Central Hotel Gloucester

The room was filthy, the carpet was coming up, and the bathroom was very unclean. I paid £70 for the room, then was told at arrival that there was also a £100 deposit. I still haven't got that back. This was the worst hotel I've ever stayed in. Absolutely appalling.

We were looking for a restful night at Central Hotel Gloucester, but the fire alarm kept waking us up. It went off around 12:30am, 3am, 6am, 8am, and 8:15am. We both badly needed proper rest, and the repeated disturbances left the whole stay stressful and uncomfortable. The first time we went downstairs, expecting an explanation or apology, the receptionist said nothing. We only learned the alarms were faulty after overhearing another guest speaking with staff. When we contacted the hotel about it, they first offered £15 credit, then raised it to £40, but only toward a future stay. There was no refund option, and we don't plan to return after this treatment. A faulty alarm going off through the night was bad enough. The lack of care, communication, and accountability from roomsbooked customer service made things worse. If you need a peaceful stay and value your sleep, I'd strongly suggest looking elsewhere.

The rooms were fine and the staff were friendly, but the location felt very sketchy. I didn't feel safe parking my car there. The fire alarm kept going off, so we basically got no sleep for a week. Someone also kept bursting into our room in the middle of the night to try to fix the alarms, but never managed to.

We'd read some reviews that made us unsure about staying here, though of course I can't speak for other people's experiences. Our check-in was easy, the staff were excellent, and they tagged our bags and brought them to the rooms later. The rooms were very clean and spacious, with a great shower and a nice bathroom. There were also a microwave, fridge, plates, and cutlery if you want to bring your own food. Prices had gone up for Cheltenham week, though the usual rate is very reasonable. The hotel doesn't have facilities like a bar or restaurant, but the cafe across the road was excellent and good value. The location worked well for us, and we stayed overnight in Kings Walk car park. It opens again at 7.00am, and we paid £9 for 24 hours. I'd recommend the hotel and will come back.