The Carlton Park Hotel

This place needs knocking down. It's completely run down, which is a shame because it was beautiful when I went 20 years ago. There was mould all over the shower curtain, the room light switches didn't work and the lift was broken. Staff were rude and didn't seem to care. They didn't even tell us we had to enter our car registration at reception, or offer to help us carry our bags up the stairs.

We only lasted one night and wouldn't stay again. The room was dusty, with damaged furniture that didn't match and looked like it had come from a charity shop. The bathroom was dirty across the floor, walls, door, shower head and bath. There were holes in the ceiling and wallpaper hanging away from the wall. The hotel needs a major cash injection to get back to a decent standard. I understand staff need revenue to improve things, but letting rooms out in this condition is wrong. Reception staff were very helpful, though now I wonder if they knew exactly what condition the rooms were in before assigning them. This was one of the worst hotels we've stayed in and needs a huge amount of work to be usable.

The room was disgusting and smelled so bad we had to air it out for hours. Everything was dusty, and the small, uncomfortable beds didn't help. There were just two plug sockets, and one didn't work. The TV was broken too. The elevator was out of order, so I'm not sure how they accommodate guests with accessibility needs. Half the hotel is closed for “renovation”, but I'd rather see it knocked down and rebuilt.

It was quiet, and the bedding and towels were clean. For the money, it was okay, basically just a place to sleep. The toilet had a strong smell, as if it hadn't been used in a while, and the wallpaper beside the double bed was peeling. The whole hotel needs care and doesn't feel very welcoming. I only saw staff when checking in, though both were friendly. It's open 24 hours and you can walk in and out because the door is open. I stayed after a work party, but wouldn't recommend it for couples or families. It used to host weddings and functions, and now it's a shadow of its former self. Hopefully they can turn it around.