Carlisle Station Hotel Sure Collection by BW

The staff were friendly throughout, especially the receptionist who checked me in on 27th Jan and Dan at the bar. The hotel was spotless and felt welcoming, and breakfast had a good help-yourself selection, with poached eggs and vegetarian sausages available to order fresh. I was there on a work trip. Room 111 had what I needed, including older-style USB charging points by the bed, which helped since there weren't many sockets. But it faces Carlisle train station, and the single-pane windows let the announcements through at night. My heater wasn't working, so the room was freezing when I arrived, though a plug-in heater in the wardrobe helped. The bathroom was clean but dated, and the bath and shower have seen better days. The water was mostly lukewarm or cold, with occasional hot bursts even when the temperature dial was turned all the way up.

The room and bathroom were the real problem. The furniture was worn well past its best, the walls had spill stains, and the window wouldn't open, so the room got absolutely red hot. In the bathroom there were broken tiles, all four taps dripped, the shower wall looked bodged, and there was black mould. I reported it and was told all the rooms had similar problems, which worried me because I have a bad chest. The staff were brilliant and I couldn't fault them. The location was OK, though that's something they can't change.

This time we came away very disappointed, especially after enjoying our first visit last year. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, the curtains were dirty and so thin that daylight came into the bedroom all night, and the shower was the worst I've ever had. The door placement left hardly any room to get into it. The hotel is in a fantastic spot beside the train station, but in general it needs updating.

The location couldn't be more convenient, less than a minute on foot from both the train station and the Citadel. Staff were friendly, and it was nice to have an extra fan and heater in the room in case the temperature was an issue. The bathtub was great too. The bed wasn't as comfortable as I'd expected, and there was a long hair on the inside wall of the tub when we arrived. Not the end of the world, and I'd stay here again if I came back to Carlisle.