Hotel Horda

Sleep wasn't guaranteed here. At 01:18 am, booming music from a party in a dedicated room on the ground floor woke me up. After that, I could hear the next-door neighbor snoring through the paper-thin wall. When we entered, the receptionist didn't greet us. He just put a guest questionnaire and pen in front of us. It felt like a conveyor belt, with no sense of hospitality.

The night staff were especially friendly and helpful, and check-in was simple. The hotel is handy for a quick stop on a trip, near the Polish-German border, the A2 motorway and the Słubice–Frankfurt (Oder) crossing. My room was clean and functional, with five single beds, clearly set up for a group. The striped wallpaper made it feel a little dated. Amenities were basic: a wall-mounted TV and a small desk, with no fridge or kettle. The small bathroom was sufficient, with a sliding-door shower, wall-mounted hairdryer and a few towels under the sink. It's an affordable, practical place for a short stay, not a fancy one.

After driving for 16 hours, we arrived at Hotel Horda exhausted and hoping to rest. Instead, we got rudeness and sarcasm at reception. We came about 20 minutes before the kitchen closed, but that didn't justify the unfriendly, nearly aggressive attitude. Guests shouldn't be made to feel like a nuisance. The only person who treated us respectfully and professionally was a young waiter, and he deserves recognition. There were visible holes in the towel and bedsheet in our room, which is unacceptable for a hotel charging £71 a night. We expected basic hospitality and cleanliness, but the stay was a huge disappointment. We won't return or recommend it. Worse than a motel. Avoid at any cost.

We've stayed here before, and the first of two visits three weeks apart was lovely. The room was clean, staff were always helpful, and both restaurant food and breakfast were amazing. I love this place, so the second visit was a shame. That time we had a room with a terrace. It could have been nice, but there were dead, squashed mosquitoes all over the ceiling and cobwebs on the lights. The shower needed another clean too. When I went to shower, hot water ran for about two minutes and then stopped. I waited 30 minutes, got dressed and asked at reception; they said I had to wait a little longer. When you're planning a journey, time matters, and sometimes there's no time to wait another half hour for hot water. Hopefully the terrace room gets an extra scrub.