Travelodge Newcastle Whitemare Pool

There’s a free car park, and the location is handy with greg, subway and burger king nearby. The place looks old, though, and the rooms didn’t look clean enough. We had to ask to change from the first room we were given. The bathroom fan was full of dust, the shower pressure was poor, the toilet wasn’t very clean or up to hotel standard, and there was mould in the wall corners. The switches were away from the bed.

The bed was very comfortable and the sheets were crisp and clean, but the rest of the place felt tired and heavily used, with tatty patches and corridors that smelled questionable. There were lots of lone male residents hanging around the entrance smoking or vaping, and as a woman on my own I didn’t feel safe. The staff were okay, though only one woman was on duty when I arrived. The shower over the bath had poor water pressure, and there were no sanitary bins or bags for discreetly disposing of hygiene products. There wasn’t a nearby shop because the garage next door seemed to be in ruins, possibly while being refurbished. Burger King was the only nearby food place I could reach on foot.

We only needed a quick night because our plans had moved earlier the next day. The room was clean and spacious, and the beds were typical Travelodge quality, comfortable enough. We got in around 11pm and the staff were really friendly and welcoming. Just outside there’s a Shell, Greggs, Subway and Burger King, handy for grabbing breakfast before heading out.

The bathroom sink felt insecure, and the toilet wasn’t working properly. In the morning there was no hot water for a shower until I was just about to leave. The TV remote didn’t work either, and the back of the TV was covered in dust. A terrible place to stay. I won’t be coming back.