“Stockwood”

Whenever possible I will choose a non-branded local hotel or B&B to help the local economy and community. I will not be returning to the Stockwood again, nor would I recommend it to anyone for the foreseeable future. The reviews that I read were mainly about the attitude of the hotel staff; this I found totally inaccurate for my stay. The staff could not have been more pleasant. I got the impression that maybe these guys were new owners as there was quite a bit of work going on and their attitude contradicted that of the reviews. Nevertheless, the room was very small ( I could touch both walls with my arms stretched out), the small basin was so small I had to fill my kettle via a glass, the bed although comfy was let down by the After Eight thinness of the one pillow. The wardrobe consisted of three coat hooks attached to the back of the door and the walls were so thin I heard every cough and sigh from the guy next door. The shower was mouldy with about as much pressure as a small watering can. When I asked for the password for the Wi-Fi I was told that this is £5 per day. If these small independent hotels are to compete with the likes of the big low-cost players, then they need to be at the very least the same price with the same standards offering the same service. I would advise Expedia to remove this hotel from their listings until at least the refurbishment is complete. My advice: don’t book unless there is nowhere else to go.

“Location is the only positive thing”

I arrived with my 2 teenagers at this hotel around 10h00 PM and parked in the parking lot that had spaces for 7 or 8 cars, and only 2 other cars in it. The clerk at the desk was busy counting money and gave me a curt "just a minute" while he finished his count - that set my teeth on edge, as at a minimum I'd expect a "I'll be right with you". He then informed me that I had to move my car because it wasn't well parked - it wasn't perfectly positioned, but since reception was closing in less than an hour I had trouble believing that another 5 or 6 guests would be checking in. He assured me that it was entirely possible that he had late check ins and insisted that I move my car, which I did - under duress and noting that the other car in the lot was just as badly parked as mine. The room was very spacious and perfectly suited to me and my kids, and while the noise off the street was significant my issue is with the bathroom - it was downright scary. There was mold all over the ceiling of the shower (black spots on a white ceiling are pretty obvious) as well as along the base of the shower stall. I didn't stay for the breakfast that was included in the price of the room and of course the next morning when I left (at 6h00 AM), there were no additional cars in the parking lot - as I expected. This was one of the worst experiences I have had in the last few years and I have told our friends who are passing through on October 28th to avoid staying at this hotel at all costs.

“Not impressed”

This was not a 2 star hotel more like -2 star. I have stayed in a better 2 star hotel in China