Old Coach House Motel

I barely slept, and the bed left me with a really sore back for the 150-mile drive home. The mattress felt like an ironing board, though the bedding was clean, and there were no mattress protectors. During the night, a man came into the bungalow and made a VERY loud phone call. With the walls so thin, it sounded as if he were right outside the door. I felt unsafe and worried for my daughter, so I stayed awake. On arrival at the ‘4 sisters’, we weren’t sure where to park, despite the listing saying parking was available on site. After going back and forth, we found the right place and checked in. The receptionist was really nice and friendly, and showed my 10-year-old daughter and me to a bungalow opposite the main building. I thought £50 for a whole bungalow sounded great, but it turned out all the rooms had been converted into separate hotel rooms, each with a tiny ensuite, probably quite cleverly back in 1972. Our room smelled stale, as if it needed airing. The kettle was full of old water with bits floating in it, and the bathroom was dusty and looked neglected. It wasn’t especially dirty, just sad and uncared for. It’s a shame things have been allowed to get so tired, because some parts were good: breakfast was nice, and the receptionist was lovely. But the upkeep needs attention, including simple things like having a fresh kettle ready, fitting mattress protectors and putting the duvets in the right way round.

For what I needed, this place did the job completely: a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning. I stayed at the 4 Sisters (at North Kyme) on 17 May 25, and the staff were courteous and helpful. My room was compact, with a double bed and a small but adequate flat-screen TV. The ensuite had a very good, powerful electric shower, and everything was very clean. I gave it a well-deserved 5 stars for value for money, not because it’s a 5-star facility. I’d recommend the 4 Sisters and use it again when I’m next in the area.

The room itself was clean and tidy, and I think this place could become a lovely getaway, but it feels very poorly executed and needs a lot of work. The beds need upgrading badly. The mattress was uncomfortable and I could feel the board underneath. The AC was loud and took ages to warm the room. The flimsy blinds didn’t block the outside light well, so curtains or better blinds would help. We came for one night and weren’t looking forward to staying from the start. The parking area is tiny and chaotic, and it was hard to tell which side of the complex to use. A very rude staff member shouted at us to move because we were in the wrong spaces. The toilet had no flush button, and the shower couldn’t be used: there was no holder for the shower head, and the water stayed freezing cold even after we left it running for 15 minutes. What upset me most was the noise. When we were trying to make the best of things and get some rest, the staff running the takeaway in the same building as reception were loud until the early hours. That didn’t help when the bed already felt like a plank of wood.

I woke with terrible back pain after sitting on the bed and feeling the base through its thin mattress. The bathroom was tiny, with rough, unpainted plaster on the walls and mold. There was a damp smell as soon as I entered the room, and the curtains didn’t fit the window or keep the light out. The kettle was disgusting. There was a ceiling fan, but I wouldn’t recommend using it. Its motor was badly unbalanced, and it rocked against the ceiling. It felt as if it could come down at some point. The WiFi was painfully slow. I could send a couple of emails, but streaming on a Fire Stick wasn’t going to happen. Someone described this as a 4-star hotel, but I can’t see who would say that unless it was the owner or someone who knows nothing about hotels. It isn’t purpose-built, but a bungalow converted into rooms, much like student accommodation, except there’s no kitchen. It’s owned by the people who own the Tandoori restaurant across the road, where you have to check in. I definitely won’t stay here again.