The Liberal House

The staff seemed lovely enough, and from what I saw the pub might make for an amusing night out if you're local. I was there for work, though, and the room was only okay. I wouldn't take my wife there for a special night, even Lionel Ritchie's greatest hits couldn't have helped. Before arriving, I called the Liberal house to check for a room. The man I spoke to advised me to book directly when I got there rather than use booking.com, saying it would be better for me. It turned out to cost £6 more that way, so I'm not sure how it was better. It was karaoke night. The noise went on until around midnight on the weekend, which is worth knowing, though it didn't really bother me. At the top of the stairs there was also a foul smell, like a beer cellar, and it wasn't pleasant.

We stayed just one night, about a week after the new management had started, and didn't give the staff a chance to sort out the problems. They were friendly and helpful, though. The room was basic, with no tea or coffee making facilities. The heater was loose on the wall and not fully working because its timer was broken. There was a strange smell in the bathroom that we first thought was toilet cleaner, but it remained after several flushes. The bed was okay, but there weren't enough pillows. The extra pillows we found had no pillowcases and were quite stained.

The walls were so thin I could hear everything from the other rooms. The place itself was dirty and uncared for, with hairs, sweet wrappers and loads of dust. It just felt unpleasant. There wasn't even soap in the bathroom, so I had to use my face wash to get my hands clean. As I was leaving, two police officers went down the stairs ahead of me and then examined the tables outside. I don't know what had happened, but I'd never seen anything like that at another hotel, inn or hostel.

The electric fire's timer kept clicking all night, and the fire alarm sensor flashed a red light the whole time, which was annoying. When I checked in, I was told the side door needed a code and that it would be in the room, but it wasn't. I only realised after the pub had shut, so I couldn't ask anyone for it. The front of house staff were very friendly when I arrived and during the evening.