The Dene Hotel

The staff were friendly and helpful, and at least the beds were clean. The rest was dreadful, easily the worst hotel I've stayed in. Furniture was worn out, crockery dirty, and the toilet roll holder broken. There was no bedside light, and the bedroom lights were too dim for reading. The dining room floor looked dirty and apparently hadn't been cleaned in five days. The same litter sat in the car park for those five days too. We had no TV remote, and soundproofing between rooms was very poor. Items listed for the breakfast buffet never appeared, and bar meals weren't available during my stay even though the menu was still online and on the tables.

The staff were friendly, and the clean bedding and warm room made it okay for one night. It could be a lovely hotel if some money were spent on it. The shower took 30 minutes to get warm, though, and the furniture was dirty and broken. The carpet was dirty and didn't sit properly, the curtains didn't fit the windows, and the bedside light didn't work. Some windows wouldn't open, and the room needed a thorough clean. The dining room was shabby and the side plates were dirty.

The staff were lovely, and the chef was really nice, but the breakfast wasn't up to much. The hotel could do with redecorating. We stayed two nights, and because they were full there was no cot for my baby on the first night. On the second night I got one, but couldn't use it: the blanket they gave me felt like old, itchy Hessian and had green spray paint on it, as if a decorator had used it to cover furniture. Our room wasn't cleaned during the stay. I asked for toilet roll and never got any. I lost my key and had to pay £50 for a replacement. I'd have preferred to buy a new lock, since they're only £12.99. There was no lift, so my 13-year-old couldn't keep the pushchair in the room because it was too awkward to get it upstairs. It was me, my 13-year-old and my one-year-old in a double bed. This might suit a one-night stop while travelling, but sadly I won't be back. The staff were lovely, though it's a 2-star hotel and you can't expect much more.

The room was much more spacious and clean than I'd expected, and the price made it well worth it. There were tea-making facilities, though it would've been nice to have basic shampoo and soap in the bathroom. The location is great, close to the city centre, zoo and other attractions. The receptionist who welcomed me was very friendly and helpful.