Radisson Blu Hotel, Leeds City Centre

The breakfast buffet was good, though we would have liked more vegan choices. Staff in the breakfast area were friendly, and Oana at the front desk was especially kind when we checked in. The bed was comfortable enough and the room was clean, but it could use a refresh. The bathtub’s textured non-slip surface seemed sensible for safety, though it wasn’t very attractive. Our shower was frustrating to adjust: even tiny changes sent the temperature from freezing to scalding. That wasn’t a problem for someone travelling with us in another room on a different floor. Our phone didn’t work, and neither did the TV’s Chromecast. We’d stayed at Radisson Glasgow the night before, and it was noticeably better across the board, so this felt only okay for a four-star hotel.

Breakfast was a mess: there was hardly any food out, no clean cutlery or juice glasses, and people ended up eating at tables still covered with the previous guests’ plates and leftovers. The staff seemed badly understaffed, so I can’t blame the women working there. The location was the one saving grace, but it didn’t make up for the ruined night. Our first room was okay, but with the air conditioning broken it stayed at 26.5 degrees and we barely slept. They moved us to an “upgrade” that looked like an 80s porno set and smelled as if it had been used for one. We went back to the original room and made do with a fan. I stay in hotels regularly for work, and this was the worst experience I’ve had in years. I wouldn’t come back.

We had booked four nights, but circumstances in the Middle East meant our flight was cancelled and we had to cancel the stay. Getting a proper response took a week, and the customer service felt poor and inhumane. They insisted on refusing a refund, though I don’t know what they expected me to do when I couldn’t teleport and there were no flights available. After I tried repeatedly to persuade them, they processed the refund without replying or showing even a little empathy. I can’t recommend this hotel.

I can’t speak to the rooms because I wasn’t staying there, but as a bar and restaurant I’d say avoid it unless you enjoy socialising in a library. We met there for a meal for a friend’s 50th, only to be told on a Saturday afternoon in central Leeds that the chef had gone home. The bar staff didn’t smile, and one Gordon’s gin with Fever Tree cost £10.25. When we were waiting for some of our group of 14 to come out of the toilets before leaving, reception staff told us to be quiet because we were upsetting other guests. It was 4pm in a bar on a Saturday, and we were just chatting and laughing. Four of us were paying guests too.