Claredon Hotel

I was walking past while looking for somewhere affordable, since I’m moving out of West Coast Motors corporate accomodation and wasn’t happy about having to share. This lovely place caught my eye. As soon as I went in, the locals were there to greet me and were so friendly. The landlady assistant showed me to a nice ensuite room at a very reasonable monthly rent. I can’t wait to move in.

The location is fantastic, right beside the train station and ferry, and the Saturday staff and people in the bar were friendly. Still, this is a very poor excuse for a hotel. It’s so dated it feels almost derelict. The room and toilet were damp and dirty, the floors were uneven, and looking up at the uneven roof made me feel like it might come down on me. The windows were filthy, so you could hardly see out. It badly needs a lot of TLC.

The location was the only good part of my stay, since I was travelling on foot. I booked through Hotels.com and am shocked this was even offered there. Check in was a nightmare. I hadn’t received clear directions beforehand, and only found out from a local man smoking outside the pub entrance, which was named “Clary” with no Claredon Hotel in sight, that I needed to go into the busy bar. I waited at least 10 minutes for the bartender to give me my key and directions. After three flights of stairs, past the “Guest Lounge” and darts room after the first flight, I got to my room with my bag. It smelled musty, looked worn and dusty, and I opened the window to air it out. A quick check for bed bugs made it clear the room hadn’t had a proper clean in a long time. The toilet seat was broken, and who knows how long it had been that way? Being up in the attic did help with the noise later, though when I returned after dinner the guest lounge, darts room and pub were all lively. The bartender on duty then was able to answer my WiFi and check out questions, at least. I couldn’t get my converter plug to work in any of the outlets, so I couldn’t charge my phone. It worked fine elsewhere the next day. With noise going on until the early hours, I got very little sleep and left as soon as I could in the morning. I wouldn’t stay here again, despite the convenient location. It was one of my worst experiences ever, and I’ve travelled a lot and am fine with self catered setups. I’m not high maintenance, but this place nearly pushed me over the edge.

The rooms are basic, but the location is great and the people are fantastic. Staff helped with check in, parking and whatever else we needed. The local crowd in the bar made everyone feel welcome 🏳️‍🌈🌻!