Imperial Plymouth

We left straight after checking in. I explained politely that the room was in such poor condition that we wouldn't stay, but they kept the full payment, despite my repeated attempts to get even part of it back. I waited to write this in case management responded. The room smelled bad and wasn't clean. There was mould on the window frame, a broken mirror and some very questionable stains. We booked two nights after seeing the Google reviews, and I can only guess those reviewers don't stay in many other hotels. A clean, comfortable, usable room is the least you expect. We went to the Moxy down the road instead. It was a smashing hotel, with clean rooms and a 24-hour bar, for just £5 more per night. I'm sure some people have an adequate stay at the Imperial, and I know negative reviews can hurt businesses. But clean the rooms, fix the broken fittings and run the place the way you'd want it to be when you arrive. I wouldn't bother staying here.

At least the bathroom was spotless and the shower worked well. That's the only good thing I can say about the stay. We changed our booking so we could bring our dog and were told there'd be a fee but also an upgrade. Instead, we got a neglected room in the car park, with peeling wallpaper, stained walls, dreary stripes and pictures, and a very suspect black hair on a pillowcase. It looked like management hadn't inspected it in ages. Breakfast was included, but the room where it was served was so depressing, and the food on offer looked so unappealing, that we quickly left. The place needs more than a hotel inspector. It'd be more fitting to let the rooms to people seeking asylum. Parking was £20 a night and the dog cost £10.

The parking situation caused a lot of stress. The listing says there are 18 spaces and that overnight permits are available at reception, but I could only see four spaces, all taken. They didn't offer any kind of permit, so we drove around hoping to find a roadside space, which cost £16.50 overnight. I had specifically searched for a hotel with parking, so this was really misleading. Our basement room smelled damp and stale. We found black mould on several walls and patches of peeling wallpaper, obvious signs of damp. I have asthma, and the room affected my chest. I've come home with a chest infection, which I think was caused by the mould. This room shouldn't be in use with that kind of health risk. A dehumidifier and sorting out the mould would be a start. The shower pressure was good, but there seemed to be a limit on the hot water, or some other issue with it. After my shower, my partner got freezing water, and adjusting the temperature made no difference. The walls were very thin too, so you could hear everything from next door. I know the hotel can't control other guests, but better soundproofing would help those of us who don't want to hear drunken antics outside our doors at 3am.

The location was handy, about a 20-minute walk from the train station, and the service and breakfast were excellent. The room itself was small but comfortable.