94 Bow Road, London, United Kingdom | +44 20 89 83 1055
Affordable hotel near public transportation and Olympic Stadium
Flexible rooms and apartments that can sleep up to eight people
Free, self-serve breakfast
Free Wi-Fi
Reception is staffed 24-hours
Airport shuttle, for a fee, across the street
Neighborhood is gritty
Furniture throughout is worn and dated
Bathrooms have some cleanliness issues
Rooms can be noisy
No elevators or air-conditioning
Lighting is dim with little natural light
CityStay Hotel is a 20-room, budget property in East London that is, as the British might say, down at the heels. There are rust stains in the showers and sinks, some of the rooms have bars on the windows, and the lounge has little natural light. But the price is right, a free breakfast is included, and the location, next door to a London Underground stop and a 10-minute walk to the Stratford Olympic Village, is accessible, even if surrounding streets are gritty. There's flexibility in the room sizes too, with triples and one and two bedroom apartments. For tourists and business travelers on a budget who aren't planning to linger, this hotel will work. For those who seek a more reliable, chain hotel, the BEST WESTERN The Cromwell is a solid alternative.
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Scene
An affordable spot for a night's sleep
Upon arriving at the CityStay Hotel, guests will find a brick and concrete building, and after walking up a short flight of stairs, will enter a light brown carpeted and gray-walled lobby to find the small, oak reception counter. The nearby lounge has a wall-mounted, flat-screen TV and overstuffed, black leather furnishings surrounding a coffee table on a red Oriental carpet. To one side, there are three, glass-topped tables with black contemporary chairs providing a spot to nibble on the self-serve breakfast. But its one window is covered by vertical blinds, so lighting is rather grim. The rooms are reached via narrow, carpet-covered wooden stairs.
Location
On an authentic, if gritty street in East London near public transportation
Located on Bow Road, the CityStay Hotel is next door to the Bow Church DLR Train Station and a two minute walk to the Bow Road Tube Station, making it a very convenient location for travelers who wish to reach the heart of London by rail. And there's an Enterprise Rental Car outpost across the street. This stretch of Bow Road is a busy commercial area with a pub, betting agent, police station, and gas station. The park and stadium for the 2012 Summer Olympics is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Historic St. Mary's Church is a four-minute walk. Other sights require transportation. From the hotel to the Houses of Parliament is a 30-minute train ride or a 37-minute drive by car. The London Eye is 15 minutes away via the District Line rail. Across the street, there's a stop for a bus to Stansted Airport; a drive to Stansted takes 45 minutes. Heathrow is an-hour-and-29-minute drive or an-hour-and-four-minute train ride. Gatwick Airport is an-hour-13-minute drive or an-hour-seven-minute train ride.
Rooms
Basic rooms with worn furnishings lacking cheer
CityStay's rooms range from singles to two-bedroom apartments that sleep eight people. Guests have reported stains on the walls, lumpy mattresses, and noise. Some of the panes in the windows are frosted and covered by bars so light can be low. In some upper floor rooms, however, the windows are big and arched. Furnishings are very plain; desks, more like narrow shelves, are accompanied by slatted wooden chairs that fold away. In some rooms, there's one small table lamp and a standing fan, as there is no air-conditioning. Beds are often on platforms covered in striped fabric. Curtains are rather worn in gold damask. Bathrooms are either white or beige in tile and plaster combinations; some have matching floors but in other baths the floors were dark gray tile. Shower stall floors can be dirty, and some showerheads have mineral buildup. But the towels and sheets are clean and bright white. There are wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, though in one room the remote was duct-taped together. Upgrades are needed all around.
Features
Free breakfast and Wi-Fi
Breakfast at CityStay Hotel is free. Eggs are available if guests arrive early before they're gone, and cereal is offered in big plastic tubs placed on the tables in the dining area. There's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. The reception desk is staffed 24-hours. This is good news as the neighborhood is gritty and has some issues with homelessness.
