ibis Carlisle – City Centre

The WiFi wasn’t great, and there was no USB charging in the room, which I’d expect as standard now. The room had been cleaned that day, but it looked worn, with some mold around the shower fittings. Nothing horrendous, though. The location is handy for the station, but the street is near the rougher bars and pubs. The nicer parts are only a short walk away.

This basic hotel suited me perfectly. It’s well located, with a clean room, comfy bed, friendly staff, easy check-in and free parking. The WiFi was good and free too. I couldn’t fault it. This was my second stay, and I’ll definitely be back.

The staff were welcoming when I arrived and friendly throughout, and the location worked well for visiting family in the city centre. I was there for three nights, and mostly just needed somewhere to sleep. The room felt worn: the bedside shelf veneer was peeling, the floor edges looked like they needed a deep clean, and the bathroom sink drained incredibly slowly. I took the stairs, and something unidentifiable sat in a corner on one landing for my whole stay. On my last morning, people in the corridor woke me around 5:45am and banged on my door. I understand staff can’t control other guests, but as a solo traveller I was worried there was no way to contact reception if I needed help. When I told the staff what had happened, they didn’t seem particularly empathetic.

Good enough for a short stay, but I’d choose somewhere else for more than a night or two. The hotel feels quite basic and dated, and the mattress was thin. There were no USB sockets in the room. We were also told check-in was at 3pm, even though our booking said 2pm. It’s close to a lot of nightlife, so a quiet night’s sleep isn’t guaranteed.