This hotel's website 100% misrepresents the truth. Booked in for 2 nights and left after 1. Whilst the sheets and towels were clean nothing else was. The carpet was dirty and hadn't been hoovered, but worst of all was the bathroom, cracked sink with grime ingrained, black mould between all the tiles and around the bath, filthy toilet pan, dirty walls (I actually wiped some dirt off the tiles) and hair on the tiles (not ours!).

Whilst it was a non-smoking room it stank of smoke.

The reception area, stairs and hallway were dingy, dark and dirty. We didn't dare try the breakfast.

The only saving grace was that the staff were really friendly. I kind of felt sorry for them having to work there but then again, wondered why they didn't do something about the dirt.

I know you get what you pay for (we were paying £60 per night for a twin troom including breakfast), but I don't mind putting up with something old fashioned or chintzy. What I don't expect to find is dirt and grime. Try the Mandolay (formerly the The Carlton) just up the road (on London Road) instead.

Where do you start with a place like this?

First of all, the rooms are the smallest ever - basically a box room with a single bed. They look like they last saw a lick of paint somewhere in the mid 1970s. Paint was peeling off the ceiling and the general decor was utterly depressing. Dark and dingy.

Same story with all the corridors and doors. All very old and tired, flaking paint, stains, scuff marks, mud marks. Appalling and disgusting.

What do the cleaners actually clean in the rooms? It is without a shadow of any doubt, the dirtiest, grubbiest place I have ever stayed in.

The skirting boards don't look like they've ever seen a duster - an epic level of dust had formed! Really, the cleanliness in the hotel is absolutely SHAMEFUL.

The 'white' uPVC windows were covered in black finger prints - are the cleaners blind or just plain lazy!?

The shower curtain was absolutely filthy. I'd bet money that it was over 10 years old. I'm sure it was white at some point!

After realising how scruffy the place was, there was no way I was taking a chance on the food here! The thought of actually consuming food in this establishment made my stomach turn!

The shower I had to twist the tap with all my strength to turn it on. When I'd eventually done this, the water was always freezing no matter what I did. Turning the thing off was a similar fiasco - just twist it with all your strength.

The bathroom was TINY! Had rust in a number of places.

My cold water tap regularly dispensed HOT WATER! By the way, you don't need a plug for the sink in room 5. This is because it drains so slowly. I actually thought it was blocked!

2 light bulbs were out when i arrived.

Only 2 coat hangers were supplied in the room. When I requested more, the receptionist brought me ONE MORE!!

Mid morning, when i was getting ready for work, the bathroom light stopped working.

No SKY TV - this really is the hotel that time forgot!

It really is time that this place is exposed. I'm seriously thinking about complaining to the local authorities

I stayed in Room 21; the hotel was booked for me by a supplier and, having read the other reviews, I must have had the best room! Sure, the entrance, stairways and dining room carpets and décor were dire - very dire indeed, but my room was huge and modern.

Good points of the room: Great new bathroom area (wet room) with glass sliding walls, huge slate tiles and modern shower and basin. WiFi (free) access. Generally very tastefully decorated, Roman blinds at the window, new desk and chair, all new cupboards and general furniture, ample supplies of fluffy towels and toiletries.

Bad points of the room: It was noisy as it faces the street - there are 2 large sash windows and secondary glazing - it was very hot when I stayed and I needed the windows open all night. On close inspection of the refurbished wet room area, they made some silly mistakes which reveal shoddy workmanship. The shower really did literally wet the whole of the wet room floor (which incorporates the toilet and wash basin areas), the washbasin tap wobbled, the expensive Grohe toilet flush system was mounted too high, they had chipped a tile removing it to repair a leak and they drilled the lovely chipped tile, inserted 4 screws and covered the screw heads with cheap, while plastic covers - they weren't even attached properly.

Breakfast was pretty grim. The guy taking the orders was so nonchalant and lacked even the slightest hint of a personality. This was in stark contrast to the service I enjoyed outside the hotel in the High Street at a bar and a restaurant I visited that day.

On reflection, I would have to say that I would not choose to stay there again.

I stayed for a 3-night business trip in a single non-smoking room.

The lobby, breakfast room and Sports Bar were very dark and battered, but the room was ok. The paint was coming off the walls in the bath-room in two small places, but they have a heated mirror which does not steam up while showering. The towels were exceedingly soft and fluffy for a hotel. Because the windows were rather old, street noise was clearly audible inside the room, even with closed windows. However, the mattress was the absolute best I've ever had in a hotel, even better than my own at home.

The staff was helpful and friendly, especially the room-service guy, service was rather fast and the food was excellent.

What I really missed was satellite-tv (they only had the four national channels) and a minibar.

Compared to other hotels in the same area, they had by far the most reasonable prices and they are rather conveniently situated (15 minutes walk from train station).

I would recommend the hotel for a short stay (business or tourist trip); for the comparatively cheap fare, service and room were ok.