Travelodge Manchester Sportcity

The carpet was filthy and sticky. My socks went in the bin after walking on it. There was so much bleach smell it felt like it could kill you, so I had to keep the bathroom door shut and the fan on after airing out the room. The sheets were cleanish. Filthiest hotel I’ve ever stayed in, I’d take a tent and air mattress instead. Half a star out of five. Checking out was the best part.

The price was amazing value, and the restaurant and bar were clean with welcoming staff. We stayed here with my husband for a Man City game. Julie checked us in, helped us get tea and gave us directions to the Etihad Stadium, which was literally a 15-minute walk away. Our room was clean and cosy, the bathroom spotless, and the towels fluffy and white. It was lovely and warm.

The staff were genuinely lovely, friendly and welcoming, and the TV worked fine. Unfortunately, the room felt neglected and below the usual Travelodge standard. It was very small, and I’d have struggled to stay more than one night. The bed wasn’t as comfortable as at other Travelodges I’ve used. The bathroom tap had its top missing, and the bedside lampshades were dirty and broken. There was only one accessible plug socket, nowhere near the bed. The décor was dated and needed refurbishment. I could hear conversations from the adjoining room, making it hard to relax, and the car park didn’t feel particularly safe.

The staff were lovely, but this time I only got about three hours of sleep. I think there was a dog in the hotel yapping for around an hour at a ridiculous time in the morning, and the guttering kept dripping onto the window. The stairs were very dirty, like the robotic vacuums don’t do the stairs. Breakfast was very sparse. Normally I’d give it five stars, but not this time.