Livington Hotel

I was left disappointed by how little support was available after hours. No staff seemed to be on hand, and when I tried calling from the phone in my room, nobody picked up. The accommodation also felt overpriced to me given the lack of service. I couldn't recommend it to anyone expecting dependable, attentive help.

We stayed for two weekend nights and didn't feel safe, though maybe we were just unlucky. The hotel seemed deserted, with nobody around in the elevator, on the floors, or elsewhere. Empty coffee cups were scattered around, and it didn't look as if anyone was cleaning. At breakfast there was no one there either. Some guests were picking up food with their hands instead of using the buffet tongs, and no staff were present to stop them. There were mostly teenagers staying there. I don't understand the high ratings on Booking and Google. The lobby couch, if you can call it a lobby, looked like a broken, cheap IKEA sofa about 20 years old. The only upsides were the free parking and a comfortable bed. I wouldn't stay again or recommend it to family or friends.

The room was a good size and had excellent facilities, and the price was good. There was free coffee and biscuits downstairs, plus a microwave in the residents' lounge. A Co-op is just a few yards away. It was quiet except on Saturday, when a rave club across from the hotel, in what used to be a pizza and burger shop, stayed open until 6 a.m. If you're under 26, the nightlife is sorted. There were lots of cars and people around, so make sure your car is locked in the car park.

For the money, this place is hard to beat. It's out in the suburbs, but the Metro station is close by. The staff were extremely friendly, the atmosphere cozy, and the rooms clean and tidy with all the necessary facilities.