Star Hotel Leicester

The call after checkout was unpleasant. I handed the key to the receptionist, then two hours later a woman called to accuse me of not leaving it and ended the call by slamming down on me. My wife’s scrambled eggs at breakfast had so much salt that she sent them back. The room itself was dirty, with black mould in the shower and human hair on the bathroom floor. Its bathroom door was difficult to close and even harder to open from inside, the curtains were broken, and the net curtains didn’t fit the window, so we couldn’t open the curtains. The flag outside was ripped in half. I wasn’t impressed and wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The bathroom was clean and finished to a good standard, and the welcome from reception and staff was pleasant. I was in room 3. The rooms are basic and simply furnished, which was fine for what I paid. My main concern was that I couldn’t find a mattress protector. The mattress is old, so if you’re fussy, don’t count on a good night’s sleep. At that price, I’d stay again if I’m working nearby.

For what you get, it was very expensive. The bathroom hadn’t been cleaned, and someone had tried to squeeze a king-size duvet into a single cover. We were also told on arrival there was no hot water in the rooms. The sign outside, which I assume should have had the place’s name, was broken. I found an insulin pen in the foyer and handed it to a staff member, saying it could be important to whoever lost it. She just looked at me in confusion.

A lot of refurb work is underway, so I’m looking forward to seeing the hotel once it’s fully fitted out. I came on my motorbike, and the staff went out of their way to find a safe place to store it overnight. The service and help were great, and I’ll come back in the meantime too.