The Willows

We booked another hotel and left promptly. We raised our concerns but got no answer to our questions about a refund. This is only a surface-level account, and I have more information. I’ll be taking it further because I strongly believe this place should not be operating. I wouldn’t recommend it to a cockroach. I’m not sure how this place is still in business with such abysmal reviews. We were visiting a friend in Brighton, who booked the hotel for us, so arriving was a shock. The service was poor: the receptionist said no more than two words to us, and we were put in room one, right beside the front door. The lock was flimsy, the walls were thin, the windows had failed and were covered in condensation, and they wouldn’t fully close. We looked straight out onto the street. The room was basic, with one double bed and a single bed that was like a pop-up massage table. A pathetic TV hung on the wall by a thread of wires. The complimentary tea and coffee sat on a dusty windowsill. The bathroom looked like a poor DIY job, with the silicone ripped off and a door that looked as if someone had smashed through the lock. The whole place was filthy. The floors were sticky, and the curtains were covered in black mould. The beds were among the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen, with horrific stains that looked like blood, bodily fluids and dirt. The single-bed duvet was yellow and vile. There was mould in the bathroom tiles, a stained toilet bowl and limescale all over the taps. Do not stay here. I think even one star is too generous, but there’s no option for zero or less.

We paid £20 for parking outside the hotel, which seemed reasonable compared with what other car parks charged. But it wasn’t really a parking space: it was uneven concrete where a wall had been, with very little room beside the next car. We booked at short notice and thought the rooms would be okay from the photos. They were very misleading. We were put on the top floor, with lots of stairs to carry a suitcase. The room was tiny, and although the bed was alright, it was against the wall, so I had to climb over my partner to get out. With the window open, traffic and drunken revellers outside were really loud. The bathroom was very small and poorly finished, with paint splattered on the tiles. I’m 6ft3 and had to stoop in the shower. Turning around either switched it off or turned the temperature up to boiling. It was a short-notice booking, but I wouldn’t return.

Great location, and I’m glad we weren’t planning to spend much time in the room. We stayed in the small double, which really was tiny. There was only room to move down one side of the bed, my legs touched the door while I was on the toilet, and I had to work around the sink to get into the shower. The shower had a sloping roof, so I couldn’t stand fully upright. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone over 5’10, or for more than one person. There are only stairs, no lift. The entrance hall looked nicely decorated and modern, but the room didn’t match it. Check-in was quick, through a hole in the wall, with nothing particularly welcoming about it. The room uses a physical key. The window opened fully with no safety mechanism, and the bed was right against the sill, so there was nowhere to put anything. The TV was attached with a picture nail. There was Netflix but no TV channels. Tip: use the space under the bed.

John was especially welcoming, and the rooms were cosy and comfortable. We were less than a minute’s walk from the beach, and had a lovely view over the pier and seafront. I arrived early and called ahead; they answered straight away. The customer service was quick, friendly and adjusted to all my needs. I’d recommend staying here.