Hamlet Hotels Maidstone

We were out of there less than 30 minutes after arriving. Reception showed us another room, but it was in much the same condition, so we decided to check out. The first room smelled awful, and opening the windows did nothing. There were stains on the carpet, chairs, and walls, yellowed pillows, broken lamps, mould, and spiders. The toilet had what looked like old stool stains. The overall state of the room and poor security left me feeling neither comfortable nor safe. I understand this is a 3-star hotel, but basic cleanliness should still be expected. I tried to explain what happened calmly to the general manager, Basheer, the next day. In my experience, he raised his voice, hung up on me, and said I would only get a refund if I didn't leave a bad review. That was an extremely unpleasant and unprofessional way to handle things. This was one of the most shocking hotel stays I've had. I wouldn't go back or recommend it.

We ended up enjoying our weekend, even though the room was smaller than we expected and could do with a refresh. There wasn't a socket by the bed, and a double room had just one bedside cabinet. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the communal areas felt clean, tidy, and welcoming. Breakfast was delicious, with several options and complimentary hot drinks. There was plenty of parking, too. The room also had a tea tray, hairdryer, and iron despite needing an update.

Hotels.com contacted the general manager, Basheer, after we got in touch with them. They passed on this message: “Thanks for waiting patiently. I just spoke to their general manager and I’ve informed him about your situation and he informed me that the hotel will be approving a full refund only if you do not post or leave a review on the website.” To me, that sounded like an attempt to stop guests sharing honest feedback and cover up the hotel's condition. We have photos of what we saw, and we're entitled to leave an honest review. Our stay lasted under half an hour. The room was filthy, with visible bathroom mould, dust everywhere, and spiders and webs around the windows. There was also a strange smell throughout. The other rooms we were shown were just as bad. In my opinion, the whole property felt like a serious health and safety hazard. The on-site manager said he couldn't issue a refund and that only the general manager could decide. When we spoke to Basheer ourselves, I found him hostile and unreasonable. He got angry as we tried to explain the room's condition, and the conversation felt intimidating. I didn't feel he had customer service skills or any willingness to sort it out professionally. The refund conditions made the situation worse, and he seemed to think his blackmailing tactics would work. When I said I would report the property to the relevant local authorities, he asked why I was threatening him. Based on the cleanliness and how management handled it, I'd strongly advise people to reconsider staying here.

The outside looks lovely, which is a shame because the website doesn't reflect the hotel inside. As we walked to the room, I noticed a strange smell and an unwelcome atmosphere. The room was unclean, smelled odd, and felt like something from a 1970s horror film. I checked out within 20 minutes. The manager was friendly enough and tried to show us another room, but there was no way we were staying.