Your worst hotel...
Discussion
Some of these have made me giggle.
Pre-Covid I travelled a lot for work to some "odd" places as well as some great ones. By far the worse hotel I've ever stayed in was the old Novotel in Guinee, Africa. It was a few years ago the only game in town, literally the only hotel. To say it's best days were behind it would be an understatement to say the least. The "restaurant" only did Pizza's so we would have to buy stuff from the supermarket and get the cook (wouldn't call them chef's). They did do breakfast but you had to take your own cutlery and mug down as the locals had pinched everything. The bar was basically a knocking shop but the beer was drinkable and a lot safer than anything else. The hotel did have a internet connection in the reception only, as you can imagine this was filled with a sea of humanity mostly kids doing homework.The only plus side was the Air-France crews used to lay-over there as they were the only large airline to fly into the country so had a couple of good nights with them.
Pre-Covid I travelled a lot for work to some "odd" places as well as some great ones. By far the worse hotel I've ever stayed in was the old Novotel in Guinee, Africa. It was a few years ago the only game in town, literally the only hotel. To say it's best days were behind it would be an understatement to say the least. The "restaurant" only did Pizza's so we would have to buy stuff from the supermarket and get the cook (wouldn't call them chef's). They did do breakfast but you had to take your own cutlery and mug down as the locals had pinched everything. The bar was basically a knocking shop but the beer was drinkable and a lot safer than anything else. The hotel did have a internet connection in the reception only, as you can imagine this was filled with a sea of humanity mostly kids doing homework.The only plus side was the Air-France crews used to lay-over there as they were the only large airline to fly into the country so had a couple of good nights with them.
Hugo Stiglitz said:
I've stayed in some fantastic hotels and Airbnb.
I would never stay in a Britainnia. I stayed in the Hampstead one once. It smelt badly of cigarettes even though the room was non smoking. They showed me two more rooms that were even worse smelling.
I used to walk past that one when visiting the site I was on (pre COVID) it looked like a right sI would never stay in a Britainnia. I stayed in the Hampstead one once. It smelt badly of cigarettes even though the room was non smoking. They showed me two more rooms that were even worse smelling.
thole
Hugo Stiglitz said:
I've stayed in some fantastic hotels and Airbnb.
I would never stay in a Britainnia. I stayed in the Hampstead one once. It smelt badly of cigarettes even though the room was non smoking. They showed me two more rooms that were even worse smelling.
I would never, but you did?I would never stay in a Britainnia. I stayed in the Hampstead one once. It smelt badly of cigarettes even though the room was non smoking. They showed me two more rooms that were even worse smelling.
Our corporate choice hotel in Canary Wharf used to be the Britannia, until I took photos and sent them to the purchasing travel team..... Doors that couldn't be opened with your room key, filthy rooms and bathrooms, no hot water, and loads of people just milling around, like it's a Detention Centre. I certainly didn't hang around to see what breakfast would be like.
Just found this in the Express from two years ago:
"Britannia Hotels has been named as the worst UK hotel chain in new research by Which? Travel.
The chain - which has 105 hotel - has ranked bottom place for the sixth consecutive year and received a very low customer score of 35 per cent"
And yet they seem to be in rude financial health, which seems a little odd. Triumph of hope over experience from customers desperate for a bargain? Corp travel or package holidays where some other bugger is making the reservation thereby saving money while consigning you to a night in a "sth ole"?
It's a mystery. Must be a depressing place to work.
"Britannia Hotels has been named as the worst UK hotel chain in new research by Which? Travel.
The chain - which has 105 hotel - has ranked bottom place for the sixth consecutive year and received a very low customer score of 35 per cent"
And yet they seem to be in rude financial health, which seems a little odd. Triumph of hope over experience from customers desperate for a bargain? Corp travel or package holidays where some other bugger is making the reservation thereby saving money while consigning you to a night in a "s
th ole"?It's a mystery. Must be a depressing place to work.
Edited by ATG on Thursday 26th November 17:01
ATG said:
Just found this in the Express from two years ago:
"Britannia Hotels has been named as the worst UK hotel chain in new research by Which? Travel.
The chain - which has 105 hotel - has ranked bottom place for the sixth consecutive year and received a very low customer score of 35 per cent"
And yet they seem to be in rude financial health, which seems a little odd. Triumph of hope over experience from customers desperate for a bargain? Corp travel or package holidays where some other bugger is making the reservation thereby saving money while consigning you to a night in a "sth ole"?
It's a mystery. Must be a depressing place to work.
