DoubleTree by Hilton Stoke on Trent

The rooms and common areas were spotless, and the interior looked much nicer than I'd expected. Everything felt comfortable and well cared for, which made it easy to relax. Jane deserves a special mention. She was warm, attentive and made the stay feel especially pleasant. From arrival, the whole staff were welcoming and genuinely helpful. Thanks to everyone for a lovely visit. I'd happily come back to the DoubleTree by Hilton in Stoke.

My vehicle broke down, so I stopped in to use the toilet and get something to eat. I wasn't staying at the hotel, but the receptionist and bar staff were polite, and everyone treated me just as respectfully as a hotel guest. They were all welcoming, and the receptionist in particular is brilliant at her job and deserves praise. The food was reasonably priced and the drinks were okay. I'd highly recommend the place and plan to stay as a guest in the future.

Dear Hilton Customer Relations, During our New Year's Eve stay this evening, I bought a jug of milk for my child and found a fly inside after opening it. It was very unpleasant and concerning from a hygiene and food safety point of view, especially since it was for a child. I raised it with the manager on duty, but the response was disappointing. I was offered £1.50 back for the milk and asked, “What would you like me to do about it?” I was also told they “can't help it if a fly flew in,” and that staff would be asked to look for flies in future. That came across as dismissive and lacking responsibility. The incident spoiled our stay, so I asked for a full refund. That was refused. Instead, I was offered a free or refunded breakfast, which didn't seem appropriate given what happened or how it was handled. Finding an insect in food is a serious hygiene concern, and this response was well below the Hilton service standard I expected. The way I was spoken to made an upsetting situation worse. Please review my complaint urgently and let me know how this will be addressed and what compensation might be offered. Kind regards,

I got married here 30 years ago, and the city has suffered since then. The hotel has changed hands several times, so I came in with low expectations. It ended up being great: the rooms are huge, and the whole place has been redecorated really well. It's a big hotel, though the lift is a bit tatty and the ground floor lobby feels like the land that time forgot. Still, it's a yes from me.