Staindrop Hotel

The parking was a big plus, and the staff were so accommodating when my plans changed and I needed to check in late. I stayed one night in a spacious, comfortable room that was spotlessly clean. A big thank you to the manager for being so kind. He lent me a phone charger and even let me have a coffee early in the morning, well before breakfast began. He was friendly, professional and polite.

We started with a few drinks at the bar and decided to get a room for the night. It was a very reasonable price, the beds were clean and made up, and the staff were attentive and friendly. I slept well and had a good night. I got what I expected for the price and would happily stay again.

We left and had to find somewhere else to stay. The room was so dirty that we didn’t want to touch anything, and we didn’t feel safe there either. The sheets had nasty stains, rubbish was left in the room, and the toilet was filthy. The bed had clearly been used, even though towels had been laid out. Staff were looking for a pillow while we noticed the mess. They weren’t helpful about a refund and told us to contact booking.com. From outside, the hotel looked impressive, but it seemed deserted inside. The entrance smelled of weed. The receptionist said he was tired and that Booking.com had overbooked the rooms. He told us he had only just become manager because the previous manager had walked out, and there were no keycards available. They didn’t seem to know which room to put us in. Eventually we were led through dirty corridors and dark, empty function rooms. We’re not fussy and have stayed in plenty of places, but none this bad. It’s a shame, since the location was so convenient for visiting our family.

My partner and I had booked a couple of nights for a nearby wedding, but when we arrived the place appeared completely abandoned. It clearly hadn’t been open for a while, and there wasn’t even a working phone number to reach anyone. We were left without anywhere to stay in the English cold. Definitely don’t stay here.