Torquay House (Royal Oak) — Hotel in London

The studios are comfortable but with restricted air flow window security. But that is all I can say positively.||One live in manager thought it reasonable behaviour to linger standing in the corridor even without the smokescreen of looking at a phone knowing full well conversations are easily heard from rooms. Her shock when she saw me exit my room was proof enough for me to make a complaint. This complaint was quickly dismissed even though a 'right thinking' person would deem the behaviour at the least encroaching on anothers right to privacy. I was told 'I don' t think you will fit in here'. Excuse me what sort of people do you want living here. I thought a well mannered, quiet, friendly person would be welcomed. And bearing in mind that pointing out to reception management at check in that the terms did say I could pay an extension on any day which annoyed them both then led to the start of the targeted disruption. The same manager who liked standing in hallways tried to over charge me £30 at check in. Can you imagine you have only been in the property a few days and you have to complain about the management of the building. From that moment on I was targeted, bangs on my adjacent wall when I was asleep, and unauthorised entry to my room. I also experienced two disturbing unexplained events. I had my phone removed and replaced in a ten minute period and I discovered my sponge under my pan one evening. I asked the operations manager to investigate room entries by staff and was given no response. And the house rules say staff, including an army of volunteers(they clean to stay at the site for free) are able to enter your room at anytime. That in itself is illegal. I was then insulted by the partner of the staff manager I complained about lingering in the hallway( and she did it again) making up a story about not closing hallway doors, which were meant to be open. My complaint about his irrational  behaviour  was then used as a way to get rid of me. I was deemed a trouble maker and shows there is no security with a license agreement with only onevweeks notice during Covid lockdown. The heart of these people. I even spent stressful hours with Shelter who advised (though wrongly I believe now) that the license agreement only gave one week's notice and was not part of the Covid exempt from eviction. Harassed, bullied all because of spiteful female only site staff. The atmosphere in the place is also spooky. The long term residents write effusive reviews understandably for them as a bad review will have you packing your bags at short notice. Quite disgusted with this spiteful lack of hospitality agenda that caused me serious inconvenience and distress....

I’ve been staying at Torquay House for 6 months and it has been a most enjoyable experience. The accommodation is really modern, it’s comfortable, safe and warm (unlike many British buildings). All the bills are included in the rent, so you don’t have to worry about anything. Another major advantage of Torquay House (and LHA accommodation in general) is that you don’t have to sign any long-term contracts and can thus move out anytime you need and/or want. You only need to notify the team at least one week before your departure. For me, this was very important, as at the time I moved in, I didn’t know for how long I was going to stay in London.

The only thing that worried me about Torquay House is the internet connection. At times (and this happened almost every day), the speed would become so slow that I couldn’t even load a Google start page. I don’t know the reason why this happened, but it bothered me that the connection could possibly go down during a video interview, for example. After a few minutes (sometimes longer), the normal speed would restore.

All in all, the 6 months I’ve spent at Torquay House were really enjoyable. The location is very central compared to other similar accommodations and the price is okay if you’re willing to pay for staying in your own space rather than share. Last but not least, the management and staff were very pleasant and nice to chat with throughout my stay. I’ve encouraged three of my friends looking for accommodation to choose Torquay House and they haven’t for a moment regretted doing it.

Thank you, Torquay House, for all the...

I am so glad that I chose to stay at Torquay House! I stayed here for five weeks this summer and it was such a blessing. The residence is clean, modern and spacious. The front desk staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, and were intent doing their part to keep the building secure and safe! My room, a Studio, had everything I could need including a massive bed, great little kitchenette and a perfectly sized bathroom. There are lots of grocery stores near by, Kensington Gardens is a stones throw from your front door, there are several tube stations near by, Little Venice is just a few minutes away, and Paddington Station (10 Minute Walk) can take you just about anywhere else your heart desires. Travelling alone always makes me feel antsy but I felt completely safe, with Torquay House being in such a good location and with the safety measures the building has taken! The walls must be well insulated too because there was little to no noise from the other rooms or the hallway which is fantastic! Even checking out was a breeze! I would 100% recommend staying here and I hope to...