The Continental Hotel, Derby

I wouldn’t recommend staying here. I felt unwell when I left, and the location seemed sketchy, with a depressing atmosphere. A colleague also reported bed bugs, and I’ve told my employer so this place can be removed from our approved accommodation list. The room was in a terrible state: a strong greasy food smell hit as soon as I entered, and other guests confirmed it. It seemed to come from the ventilation. The walls were damaged, the TV was ancient, and the bathroom was filthy. The sink barely drained, the shower pressure was like a garden hose, and the curtain kept clinging to me. I’d prepaid, but was told on arrival I had to pay an extra £100 security deposit, which hadn’t been advertised when I booked. With the booking’s no-refund policy, I had no real choice but to pay or lose the room. At checkout, I then waited hours for the deposit to be returned while the room was supposedly inspected, which was laughable given how it looked on arrival. The lift was broken and I was on the top floor. My keycard reset every day, sometimes twice in a day, so I had to trek downstairs to get it reactivated and deal with slow, indifferent service. Noise insulation was nonexistent: loud parties kept me awake, and one night there was what sounded like someone hammering on a door at 3 a.m. for several minutes. It was genuinely unsettling. A health hazard and a logistical nightmare. Book elsewhere.

I stayed one night, and the bed was fine, but the room let the place down. The toilet and shower were visibly dirty, which is basic housekeeping. The lack of cleanliness spoiled the stay, and I wouldn’t come back unless standards improve.

We’ve stayed here twice and had a great time both times. The cooked breakfast is lovely, especially the scrambled eggs, which are perfection. The continental option isn’t as good, though after the hot food you don’t really need it. Everything was perfectly clean and the staff very attentive. I’d definitely recommend the restaurant too, the food and service are superb.

The staff were very good, and the facilities were good as well. My room was clean and comfortable, and the hotel was perfectly located for me. I didn’t have breakfast and needed to check out early, which was fine. I enjoyed my stay.