Londoner charges tourists £52 per night for Airbnb that ‘looks like a prison cell’

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A tiny London Airbnb has left people flabbergasted, as they can’t believe it actually exists.

The accommodation in Angel, which has been marketed as a ‘minimal studio’ has been compared to a prison cell by social media users, due to the very tight quarters.

Inside the one-room space, there’s a small single bed, with a toilet next to it, a radiator, a folding desk, and a sink that’s built into the top of the toilet. The room somehow also has its own tiled shower.

Priced between £36 and £52 per night, the Airbnb’s description reads: ‘The missing link between entire space and private room!

‘A fully self-contained lockable room, it has its own shower, sink, toilet and bed, there’s even a desk/workspace!

‘The tiny size makes it possible to provide the best price for your own space in a desirable central location with great transport links.’

Despite what you might be thinking, the place has received rave reviews on the booking app, garnering an average rating of 4.93 stars from guests.

Dominik wrote: ‘The room is small, but has everything you need. It is very clean and the host is nice and helpful. From this location I could easily walk to the centre of London, you can also take the metro or bus. There are plenty of pubs and bars around. I recommend!’ 

While Thomas said: ‘I had an excellent time in Angel! [The host] was exceptionally attentive and friendly, who made sure my stay was perfect. The studio is immaculately clean and everything is very well thought out to make the small space as comfortable as possible. Cherry on the top is the location: a gorgeous quiet little neighbourhood in the heart of London!’

Over on X (formerly Twitter), people weren’t quite so sure about the place.

Aman questioned: ‘That’s a fancy cell. Why is there a window instead of bars.’ [sic]

While @tdotcade said: ‘Looks like a prison cell designed by IKEA.’

Ameet Mehta proclaimed: ‘This can’t be real!!’ As Ujwal Velagapudi joked: ‘Don’t s**t where you eat/sleep.’

The Airbnb’s host, Marcus, admits that the space won’t be right for everyone and claims he does turn down some bookings due to the size of the room.

He said: ‘I’m very transparent about its limitations in the Airbnb listing — and it can’t be booked “instantly”.

‘I ask potential guests for specifics of their trip and far from trying to squeeze every penny out of it, I turn lots of approaches down. For example, I don’t accept large luggage, people homeworking and the longest stay allowed is seven days.’

He went on to say that he lives beside the space, so wouldn’t want to be around someone who felt ‘misled’ by the booking while they were staying there, as things could get awkward.

‘This is a place to explore central London from — [it] is in easy reach of a host of experiences so it’s not somewhere that needs to provide entertainment. Guests feel good saving money on an element of a city break that’s actually not so important — the things that don’t need space: sleeping [and] showering.’

Marcus added: ‘I took inspiration from the economy of space needed in caravans and boats. I find it odd that people accept small layouts in mobile homes but buildings like this in a permanent residence people think there’s something outrageous in it.

‘I believe living small can solve big societal problems — house shares are better for energy conservation/the environment and if done well direct tourists away from renting entire properties which helps with the housing crisis fuelled in part by short term holiday lets.’

And this isn’t the only Airbnb listing in the capital that’s caused a stir of late, as people recently came across a Londoner advertising a tent to rent in a living room for £68 per night.

The basic accommodation in Soho’s Chinatown is described as ‘convenient to anywhere’, offering the ‘best location’ for those who stay.

Its listing reads: ‘You won’t forget your time in this romantic, memorable place.’

And while we’re inclined to agree that you’ll likely remember a stay here for a long time, the romantic element is up for debate.

Photos show an open plan kitchen/living room with three small tents lined up in a row, each of which can house up to two people (although it’ll likely be a tight squeeze).

Guests pay up to £68 a night for their festival-style lodgings – including a shared bathroom and kitchen – with longer stays taking the price down to £38 or £1,140 for 30 days.

There are also some extra stipulations on guests in the tents, which are in the communal area of a building where multiple rooms are advertised as holiday lets.

Under ‘other things to note’, the Airbnb post says: ‘The time of shower is arranged only after 10am usually every day.’ Plus, you’ll be be watched by surveillance cameras, placed directly above the tents ‘to protect the luggage and safety’ of other guests.

However you will have access to WiFi, a dedicated workspace, air conditioning, a washing machine and a hairdryer, so it’s not all bad

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