Watton By Verve

The convenient location made getting around easy, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I found the rooms clean and comfortable, with what I needed and no costly extras. For a budget stay, the quality was better than I expected. It’s a good value option if you want comfort and cleanliness without spending much, and I’d recommend it.

The room was really noisy, with floorboards creaking overhead and sound carrying from the corridor and reception. The bathroom was cold, the toilet worked poorly, and the carpets were dirty. The WiFi was very slow with a weak signal, and the TV didn’t work. I’ve stayed in worse places, but this didn’t feel like good value. I wouldn’t call it a 3-star place, maybe 1 star at a push.

The staff member was pleasant enough, but after handing me a key he didn’t do anything else, so I can’t really judge the service. The room felt somewhere between a custody suite and a Travelodge, leaning more toward the custody suite because there was no drinking water. If you’re alone and urgently need a place to sleep, it’ll do. I wouldn’t choose it for a romantic break.

The room was far too hot, and both radiators kept clicking and popping. I turned one off and had to put up with the other all night. The sink and tea-making things were useful, but the water wasn’t drinking water, so I had to go to the local supermarket for a bottle. There were other letdowns too: a stained spare pillow on the wardrobe, a leaking shower tray, and no chair by the side table where I’d hoped to work for a couple of hours. Calling it a Deluxe Double Room is a stretch. It was pretty cheap, to be fair, and maybe I expected too much. Poor planning on my part, but lesson learned.