Great if you want to be out of London after a busy day, enjoying the restful atmosphere of a forest. Be prepared to walk a half hour or more from Loughton underground station. You can also pitch your tent for half price. Those who like the place like it a lot.
It was a very nice place -- very quiet and nice countryside. I'm from Cambridge so it was nice to go back, as I haven't been there for five years. I thought it was brilliant, like going to the park and shopping and staying in the youth hostel and going back to Ducksford Air Museum -- it was fantastic trip. It was good in Saffron Walden and would tell other people to go there. It was also good at Aklowa Village. I am so happy I went there -- I could live there.
Harlow International Hostel in Harlow … We were really disappointed with this hostel. Firstly, it is not easy to find especially if you arrive at night and you have to walk up through a very dark unsafe-feeling path. The only way we were able to find it was asking the locals. When we asked for towels we were looked at as if it was a huge inconvenience. We were given one small towel between the two of us. When we asked if it were possible to have one each we were looked at as if we were stupid and as if it was a big thing to ask. If you need to get a bus somewhere at a particular time I would recommend that you find the bus stop the night before or with plenty of time — with the extremely vague directions we were given it took 2 or 3 tries before we could actually find it.
Harlow International Hostel in Harlow … This hostel was not comfortable at all. There are two parts to the building, the main building and an annexe. There is no kitchen in the annexe, you have to go through the garden to get to the kitchen. I was given a room to myself as expected from my booking. The room was in very poor condition, the duvet covers were torn, and all around the door post, and the door itself it was completely black and dirty. It smelled of lack of airing or even damp. Not only that but the room was separated from the rest of the hostel and even from the annexe. There didn't seem to be any other rooms taken there by guests although I heard someone in and out at all times of the day. The shower was working on cold only, and in general the bathrooms there were in an appalling condition and needed a lot of reconstruction work to bring them to an acceptable standard. I eventually left a week earlier than I had intended and was not entitled even to a part refund.
Greenways Lodge, Stansted Airport in Stansted Airport … I just wanted to say that I stayed one night at the above Hostel whose facilities were more than adequate. The only problem I encountered and it is very misleading in the booking is that the hostel is not one mile from Stansted airport terminal building but nine miles from the passenger terminal. When I challenged the owner, he was extremely rude to me and said yes it is one mile from the boundary of the the airfield! This is misleading information to the guest who may book a return taxi timing with their flight based on one mile away. Also, the only reason we got back to the airport in five minutes as quoted is that the owner was far exceeding the speed limit!
The Bushel & Sack Hotel in Stansted Airport … This is probably the worst hotel I have ever stayed in. They charge £80 for a room only worth £30. There was mould growing in the shower, there was no remote control for the TV, we were woken up at midnight by reception asking us to move the car, which they said when we booked in was fine where it was. We were then kept up all night by doors closing and people walking up and down the corridors. The restaurant is very over priced, and the food is bland. If you are unfortunate enough to stay here then I recomend you dont have the breakfast, as it is an extra £5 per person for the continental, and for that you can have a choice of processed cheese slices, some cheap ham, toast, with no preserves, a selection of yoghurts, and fruit, all of which is still frozen. A case for the food hygeneist I think. The worst thing is that when you want to complain the manager is no where to be found. We put our complaint in on the Monday morning to the "receptionist" and she told us that the…
YHA Castle Hedingham Hostel in Halstead … Castle Hedingham Hostel is situated in Castle Lane, just below the ruins of Castle Hedingham in the tiny village of Halstead in Essex. If you wish to experience life in an English village as it was centuries ago – the stuff of all Victorian novels – you simply must visit Castle Hedingham.
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