Brook Red Lion Hotel

The hotel is gorgeous, full of history, and the rooms were all unique and cool. We came with a large group at the end of August, and the rooms suited us perfectly. The staff were accommodating and checked a lot of people and rooms in quickly. They were also very easy to deal with. We could hear people yelling loudly at each other outside quite late, as if they were right beside us. That wasn’t the hotel’s fault, though. I’d recommend staying here.

Really cosy place, and dog-friendly for a good price. The receptionists we met were amazing, explained everything and let us check in early. I’d definitely recommend it if you don’t mind some noise. It’s on the high street opposite some nightclubs, so it can get loud.

Breakfast was good, but the woman handling both reception and the orders had a lot to deal with. We waited more than five minutes for extra bread, and by the time it arrived our meal had gone cold. The room itself was decent, but the noise was awful. You could easily hear what people in the next room were saying or doing. There weren’t any washing products, like hand wash or shampoo, either. They asked beforehand what time we’d arrive so they could be ready, but when we got there they wouldn’t let us check in until their own time. The hospitality was poor and I wouldn’t recommend this place.

The building had character and felt creepy, which was why we chose a haunted hotel. We didn’t see any paranormal activity, though. All the floorboards creak at night, so walking around felt awkward and we didn’t want to disturb anyone. The hallway lights stayed on all night, which didn’t give us the right atmosphere. Noise from the nightclubs opposite and other guests shouting also spoiled it. The rooms are said to be spookier in the section with Rooms 3-10, so we were given Room 4 for that reason. The stay was hugely disappointing. We’d read mixed reviews and weren’t expecting luxury, but the room felt outdated, dusty and full of cobwebs, with cracks and broken walls. It didn’t look like much had been done to make it comfortable. It was so cold and the bed felt dirty. There was a smell of smoke throughout the building. On arrival, neither the heating nor hot water was working. We were told it should be running soon, but the only heat in the room was a plug-in radiator, which we left on all night and still felt cold. We couldn’t face showering in the cold, and the problem was still there when we left, so the whole building seemed freezing. We’d hoped to have dinner and drinks at the hotel restaurant and bar, as advertised, but were told they only serve breakfast because of competition in the area. We were disappointed to have to eat elsewhere, and when we returned hoping for a drink before ghost hunting, the bar was just an empty, dark room with no guests, staff or atmosphere. This isn’t a place for anything beyond a room. We’d paid in advance for breakfast, so tried the full English. It was a good size, but the toast was cold and the food wasn’t warm enough for us. The one bright spot was a nice chat with the gentleman serving us about his ghost stories. Unless you’re drunk or just want to try looking for ghosts, don’t stay here.