company managing several apartments, were excellent, with great communication. A couple of small issues were resolved quickly. Would recommend. Reading West station is very handy, Reading central station is about 15-20 min walk. There are also buses that go past. The property is very handy for Reading’s nightlife and restaurants, and the Hexagon theatre.

The apartment is on a main road, and although it didn’t bother us, it’s worth noting that the road is quite busy.