Airport Gateway Hotel

The only good thing was how close it was to the airport. The room wasn’t clean: it hadn’t been vacuumed, and there were chewing gum and nail clippings left by previous guests. The shower had mold and water ran onto the floor. There were no bathroom fans, and mold seemed to be growing. The hallways were disgusting and looked like they’d never been cleaned, so I’d suggest keeping your shoes on. The place lacked basics, including a jug, a sink plug, tea towels and replacement towels. Staff were sometimes rude when we asked for essentials, or didn’t know what items we meant. Neighbors set off fireworks and drove loud cars through the early hours every night. I didn’t feel safe with the fire exit doors left open all day, and the driveway was full of potholes.

The front desk staff were delightful, and a smile really does go a long way. Getting around from the location was easy, and the yellow bus runs to and from the airport. But the room was well below standard: stained pillows, hair in the bed, a broken shower door and a dirty, moldy bathroom ceiling. The TV internet didn’t work, so I had to use my own mobile data as a hotspot. Neighbors in nearby rooms were very noisy. I ordered Uber Eats because the restaurant didn’t cater well for alternative requirements. It presents well and may do if you just need a bed for a night and aren’t fussy, but I won’t stay again. Thanks for the lovely service at the desk.

We could hear everything from the corridor and the rooms beside us, which was the downside. The bed was very comfortable, and the hotel had a microwave, kettle and everything we needed in the bathroom. The city centre was about an hour and a half away.

Our first night was fine, but we stayed three times over two weeks and each visit got worse. In the second room we found a bed bug in the morning, photographed it and reported it to reception. A few days later, several of us had bites, so we asked to cancel our next booking and sent photos, timestamps and location data. They said there were no refunds and claimed the photos weren’t from their motel. Even after we sent proof, the reply was, “See you when you stay.” We couldn’t get our money back, so reluctantly returned for a third and final stay. There weren’t enough towels for the booked guests. A blocked shower drain flooded one bathroom. Housekeeping arrived after about 30 minutes and said they’d call a plumber, then came back another half hour later to say no plumber was coming. They tried cleaning it themselves and left the mess in the room bin. The kettle was dirty, with black particles floating in it, and the microwave didn’t properly heat baby bottles that needed sterilising. Night reception staff were friendly and genuinely tried to help, but the hygiene concerns, maintenance problems and response to the bed bug issue made the experience extremely poor. I wouldn’t recommend this motel.