Phoenix Pods

When we arrived, there were homeless people standing outside, no sign for the place, and broken pieces of wood we had to step over. We were shown our room and then asked for another £100 deposit. The hallway smelled foul, and the same smell followed us into the room. The walls were marked and had holes, with plaster falling off in places. Some walls hadn't been painted, and the blinds were stained. The bathroom smelled just as bad, though differently, and there was a large gap beneath its door. Between the state of the place and its location, my anxiety was already heightened. Doors outside banged constantly. The last straw was finding a urine stain on the sheets when my partner pulled the bedding back. I couldn't stay there, so after our three-hour journey and with planned events ahead, we had no choice but to book somewhere else. I told the receptionist we were leaving and that, as I'd informed them within 14 of using the service, I wanted a refund. He was understanding and supportive. I emailed several times before the manager finally replied. She blamed wear and tear, the linen companies and other residents for the smell. She said the gap under the bathroom door was because it was a fire door, and offered only 20% off future stays. I was disappointed: we'd left after the first stay, so why would I put more money into it? I asked again for my money back under the consumer protection act. After a lot of back and forth, I've been met with silence. Other reviews make this seem like a regular occurrence, so I'd advise future hotel guests to avoid the place like the plague. I asked to speak to the company director, James Winters, because I'd read a lot about his good work and thought he would be disappointed to hear about this. The manager said she was the highest of high and nobody else could deal with my complaint. When I asked to appeal, she said that was impossible. I said I'd have to contact the ombudsman, and she told me they didn't have one. Management was rude, sarcastic and showed no empathy.