Popup Durham

The room was dirty, with filthy sheets and a dirty bathroom. We had to ask for it to be cleaned before we could go in. A student did it, not a cleaner, and all he did was change the sheets. He didn’t clean the room or empty the bin. The shared kitchen was filthy too, with uncollected rubbish and food debris on the surfaces. Not acceptable. Staff argued in front of customers and used very inappropriate language, which was off-putting. It’s a student hall of residence, so the beds are three-quarter size rather than doubles, and the duvet is single. I don’t recommend staying here. It’s a shame, as it’s a beautiful new building with lovely grounds and could be great.

We had to find somewhere else to stay after staff told us on arrival that the hotel was closed for one of the two nights we’d booked. Nobody had let us know beforehand. When we got to the room, the bins were full and the bedrooms were dirty, as if they hadn’t been cleaned in weeks. Staff showed little interest and did nothing to sort it out.

I cancelled before the deadline, but the hotel still hasn’t refunded the full amount it had already charged to my credit card. The money was supposed to be returned within 10 days. Trying to reach them has been impossible: calls go to voicemail, which is full, and email gets no response. Really, really poor customer service. I’m very disappointed and can’t recommend this place.

There were dead bugs, beds left unmade and rubbish bins full. I’d expect that sort of thing only at a £10 youth hostel, not in a room advertised as a hotel. A horrible experience, and I’d tell anyone who wants to avoid a ruined holiday to stay away.