New Oscar

I picked this because it was the cheapest B&B in Windsor, £65 for the night and £5 for breakfast. The man running it was pleasant and friendly. I interrupted his dinner, and he even invited me to join him, which was very kind. The place itself is another matter. It was scruffy and not very clean, with bits and pieces, receipts and an empty wine bottle left by the previous guest. The carpet hadn’t been vacuumed along the edges, and the decorating and tiling were so badly done I’ve never seen anything like it. There was also a strong smell of serious damp in the en suite, clearly an ongoing problem. Breakfast was continental, with little choice, but fine for £5. The owner’s a lovely feller, but the hotel needs a lot of work. I wouldn’t stay again, it’s too tatty.

It’s cheap and within walking distance of Windsor town centre, so it’s fine if you’re only there for a night or two and don’t plan to spend much time in the room. The staff member who greeted us seemed friendly enough. We stayed one night, which was plenty. The room had such an overpowering smell of cheap air freshener that my eyes burned. Would I return? Probably not.

The location is great, with an easy walk into town, a few decent pubs nearby for evening food, and the town about ten minutes away. The room was spacious, clean, and cheap and cheerful, though the shower was poor. There’s no cooked breakfast, just continental at an extra charge. Parking on the road isn’t an option because it’s for residents only. They charge £10 a day, which is decent value if you’re staying a few days: Victoria Street car park is £2.50 from 6pm to 8am, but £17.50 for a full day.

The owner offered to bring breakfast to my room. I had my own cereal because I’m GF, so I asked for a bowl, milk, and spoon, but was literally brought a bowl full of milk. I was also charged £10 for parking, which seemed steep since it was in their own yard. This is a really old-style guest lodge. I booked a single room and got a single bed, with no space for a bedside table except at the foot of the bed. The sheets were clean and the TV worked, but despite being told the internet was great, I couldn’t get connected. There was no way to contact reception except to go downstairs. The en suite shower room was tiny: sitting on the loo, I could brush my teeth and touch the shower door. There was lots of mildew around the windows and limescale on the showerhead. The basin was so small I couldn’t fill the kettle under the tap, so I had to use a glass and tip the water in.