We were recommended to stay at the Strand by a friend so assumed ti would be decent. We booked well in advance from London but it was very hard to get them to communicate either by phone or email. Having let them know that we would be arriving very early of 2 long-haul flights, we were a bit upset to be told that we couldn't check in for another 2 hours and we could sit in their (dingy) lobby. The manager was extremely rude, we were extremely tired and he kept implying that if we paid him some baksheesh he would let us up to our room. So we did being new to the country. The room was really dirty and unhygienic. The sheets were dirty and the beds (twins not double as we had requested) were uncomfortable. The bathroom was even worse. Things were crumbling and rotting. The paper dispenser kept falling off the wall. the shower didn't work just a drip/ But there was hot water which was a relief which we could fill a bucket with. The room had a "balcony" which was basically some old wooden doors that opened onto a hot and smelly small room with windows that looked onto other windows. We could deal with the room but the staff were another story. They were shockingly rude and made me feel very uncomfortable as a girl. They repeatedly asked for tips and more money. They offered us services, such as booking bus tickets which we later realised they charged triple the prices for. I hated staying at the strand! the only good thing, was that there was a nice bar/restaurant on the roof of the building with good food, beers and nice waiters, but I think, sadly, that this was a separate establishment that the strand hotel itself. The strand looked like it had a restaurant on the ground floor but it was always empty and looked grubby. I in no way recommend this hotel to anyone. But it is conveniently located!