Napier Town House

I wouldn’t recommend staying here unless serious work is done on the structure, cleanliness and ventilation. The ground and first floors smelled of cigarette smoke, many kitchen appliances and utensils weren’t very clean, and the living room and kitchen windows wouldn’t open for fresh air. My room was number 5, in the attic on the second floor. It was somewhat spacious, with a working TV, two small tables and a hanger structure, but only one window, no cupboard, and the bathroom wasn’t attached. The bathroom was clean, though water leaked from the bathtub down to the floor below, and there were lots of cracks in the roof. Downstairs there’s a living room with a sofa and TV, plus a kitchen with most utensils and appliances and a small dining area for six. It might work for people who just need an affordable place to sleep for a night, but there wasn’t much to make me want to spend the day or rest there.

The photos gave me a very different impression of the house. I stayed on the ground floor, but couldn’t use its bathroom because of a cigarette or other smell. I had to shower in the first-floor bathroom, where the toilet was out of order, then use the second-floor bathroom for the toilet. The bathtub there leaked through to the floor below. The place smelled of cigarettes, hygiene was really poor, and the kitchen appliances were badly maintained. One fridge and the oven both smelled awful. I also saw structural cracks and bathroom leaks, which made it hard to feel safe. It was a really unhygienic, poor stay. I wouldn’t recommend it unless the house’s condition is fixed.

The room was neat and spacious, and the shared bathroom was tidy and adequate, with a shower, basin and toilet. I used the place as a base for the Lake District: Keswick was 32 minutes away, and Wasdale car park was 56 minutes away. From there you can climb Scafell Pike or visit Wast Water.

There’s a good kitchen and lounge, and we stayed here to travel into the Lake District because it was much cheaper than staying there. It was the cheapest place in the area. Just be warned that sound carries, with lots of activity usually around 6am and sometimes during the night.