From my experience, it wouldn't surprise me if they were "home" to refugees / asylum seekers!"Britannia Hotels has been named as the worst UK hotel chain in new research by Which? Travel.
The chain - which has 105 hotel - has ranked bottom place for the sixth consecutive year and received a very low customer score of 35 per cent"
And yet they seem to be in rude financial health, which seems a little odd. Triumph of hope over experience from customers desperate for a bargain? Corp travel or package holidays where some other bugger is making the reservation thereby saving money while consigning you to a night in a "s
th ole"?It's a mystery. Must be a depressing place to work.
Edited by ATG on Thursday 26th November 17:01
I'm sure Britannia were surviving on OAP Coach Tours.
The arse has dropped out of that market this year, though.
In the early days of the pandemic, they closed hotels and kicked out all the staff who were resident on the premises. Some much more responsible businesses took these staff in, as they were unable to travel home.
The arse has dropped out of that market this year, though.
In the early days of the pandemic, they closed hotels and kicked out all the staff who were resident on the premises. Some much more responsible businesses took these staff in, as they were unable to travel home.
Hotel Start in Krakow, Poland.
Used to be an old soviet military hospital, but the s,p,and i fell off so it was cheaper to rebrand it a ho---tal.
Having said that, it's €9 a night!!!
A TripAdvisor review called it "the worst hotel in Europe, by a pretty impressive margin". It was so bad, it was actually very funny.
Used to be an old soviet military hospital, but the s,p,and i fell off so it was cheaper to rebrand it a ho---tal.
Having said that, it's €9 a night!!!
A TripAdvisor review called it "the worst hotel in Europe, by a pretty impressive margin". It was so bad, it was actually very funny.
Worst hotel for me was in Gozo in a town called Xlendi. Absolutely amazing location but it was basically fawlty towers. We were just above the decrepit reception so could hear the shouting matches the proprietor had with other guests. The rooms were not very clean and the bed sheets were threadbare and too small for the beds so they’d not stay on the dirty mattresses. Their restaurant was dreadful but there were enough other places to go so that wasn’t too bad. The worst was that the couple who ran it were on the take and would put large random charges onto people’s credit cards. Having seen the reviews I played dumb and said we didn’t have cards only cash. They wanted a deposit which they refused to return when we checked out and wouldn’t give me a receipt either. I put something on trip advisor and was later contacted to see if I wanted to join in a class action by other guests. I declined. It looks like the hotel has gone now- split into two and completely renamed from the looks of it.
Oh yes, just remembered the ‘entertainment’ in the rooftop bar which was proper northern club style live music and which was so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think a few floors below. For reference https://youtu.be/MRwgNtv29ig
Oh yes, just remembered the ‘entertainment’ in the rooftop bar which was proper northern club style live music and which was so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think a few floors below. For reference https://youtu.be/MRwgNtv29ig
Edited by oldbanger on Saturday 28th November 15:25
Edited by oldbanger on Saturday 28th November 15:29
8 years running lol
https://news.sky.com/story/amp/a-filthy-hovel-brit...
I've had the displeasure of staying in the weapons grade sithole on the photo.
https://news.sky.com/story/amp/a-filthy-hovel-brit...
I've had the displeasure of staying in the weapons grade sithole on the photo.
I'm going to add a nomination - the old Park Inn Harlow. Now part of the Accor group.
It was like staying in an open prison this week.
Gym and pool have been mothballed. No music in the 'restaurant'. Single chairs at tables spaced about 5m apart. Limited food options. No bar - bottles only.
The breakfast was a 'buffet' served to you by the village idiot behind a plastic screen. Sausages cold, bacon cold, scrambled egg like rubber and the hash brown was so dehydrated, it shattered into a million pieces when I stuck a fork into it.
These places surely can't survive the pandemic? They're just holding on with corporate business - most of the other residents appeared to be railway engineering teams.
It was like staying in an open prison this week.
Gym and pool have been mothballed. No music in the 'restaurant'. Single chairs at tables spaced about 5m apart. Limited food options. No bar - bottles only.
The breakfast was a 'buffet' served to you by the village idiot behind a plastic screen. Sausages cold, bacon cold, scrambled egg like rubber and the hash brown was so dehydrated, it shattered into a million pieces when I stuck a fork into it.
These places surely can't survive the pandemic? They're just holding on with corporate business - most of the other residents appeared to be railway engineering teams.
Cherry Park Hall Hotel, Blyth. Formerly known as The Charnwood.
I've not stopped in this one, it's local but the fall from grace is quite remarkable. As we've seen, this isn't a rare thing but given I pass this one quite regularly it is quite intriguing.
