If you’ve ever dreamed of experiencing what it’s like to slowly roast inside a malfunctioning climate control experiment, do yourself a favor and book a stay at the Residence Inn Kensington, London.
Our first room’s air conditioning didn’t work — a minor inconvenience, unless you enjoy sweating through your sheets. No problem, the staff said, we’ll move you. Room two? Same story. At this point, I was almost impressed by their consistency. But wait, there’s more! After some persistence (and mild pleading), we were upgraded to a third room. And yes, dear reader, the AC was broken there too. A perfect three-for-three.
When I pointed out the warm air pouring from the vents, the maintenance guy assured me the unit was “working” because, and I quote, “Can’t you hear it? It’s running.” Oh, it was running all right — just not doing anything useful. I suppose I should have thanked him for the white noise machine.
Compensation? Apology? Any sense of urgency? Not a chance. The hotel staff seemed more committed to the theater of problem-solving than any actual resolution.
Mercifully, the weather outside took pity on us and dropped in temperature by the third night. Nature did what the hotel could not.
If you’re looking for a place with functioning air conditioning, basic accountability, or even a hint of hospitality — look elsewhere. If, however, you're training for a sweat lodge retreat, this might be your spot.
