Best Western Thurrock Hotel

The room service sausage and mash came with plenty of gravy and was perfect. The menu has the classics and more, and the sausages were delicious. I booked a suite, which had a Jacuzzi bath, sound system, open space, floor-length mirror, and the essential amenities. I also had a look around one of the private-hire spaces, and it was unreal for occasions or events. I work in hospitality as a Sales and Events Manager in Reading, so I appreciated seeing it. Kim, the General Manager, welcomed us at the front desk. As someone who works in hospitality, I found the welcome professional, warm, and genuinely lovely. Keira (I hope I spelled that right), the woman behind the bar, was kind and accommodating too, and made me feel welcome. Thanks to both of them for making the stay feel safe, kind, and memorable. I was only in the area briefly, but I'd happily come back and spend longer, perhaps visiting Lakeside and Bluewater nearby.

The hotel was so noisy that I could hear tap water from four rooms away, and there was no soundproofing. I waited until the fourth day for room service, and the Wi-Fi was painfully slow. Breakfast was average, with only a few buffet choices. At checkout there was nobody at reception, so I waited 15 minutes just to hand back the keys. Wouldn't recommend it.

The motorway noise on my side of the hotel droned all night, so I barely slept. My shower tray also filled up quickly, and I worried the water would spill over and flood the room if I'd stayed in longer. I'd already showered and got ready for bed, and wasn't dressed to move rooms or bother the only staff member there. There were hardly any cars in the car park when I arrived on Sunday evening, and I soon found out why the place felt so empty: only one young woman was working, covering reception and the open bar. There wasn't even a sandwich available in the restaurant, and she suggested I order a takeaway. I was concerned about her having to work alone, especially as she seemed to have only recently left college. With so few guests, I was still given a room where the TV, bedside lamp, and even the socket by the kettle didn't work because of faulty wall sockets. Breakfast was nearly adequate, though there was no porridge. I'd already posted this review on Booking.com. The hotel's response thanked me for my feedback, said staff go above and beyond, and signed off as the Thurrock Hotel Team. I found it delusional and felt it completely disregarded what I'd written. They didn't even apologize.

Ellesse at reception was incredibly helpful and polite while I was working in a meeting room here today. I must have gone back 10 or 15 times with about 1,500 questions, and she never complained. 10/10 customer service.