15+ years ago, this was quite the place to go for an evening meal. Not particularly expensive, but just one of those places people would treat themselves to eat out at now and again. I never went, before my time. Not a unique story in that it was bought and the owner made changes, none of which seemed to workout. I believe the current owner has 'history', every now and again I check for new reviews as they can be quite entertaining; this is the latest on TripAdvisor.
I've not stopped in this one, it's local but the fall from grace is quite remarkable. As we've seen, this isn't a rare thing but given I pass this one quite regularly it is quite intriguing.
15+ years ago, this was quite the place to go for an evening meal. Not particularly expensive, but just one of those places people would treat themselves to eat out at now and again. I never went, before my time. Not a unique story in that it was bought and the owner made changes, none of which seemed to workout. I believe the current owner has 'history', every now and again I check for new reviews as they can be quite entertaining; this is the latest on TripAdvisor.
Reviewer said:
The most disgusting, awful, scariest hotel experience ever.
Myself and my partner booked this hotel for the night before his birthday, as we were passing through to see family before we headed up to a night of “glamping” in Leeds, so we didn’t really mind where we stayed the night before.
Booked online, very close by to my grandparents, lovely photos of the bedrooms - seemed like a great deal.
Turned up quite late (around 10pm) so was dark. Locked fire escape door with a cardboard sign asking you to call a mobile number to be let in. So I did... a man came to the door and lead us into what I can only describe as a squat. Litter, clothes, empty bottles, bits of food, ash trays, electrical lamps hoisted up against damp walls, ladders in the corridor, wallpaper hanging off, a LAWNMOWER? And the smell? My god. This place is a health and safety officers worst nightmare. I felt like I’d walked into a horror movie.
The owner (but could well of been a homeless man who broke in and is now letting rooms...that’s what it looked like) sat me down to check me in via paper and pen. I immediately gave fake details and signed a fake name where it said along the terms and conditions “the hotel is not responsible for anything whatsoever” .... what??? Why would you need people to sign that?
He led us to our room. The door didn’t even lock. Extremely intense smell of bleach, stains on the sheets and carpet, a broken/smashed window that lead onto a main road, no working lights, damp and mould everywhere. He showed us our bathroom and goes “oh, I forgot to clean that” ...
I said “no worries, you can do it while we get our bags” ... I then left the room, ran to my car and left. We were absolutely terrified. I felt like I was expected to stay in an abandoned, unsafe and filthy squat.
To the owner of this place, have some respect for what you are advertising to people. Your establishment is disgusting.
For anybody at all who may think I am exaggerating, I swear to you I’m not.
Myself and my partner booked this hotel for the night before his birthday, as we were passing through to see family before we headed up to a night of “glamping” in Leeds, so we didn’t really mind where we stayed the night before.
Booked online, very close by to my grandparents, lovely photos of the bedrooms - seemed like a great deal.
Turned up quite late (around 10pm) so was dark. Locked fire escape door with a cardboard sign asking you to call a mobile number to be let in. So I did... a man came to the door and lead us into what I can only describe as a squat. Litter, clothes, empty bottles, bits of food, ash trays, electrical lamps hoisted up against damp walls, ladders in the corridor, wallpaper hanging off, a LAWNMOWER? And the smell? My god. This place is a health and safety officers worst nightmare. I felt like I’d walked into a horror movie.
The owner (but could well of been a homeless man who broke in and is now letting rooms...that’s what it looked like) sat me down to check me in via paper and pen. I immediately gave fake details and signed a fake name where it said along the terms and conditions “the hotel is not responsible for anything whatsoever” .... what??? Why would you need people to sign that?
He led us to our room. The door didn’t even lock. Extremely intense smell of bleach, stains on the sheets and carpet, a broken/smashed window that lead onto a main road, no working lights, damp and mould everywhere. He showed us our bathroom and goes “oh, I forgot to clean that” ...
I said “no worries, you can do it while we get our bags” ... I then left the room, ran to my car and left. We were absolutely terrified. I felt like I was expected to stay in an abandoned, unsafe and filthy squat.
To the owner of this place, have some respect for what you are advertising to people. Your establishment is disgusting.
For anybody at all who may think I am exaggerating, I swear to you I’m not.
Landcrab_Six said:
I particularly liked the review from the person who took his mistress / hooker there for an afternoon session.
That's probably their market, to be honest.
That one did make me cringe somewhat, why would you bother to review if that's what you were up to, especially a reasonably positive one? Embarrassing really, I suppose they're wanting some attention. That's probably their market, to be honest.
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