4/10 Poor
Jesse
Travelled with partner
3 Feb 2025
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
We recently stayed at The California and had a mixed experience. The hotel does not quite match the pictures online—it’s much older and smaller than expected, like many places in London, and could use some updates.
On the positive side, the staff and cleaning team were very helpful and efficient, and the shower had great water pressure. We also appreciated being able to control the heat in our room, which made our January stay comfortable (though we’re not sure how it would be in the summer).
However, there were some major downsides. The room was very small, especially the bathroom, with no toilet roll holder and no hand or face towels provided. The mattresses were far too soft, which left us with some backaches by the end of our stay. Additionally, there was construction right across the street, and the room had little to no sound insulation, making it feel like the workers were practically in the room with us.
Overall, while the hotel had some good aspects, it fell short of expectations due to the misleading photos, outdated feel, noise issues, and uncomfortable beds.
Would I stay here again? Not if I can help it, unless some updates are made.
Jesse
Stayed 9 nights in Jan 2025