East Midlands Guesthouse

I left a day early because this place was such a dive. It was freezing, with no access to heating, and the owner seemed stingy with it. There was no working WiFi despite the claim that they had it, and I could hear every passing car and the radios. The manager was rude. When people post negative reviews, he gets cheeky with former guests and then claims they owe the property money, which is a complete lie. I left the room clear of rubbish and left my dog surcharge on the bedside cabinet. The owner had raised that charge from £5 to £20. Don’t take the gamble. It’s worthy of being a hostel for the homeless, and that’s about it. If I could give no stars I would, but here’s one. Maybe that’s what the premises should be under.

This is a small budget B&B with a basic room, really just somewhere to sleep for a few days. My room was clean, and so were the two shared bathrooms downstairs, with another toilet on the first floor. The shower was adequate, staff were friendly, and free parking in the designated lot is included. It’s in a quiet, rather unexciting part of town, about a 25-minute walk to the city centre and just over 10 minutes from the Midlands Train Station. There was no room service at all during the five days I stayed. Getting to the showers meant going down the stairs in my underwear, which I wasn’t comfortable with. It was also hard to find: there’s no clear sign for The Elk Inn except right by the entrance. In fact, it’s identical to the East Midlands Guest House, the red brick building on the corner of Osmaston Rd and Douglas St. I don’t know why the same place uses two different names.

I’ve stayed in plenty of places, but this was the worst hotel by a country mile. It’s on the corner of two very busy roads, and it was so cold that I had to sleep in my clothes. The towel smelled strongly of damp, and the replacement was just as bad. The shared bathroom was cramped and very basic. I would never stay here again, not even in an emergency.

They got the basics right: clean, well maintained and affordable, just what you need for a night. The staff were friendly and helpful when I booked the wrong date, and they were happy to change it for me at no extra charge. Highly recommended.