When we eventually found the hotel (the street numbering is somewhat eccentric and there was no sign - we were in house no. 345, which is next door to 387, the house shown on the photo), we were greeted in the dingy, shabby entrance hall by the smell of cat pee. There was a handwritten note saying to use the phone on the desk to call the owner to check in. This note was always there and we never saw any staff after that. Our room was cold, cramped and had an equally unpleasant smell. The windows were dirty and draughty and the paint was flaking off. There was a chest of drawers, but no wardrobe to hang things up, just a couple of coat-hangers. The bathroom was tiny, with no heating for when it gets really cold, and there was nowhere to put things down. The large TV, which received one channel, was conveniently placed right in front of the mirror! There was a small fridge and a kettle and 2 cups (there were 3 of us), but no coffee or tea. Cleaning was by request only.
The self-service breakfast was of the most basic standard and was meant to be taken to your room (3 people, 1 chair, no table), to the "shared kitchen" (2nd floor, 2 bar stools) or in the garden (pouring rain). So we risked being told off and stayed in the freezing cold breakfast room, as did other guests. After one morning of polystyrene plates, paper cups and plastic knives that couldn't cope with the hard butter we went elsewhere for breakfast. (Try the Dutch Wooden Shoe Café up Cambie Street.)
The only good thing about the place is its location in a quiet, leafy street close to public transport.
Don't go there!
