Brisbane House Hotel

The room was nice, but I thought it was far too expensive. I’ve stayed in better places for less. Service was poor, with too few bar staff, and there were dirty tea cups on the breakfast table. When last orders were called, the bar closed almost straight away and the drinks were cleared, which left a sour taste. A lot of people had been drinking that day and night, but I didn’t get drunk. Given how much I drank, I expected to be very drunk, so it made me wonder if the booze had been watered down. The next day also felt rushed, as the next wedding guests were already arriving while we were having breakfast. It was a bit odd, like they were just moving on to the next group.

The location is beautiful, and there’s a great view by the main entrance. I was here for a wedding, and while we waited for a taxi, Dionne, the nightshift worker, couldn’t have been more welcoming. She brought us blankets, invited us inside to charge our phones, and let us wait out of the cold. She deserves six stars for helping us so kindly.

I’m absolutely furious. At 9pm last night I got an email saying the hotel would be closed Monday to Wednesday until next year, so my three-night booking in November has been cancelled. There was no apology or empathy at all. Are they in financial trouble? I think so, and it wouldn’t surprise me. The last time we stayed, the room was dirty and the bin was full of empty wine bottles and snack wrappers. At over £200 a night, the standards have definitely slipped since the new owners took over.

The view from our room looked straight onto the hotel bins, and there were dirty marks all over the walls. I have photos. When we asked to change rooms, they said the hotel was fully booked, though that wasn’t true as other rooms were available. We’d booked using a £100 voucher from MyHotelBreak, but were unexpectedly charged another £90 when we arrived. Nobody had mentioned that extra cost when we booked, which felt unfair and misleading. I was very disappointed with the stay and wouldn’t recommend the hotel. I’ve contacted MyHotelBreak to ask for a refund and compensation.