The Olympic Lodge

The staff were lovely and understanding, and kept trying to deal with our issues. We were there in a massive group. The location works well for the stadium and leisure centre, but there’s nothing else nearby, at least not within a short distance. The room had a constant odd smell, stains on the carpet and sheets, and brown, murky water. The power outlets didn’t work properly, so my phone only reached 50% overnight. There were holes in the wall and outlines where lamps used to be. The heating was damaged, and the room was constantly freezing. I’m not against the fully accessible bathroom, but it felt uncanny. Stay away if you don’t need full disabled access.

The beds were comfortable, and for once my back didn’t ache after a night’s sleep, which hasn’t happened in quite a while. The rooms and bathrooms are large and spacious, but they look tired. It feels like a hotel built for the 2012 paralympics and never updated since.

The noise from the floors above went on for hours, with thudding, running, jumping and shouting. We tried anxiously several times during the night to report it. The receptionist spoke to the guests, but it made no difference. Staff weren’t helpful when we raised our concerns again. They offered us another room, but by then we were fed up and chose to leave late that night. We went to the Premier Inn in Aylesbury instead, and found it clean, quiet and well managed. We also tried to get a refund, but that went nowhere because our emails were ignored. We found the Olympic Lodge disappointing from the start. The room had a musty, slightly dirty feel, which we initially hoped to overlook. We wouldn’t recommend staying here if you want a restful night. Between the noise, lack of cleanliness and unhelpful staff, we’ll avoid the Olympic Lodge in future. Save yourself the trouble and book elsewhere.

The room had all the facilities needed, though nothing special. Check-in wasn’t staffed, so I had to go across the way. They were friendly enough there. It’s not especially close to places to eat or drink, but you can drive to them.