The Lincoln Hotel

The sink was greasy, and the shower had yellow stains. I gave up trying to decide whether they were just stubborn or something else. The staff were kind, but their strained optimism made it seem as if they knew what guests were about to find. The Lincoln Hotel sits below one of England's most magnificent cathedrals, but the hotel itself felt like a bankrupt care home, with second-hand furnishings. The rooms are extortionately priced for what they offer, as if the brown carpet and sponge mattresses were premium. After seeing my room, I left straight away and was told to arrange my own refund through booking.com. Just don't bother.

The room was cold and noisy, with no working electric heater and poor lighting. It was an adjoining room, with a door through to next door, and there was a wedding reception on. Drunk women came back talking, shouting and laughing loudly until the early hours. I called reception to ask to move, but the woman who answered had a cocky, uncaring tone and said no, that was all they had. There was a lot of dust too, and the hotel felt run down and not properly cleaned. At check-in, the receptionist was in the back eating crisps and licking her fingers, visible through the open door. I asked about food being delivered to my room, what I called room service, and she said I could get food at any time, but she meant takeaway. Two younger staff then joked in front of me about going into guests' rooms to steal their things, and everyone laughed. It felt immature and unprofessional. The online pictures don't represent the place, so be careful when booking. They promote the cathedral views, which honestly weren't that great, and charged £130 for the night. My tea at the bar in the morning tasted awful because the milk was off. I would never stay again, and hope the hotel closes. I'll do my utmost to steer business away and cost them money, which I already have.

I've stayed here several times across November, December, January and February, and the team have always greeted me with a warm smile. They're polite, helpful, and the first people to call me "Mr Bridges". The venue is fantastic, near beautiful places at the top of Lincoln, with restaurants and other spots only a short walk away. Breakfast was good value for the room. I didn't eat dinner here, but the team and catering were always exceptional. I'd recommend it without hesitation and will be back. Thanks for the warm hospitality and wonderful service.

The bed was comfortable and the staff were friendly, so I'd book again despite the room being basic, tired and dark for our overnight stay. The bar didn't feel very inviting in the evening either, with bright lights where some softer mood lighting would have helped.