Lyttleton Lodge

For £525 a week, the conditions were awful. The facilities were dirty and grubby, the TV didn’t work and neither did the shower. The bed was dirty and uncomfortable, and the curtains were hanging down. Nobody offered me food or drink. I was charged for an extra week even though I only stayed two days that week, and got no refund. My iPad was stolen, so don’t leave valuables lying around. Disgusting place.

The location was the only part of the stay that didn't cause us trouble. We booked two family rooms and a triple, and every room was filthy, with mould on the beds and walls, thick dirt, cobwebs, dead bugs on the windowsills, dirty handprints, debris on the floor and damaged furniture. One smelled of sewage. The windows were cracked, and the curtains, if you can call them that, were falling down. It looked like nothing had been dusted or vacuumed between guests. We were shocked they let people stay in those rooms. I took photos because the reality looked nothing like the advertised pictures, though there were too many to upload. This was dreadful, and we weren’t the only guests who felt that way. I’d never return and would tell people to book somewhere else. A couple with two children left at the same time as us. They said they couldn’t find anywhere else, and had looked as soon as they arrived. They were even considering sleeping in their car because the inside was so disgusting. We should’ve been concerned when we arrived at 10pm and were told to prepare ourselves before going in. The owners should be ashamed to charge people for this. You need to clean your feet on the way out, not on the way in. I’ve always thought somewhere basic was fine as long as it was clean, with a bed and shower, but this didn’t even meet that standard. Zero stars.

The man who checked us in was kind, and I appreciated how he treated us. But we left that night to find somewhere else after seeing the room. There was visible mould on the walls and bed boards, the air was stale with no fan, and the room felt muggy and unclean. I started feeling sick as soon as I walked in. I wish I’d taken pictures inside before we left. The few outside photos might give you a sense of the place. I also wondered whether they change the sheets. If they do, they’re grey and really need replacing.

Public transport made it easy to reach the location, and it’s an inexpensive option for a couple of nights, especially if you’re staying alone. For 50 GBP a night, it’s a comfortable family-run Bread n Breakfast. The beds were cozy but basic, and the bathroom was nice though a bit small. They provided soap, but no shampoo. Water was missing and I had to ask for it.