Sandy Lodge Hotel

The rooms are good value, and ours was surprisingly large. The only issue was that there was no hot water for the over-bath shower. Since we were only there for one night, it couldn’t be fixed before we left in the morning. I suppose we were unlucky.

The staff at the front desk seemed more interested in chatting with each other than helping customers when we checked out. Earlier, the cleaning staff let themselves into our room more than an hour before checkout. I was even more surprised that they actually cleaned it. Our already uncomfortable night’s sleep was also interrupted by someone trying to get into the room in the early hours. The place felt dated and worn from the start. The room had old stained carpet, scuffed and marked paintwork, and a bathroom that clearly hadn’t been updated in decades. The towels were stained and crusty, and sat on a dusty, rusty rail. The cups and cutlery for making tea were dirty too. Relaxing was hard with poor TV reception and no telephone. We were greeted by a friendly staff member who was scruffily dressed. I’d rather have stayed literally anywhere else. Avoid this hotel.

The shower was barely more than a dribble, and there was hardly any parking, though the beach is very close. The room was small and dated, and mine was beside the fire escape, so it was noisy. You could hear people in the corridor and upstairs, as well as coughs, conversations and the neighbours’ TV through the paper-thin walls. The towels were hard and overused, the cup was dirty, and the shower gel was tiny. What really shook my family members up was someone using their key to enter their locked room. Luckily, nobody was undressed. I’m guessing one key opened several doors, which is scary. Lock your door and put a chair behind it. The fire alarm went off in the middle of the night. There was no explanation or apology, just a message that it was a false alarm and we could return to our rooms after people had started evacuating. I wasn’t pleased and wouldn’t return.

The staff were really friendly and helpful, and went out of their way for us. Our rooms were clean and tidy, and breakfast was amazing. It’s just a short walk to the beach and town, and the prices are very good.