Loddington House Hotel

One of the worst hostels I've stayed in. The view from the balcony is amazing, but the hostel was full of dust. The most embarrassing part was the guy who welcomed us at night and showed us what we could use in the kitchen. We didn't use any of it, but in the morning he said we'd eaten a lot of things, that lots of stuff was missing, and then demanded £10. We had no problem paying £10. The problem was the way he searched us. There were no toiletries either, not even tissues or hand wash.

The owner was really friendly and helpful, and you can't beat the price. Breakfast is self-serve, with tea, coffee, cereal, bread, eggs, beans and bacon supplied. There are three good-sized communal showers with plenty of hot water. Our room was basic, but the beds were comfortable for us. Our friends had a room with their own shower and toilet, which was a nice bonus. The accommodation is above a pub.

I arrived after booking, but the place was locked and nobody answered the phone. I had to find a room down the street instead. While I was there, I saw multiple rats crawl into the hallway.

If zero stars were an option, that's what I'd give. We arrived during the published opening hours to find the accommodation dark and locked up. I followed the instructions on the door and called and texted, but the landlord never got back to me. After a 20-hour drive across Europe, my passengers and I ended up sleeping in the car with no toilet access. That's the last thing you want as a tired traveller, so do yourself a favour and book somewhere reputable, such as one of the major chains, instead of giving your money to this local business. I protected myself by booking through PayPal and taking photos to show I arrived on time. The landlord told my booking agent there had been no “disruptions” to my booking. Denying guests access to accommodation they'd booked is a massive disruption, in my view. PayPal refunded me because the landlord also failed to communicate with them, just as they never replied to me. Looking further into the place, this doesn't seem to be an isolated incident, but a systemic problem. Avoid it at all costs.