Sunday London Staines-upon-Thames Heathrow T5

The receptionist was warm and welcoming, but the rest of the experience was really disappointing. We didn’t know the checkout time, which was our mistake. As we were leaving, the cleaner knocked and said we were 45 minutes late, then came into the room and accused my boyfriend and me of smoking. We don’t smoke, and we said so. On the way down the hall, the cleaner pushed past us without apologising and was very disrespectful. I left dissatisfied and upset.

We were wary after reading reviews, but our two-night stay booked through Groupon went really well. The room had the river view we’d reserved, breakfast was included, and parking wasn’t charged extra after we showed reception the confirmation. Check-in was straightforward. The room was clean and comfortable, with everything we needed, including an iron and board and a hairdryer. The bathroom looked a little worn but was clean. We enjoyed drinks and dinner in the bar on our first evening. The food was good, prices reasonable, and service friendly and efficient. Breakfast was lovely too, with plenty of options that were replenished promptly, plus omelettes, poached eggs, or scrambled eggs made to order. Everyone we met on staff was welcoming, especially the woman looking after breakfast on both mornings. The hotel is near the high street shops and restaurants, a short walk from the station, and close to pleasant riverside walks. We’d definitely recommend it.

The staff were kind and wonderful during my business stay earlier this month, especially in the restaurant. I was given a lovely room with a balcony looking over the lake. I only gave it four stars because the curtains were broken, and the built-in storage area hadn’t been properly cleared before cleaning. There were tissues and clothes, including a hat and socks, left by previous guests. At £360 for three nights, I’d expect more care.

We’d paid in advance for dinner, then arrived to hear the restaurant had no food because there was a wedding reception. They’d still taken our money. When a guest was moved because their room had no hot water or water pressure, the receptionist’s response to the problem was, “What do you want me to do about it?” The receptionist was rude throughout and shut down even basic questions, with no customer service skills. Our room smelled musty, and traffic noise came through all night because the windows wouldn’t shut properly. The bathroom had various stains and brown marks across the door. We’d also prepaid for breakfast, advertised to start at 6:30, but were told it would open later due to staffing problems. Since we had to travel for work, we skipped it.