Sleep tight ... the Nanford Guest House, Oxford, came second in a poll of Britain's grimiest hotels. A candid photo from TripAdvisor.
Another day, another list. And who doesn't love a list which reveals Britain's grimiest hotels, as reviewed by real guests?
User review site TripAdvisor has revealed the UK's 10 dirtiest hotels in its Travellers' Choice awards, announced yesterday. One hotel chain, Britannia, will no doubt be receiving plenty of unwelcome publicity this week after four of its properties made it on to the dirty list, with one taking first place in the roll of grime.
The Britannia Hotel in Stockport was rated the dirtiest in the country, with one guest imploring fellow travellers: "For the love of God, stay away" and another writing in December that his room was "absolutely disgusting, damp and smelly with paper hanging off the walls (and) plaster falling away".
According to site users' cleanliness ratings, the UK's 10 grottiest hotels are:
1. Britannia Hotel, Stockport, Greater Manchester
2. Nanford Guest House, Oxford
3. Master Brewer Hotel, Hillingdon, west London
4. Europa Gatwick, Crawley, West Sussex
5. Hyde Park West, Pembridge Square, London
6. Park Hotel, Belgrave Road, London
7. Corbigoe Hotel, Belgrave Road, London
8. Britannia Country House Hotel, Didsbury, Manchester
9. Britannia Hotel, Birmingham
10.Britannia Airport Hotel, Northenden, Manchester
As an unfortunate former guest of the Nanford Guest House in Oxford (incongruous motto, 'arrive as guests, leave as friends') I was amused and heartened that it came in second on the list of shame. A more unpleasant stay I have never had - a sentiment echoed by many posters on Tripadvisor one of whom wrote earlier this month "the owner took us through the kitchen which was worse than anything in the world - I had to run out to be sick."
When I visited, five years ago, I was shown to a room only to find an unidentified man unconscious on the bed. Had I stumbled upon a murder scene? A dead guest? No, apparently just a plumber who had nodded off on the job. As well as the dirty rooms, crowded with beds, the whole place gave me the creeps and I couldn't wait to escape.
But then, a double room at the Nanford only costs £40 in a city where weekend visitors can often pay £90 and more for an ordinary B&B. What I find more surprising is that people still check in after so many horrendous guest reviews and photos and that so many poor quality establishments have the nerve to charge higher rates.
Does this list match your experience? Or do you have worse hotel horror stories?
