ibis budget Southampton Centre

We booked two nights but left after the first. The rooms were basic but clean, and the setup gave us no privacy: the shower and sink were in the bedroom with no door. There were only two plug sockets, both across the room from the mirror and beds, which made getting ready in such a small space incredibly difficult. We had small children with us and arrived in the evening, so although the people around the entrance and inside reception made us feel unsafe, we felt we had to stay that night. By breakfast time, everything was dirty, including the plates, cups and cutlery. I asked for clean cutlery, but more dirty ones came out. We asked for clean cups and got paper ones instead, which was a highlight. Then a woman came downstairs wearing only a hoodie, with faeces smeared down her legs and clothes, and started handling the little food there was with her hands. We'd never packed up a room so fast. Homeless people were coming into reception and the food area and taking whatever they could. They seemed drunk or drugged and were staggering around. Definitely not a place I'd stay with small children.

For a budget hotel, it was a solid stay and I'd come back for a short trip. The room and small bathroom were clean, and housekeeping came every day. The front desk staff were polite and quickly brought us extra towels when we needed them.

Nothing fancy, but it did what I needed. I stayed for a couple of nights and it was honestly better than I expected. The simple room was very clean, which mattered most to me, and the staff were friendly and helpful whenever I had questions.

The bed was comfortable and the room was clean, but the rest of the facilities and the general atmosphere were grim. I've paid less elsewhere and had a better stay. The room felt like a hospital cubicle, and there were no tea or coffee facilities. The continental buffet breakfast was awful, with a pitiful choice of food, dirty tables and bins, and a generally unhygienic feel. People who weren't hotel guests were sleeping at tables or drinking cider there, and some looked worse for wear or as if they had nowhere else to go. This was a very unpleasant experience. This place really redefines budget, and I wouldn't stay again.