The Grafton Rooms

I was placed here by WN council in emergency housing, room7, and after 13 months I'm finally listing some of what I've experienced. I hadn't complained until now. How did this place pass a safety inspection? The fire door has a large gap around it, and with it locked I can see light from the hallway. The smoke alarm is hanging out, there's a big gap at the top of the small bathroom window when it's shut, and the microwave is corroded inside. There's not even a mini fridge to keep milk fresh. I gave up trying to use the shower. Getting through the gap in the doors was a squeeze, and once inside there was no room to bend down and wash my lower half. I'm 6ft2 and 22st. I was accused of having a female guest in my room, but it was room 6, even though the place has CCTV everywhere. Management still got it wrong. The guest, a sex worker, kept knocking loudly and shouting “Billy¡¡” at different times over several days, including 11pm, 2am, 5am and 7am, before the code on the main door was changed.

The proprietor was friendly when I arrived late, around 10:45pm, and the bed was comfy. I was facing the road but didn't have the road-noise problem others mentioned; the double glazing kept most of it out. The bathroom worked, though it looked rough and could use some TLC. Hot water took a while to reach the shower, but it did come through eventually. There was also a window from my room into the hall, a feature from another era. The hall light was motion-activated and came on a few times while I was trying to sleep, so I think the owners should block the window or paint over it. Fine for a night, like my stay.

We'd wondered what to expect after looking at Google maps and reading the reviews, but the place exceeded my expectations. The parking area was secure, and the lovely seating area upstairs was a nice welcome. When he saw one of us had limited mobility, he promptly arranged a room on the lower floor and was very helpful. Our rooms were clean, though they could use a bit of TLC; the bed was clean and very comfy. Handy for the town centre, and I'd go back.

I was in Northampton overnight for an exam the next day, and the hotel's close to the exam centre. There was a restaurant nearby too, thankfully. But the room was freezing in the middle of December, with hardly any heat in either the bedroom or bathroom. My feet were ice cold and I couldn't sleep. There was also loud, nonstop noise from males in the middle of the night, though I couldn't tell if they were inside or just outside. The room may need serious renovation, and the stained carpet could do with cleaning.