OYO The Rowers Hotel

The price made me take a chance on this hotel for a Saturday night. The better-known local hotels were coming in at twice as much, and booking this one turned out to be the right call. It was brilliant for the money, with clean, comfortable rooms, a handy location, and really friendly staff. I'd stay again and recommend it. Cheers neil

The rooms were a decent size, and the man who met us at reception was nice, gave us information, and offered to book a cab. Beyond that, we found the place filthy. Things were dirty or stained, coated in smoke or dust, or simply unusable. The smell in the rooms was like a filthy ashtray, clearly from years of smoke rather than just one previous guest. It needs a thorough deep clean before it hosts anyone. The building is so old we could hear people above, below, and next door. The area felt seriously risky to walk around at night, and even going out for a walk or a smoke felt scary. We paid £50, about the same as the 50 and 55 prices we'd paid at other hotels in Luton, Manchester, and Wales, but got less for our money here.

My room was warm, spotless, and better than I expected for a single. The bed and linen were clean, the bathroom was small but had everything, including free toiletries, and there was plenty of tea and coffee. I even turned the heating down on the second night. For a place to sleep and rest, it was perfect, and I'd recommend it. I chose it because it was close to the Metro Shopping Centre and easy to reach from central Newcastle, and both were as advertised. It's an easy-to-find 15-minute walk from the train station on a well-lit road. The room was fabulous, though the rest of the building isn't in good condition. On arrival at 7pm, in the dark, it looked derelict and unused: no downstairs lights, dirty-looking, tatty windows and curtains, and a locked front door. I rang the bell a few times and couldn't tell if it worked before someone answered. The gentleman was welcoming and friendly, and even offered to carry my case. The entrance looked drab and dirty, but through another door the small reception was clean and presentable, if dark because of all the wood cladding. There was no one at reception for questions, just a note with a number to call, which felt like a faff. Leaving my key on the desk in the morning felt odd. On the second evening, the bath and shower had no hot water, although the sink did. I tried again in the morning, but had to catch a train and couldn't get it sorted. It didn't ruin my stay, and I chose not to contact anyone the night before. I had a room-only booking and couldn't see anywhere for breakfast. The conservatory shown in the hotel pictures, visible outside through the fence, had dead leaves all over the floor. You get what you pay for.

The staff were really nice, but the property felt dated and could have been cleaner.