ibis budget Southampton Centre

We left after just one night of the two we'd booked. It felt much more like a hostel than a hotel, and even though the basic room was clean, the shower and sink were in the bedroom with no door for privacy. There were only two sockets, both across the room from the beds and mirror, which made getting ready in the cramped space really difficult. We didn't feel safe arriving in the evening with small children, with lots of homeless people around the entrance and in reception, but felt we had to stay. At breakfast everything was dirty, from plates and cups to cutlery. I asked for clean cutlery and got more dirty pieces; when we asked for clean cups, we got paper ones instead, which was a highlight. We packed up in a hurry after a woman came downstairs wearing only a hoodie, with no underwear, faeces smeared down her legs and on her clothes, and started handling what little food there was. Homeless people were also coming into the reception and food area and taking what they could. They were drunk or drugged, staggering around like zombies. Definitely not somewhere I'd stay with small children.

For a budget hotel, it was a solid stay. Both the room and the small bathroom were clean, and housekeeping came every day. The front desk staff were polite and quickly brought extra towels when we needed them. I'd stay again for a short trip.

Nothing fancy, but it did what I needed. I stayed for a couple of nights and it was honestly better than I expected. The room was simple and, most importantly for me, very clean. Staff were friendly and helpful whenever I had questions.

The bed was comfortable and the room itself was clean, but the rest of the facilities and the atmosphere were grim. This was the most basic accommodation I've ever used, and I wouldn't stay again. The room felt like a hospital cubicle and had no tea or coffee setup. Breakfast was awful: a pitiful choice of food, dirty tables and bins, and an unhygienic buffet. People who weren't hotel guests were asleep at tables, looking a bit worse for wear or perhaps with nowhere to go, while others drank cider there. I've paid less elsewhere and had a better stay. This place really redefines budget.