The Calypso Hotel

The staff were generally nice, and the location is absolutely perfect for the tower, Winter Gardens, Central Pier and the town. But the rooms were shocking and not clean. The towels were supposedly clean, though I assume they were yellow stained. The shower was broken, and there was a hole in the corner of the bathroom floor. If it had been summer, the brilliant standing fan would have helped, but it was covered in about 20 inches if dust!

We stayed five nights and changed rooms after the first night because of the location, with all those stairs. Our room wasn't cleaned or the bedding changed once during the next four nights, and we had to ask for more toilet roll. The Christmas party we'd been advised to enjoy, with a DJ, didn't happen. There was ridiculous noise from the place. It seemed to have more long-term council bookings than tourist stays.

For £40 a night, I thought the room and bedding were overall clean, and the heating was on the whole time, so we stayed warm. The owner was friendly and the location was good. This is a cheap hotel, so don't expect five-star standards, and the price reflects the stay. There were a few chips in the bedside table, which didn't affect my stay, but small fixes would help: the dirty stair carpet runner needs cleaning, and the paint on the windowsill could be removed easily. The hotel has had lots of cleanliness complaints, so hopefully they'll take some steps to improve. There are many stairs, so don't stay here if you can't manage them. Half the hotel sits above a curry place, and that side smells of curry. If you want a cheap stay in a good location, it's an option.

A good deal for the price. The rooms were clean, breakfast was very good, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It's near the Tower and Winter Gardens.