The Sleepwell Inn

Please avoid. We booked because the photos looked nice and the listing said there was a heated pool. We also paid about three times what other rooms cost for one night. When we arrived, they sent us to a different “hotel” across the street. With our two toddlers, we had to go back because the door code didn’t work. The number on the door told us we should have been in the main hotel, but reception then said they didn’t have the larger room we’d paid for through the booking site and would try to find us something. We were still sent across the road. The noise was awful: cars, buses, and people outside sounded as if they were passing through the room. A police car or ambulance would wake you right up. We also found glass shards when we moved the bed to make space for everyone. The pool wasn’t heated, so the kids didn’t want to use it. They only stayed in the hot tube, which was the one good part. The price is far too high for what they offer. When we went back to them, they said

The room smelled strongly of damp, like a wet dog, and the bathroom didn’t look cleaned after the last guest. The set-up is odd, with this place linked to another nearby hotel. Booking here was a big mistake. We’d reserved two nights, but left after the first and found somewhere else.

The bed was spacious and really comfortable, and the room itself was roomy, but several things made the stay disappointing. We booked on the day, on a whim, and were welcomed by a lovely woman. Once in the room, though, one of the rooms we’d paid for was locked and we couldn’t get in. We went to check out the pool, sauna, and hot tub. The tub was green, and the outdoor pools were dusty and dirty. There was no privacy in the changing rooms: another guest showed me separate cubicles, but none had a lock, so someone could walk in while you were changing. That guest also complained about the lack of privacy. We ate out, so I can’t comment on the dinner, though the options sounded nice. Back at the hotel, the bowls and wine glasses in the kitchen were very dirty, with food or drink still at the bottom. Parking is very limited, and getting in and out is difficult if you leave and return. Breakfast had plenty of choice, but the waiter came across as a little rude. We felt uncomfortable going to the buffet with the waiter and chef watching us. The menu said drinks were available, but when we went to get one, the waiter said he’d bring it. We didn’t feel we could have more than one and left thirsty. The second room we’d paid for would have helped, but we weren’t given access. I’d call it a three-star room, and I wouldn’t highly recommend staying here.

I felt miserable and cold here, and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for quality. In Sleep Well Inn, room 51 had no working heating. My friends’ rooms had problems too, including one where the heating stayed on all night. The bathroom was poor: only the hot sink tap worked, the water was nearly boiling and hard to use, and the cheap taps poured too close to the basin. The shower cubicle was extremely tight, even for someone as slim as me. I could hear toilets flushing and pipes from other rooms, and the carports were disgusting. The location also made us feel unwelcome. As people from an ethnic minority, we were deliberately made uncomfortable by locals. I don’t blame the hotel for that, but the town and locals didn’t make us feel welcome. We met white people from Newcastle who said they’d also been treated badly for being out of town. Andrew carruthers refused to refund our second night after we decided to leave. Please think carefully before booking.