OYO Chase Suites

For the price, it was perfect. Room 14 worked well for two adults and two kids, with a double bedroom and a pull-out sofa bed that was great for the children. Just remember it's a serviced self-catering apartment, not a hotel. The blinds were the one problem because they didn't work, which made sleeping difficult. I think Adam was on reception the night we checked in. He was very helpful and happy to do anything we needed.

A family member needed somewhere at very short notice, so I booked this for one night. Booking and getting in and out were easy. The apartment was clean and generally good for what we needed, with a fair-sized bedroom containing a double bed, wardrobe, bedside cabinets and a chair. The main room had an open-plan kitchen and lounge, a sofa, an armchair, a small but adequate TV and a bar stool by the breakfast counter. For one night, it did the job, though there weren't many utensils or dishes for a longer stay. The nursery or daycare downstairs makes it noisy during the day, especially playtime, though it's not terrible unless happy kids bother you. The toilet stopped flushing just before checkout, which was odd. Inside the kitchen cupboards and drawers was dusty and showed signs of previous use. I would've needed to clean them before using them. Some corners could also use more cleaning, around the skirting boards, under the sink, the shower tray and the windowsill. Still, considering the price, it wasn't enough to complain about. The building didn't feel secure, as the main entrance doors were left open and it was easy to get to the apartment doors. I'd avoid it if feeling safe and secure is a priority. It was booked for one adult, though, so the open access wasn't a problem for us.

The location was excellent for Cannock and motorway links, but the apartment sits above a nursery where children are outside from 9am to 6pm. The main entrance wasn't secure, and anyone could walk in. We had free WiFi, but it didn't work for our whole stay. The walls between bedrooms were very thin, and I could hear the neighbours' conversations word for word, which is no good for privacy. For the money, the number of nights was a good deal, and on first impression the suite seemed adequate. But after looking more closely, it just wasn't up to standard. I wish we'd paid extra for the premier inn, where we would know what to expect. We had chosen this place because it was so much cheaper and had kitchen facilities, thinking we'd eat in most nights. Instead, we ate out more than planned and spent more because there were hardly any kitchen supplies, not even saucepans. The hobs were no use to us without them, and the oven was disgusting, with what looked like crumbs from at least the last 10 customers. On the first night, while settling in, I felt something sticky under my sock. It was food left on the kitchen floor, perhaps by the previous customers or someone before them. The floor was never cleaned or hoovered during our stay. After we accidentally spilled a drink on the sofa one night, wiping it up left a clean patch because we were actually removing dirt. The lounge radiator didn't work, and we arrived to find the windows open in the middle of winter. The toilet didn't flush properly, the shower had a shocking amount of mould, and the shower floor had duct tape on it, so it obviously didn't feel safe to stand on. The sink wasn't cleaned during the stay, and the marks from the first night were still there on the last. One morning, we asked reception for toilet roll and waited over an hour. Then we found someone in the corridor, who brought it straight away. I'd give the place 2/10. It's such a shame because the room seemed fine for the price at first, but it was so disappointing once we checked it properly.

The suite was dirty apart from the bed, and needed updating. The full kitchen had no cutlery, and the blinds were broken, so they wouldn't close all the way. I worried people in the houses across the way could see me, and had to stay covered when going to the loo late at night. It took six or seven calls before I reached anyone who could meet me for check-in. The lift wasn't working, and I got no help carrying my huge bag up three flights of stairs. I wish I'd paid a bit more to stay somewhere else. It's the worst place I've stayed in a long time, and even local taxi drivers told me I was staying at the worst place in the area. I wouldn't recommend it.