To think hotels are awful

[Hooploop]

Me and DP are coming to the end of a two week holiday in Cornwall. We wanted to avoid Airbnbs because of all the housing controversy, and treated ourselves to some 4-5 star hotels that were recommended to us and have great reviews - premium rooms too. But we've been really disappointed by everywhere we've stayed. We always seem to end up getting a dud room witha broken bed, or broken windows, or the one room in the entire hotel next to the busy main road, or above the bar (when the hotel was marketed as being a 'relaxing' retreat!)

Thinking about it, I've never had a positive experience of staying in any hotel. They're always a bit weird and shabby, even the really posh ones. And people coming and going all night is annoying. What do you all think of hotels?

I love them. Really properly love them.

I think we’re pretty bad at hotels in the UK (unless you go to a top of the pile 5*) and they’re mostly very overpriced.

Generally I think they’re much better at hotels overseas!

Tbh I prefer Travelodge. Know exactly what I'm going to get - no frills, clean, no-one bothering me.

Agree with @Wombat100 Hotels in the Uk are awful. Unless you go super five star.

but a 4 star in Cornwall, no thanks!

All depends. I have stayed in some really lovely hotels in suites with fabulous facilities.

But have also stayed in some shit holes!

Maybe you just chose badly! There are some really lovely hotels in the West Country, particularly Cornwall.

We generally prefer an airbnb type stay. More room, more privacy and we've always been lucky with where we've stayed. We also like walking holidays with our dog though so we can pick dog friendly options easily and if it's a complete wash out it's lovely to sit and cook or play board games with a fire going in the background. It also makes life much easier washing a mucky pup after a hike than walking him through a nice clean hotel lobby! You just don't get the same experience in a hotel and if the weather is terrible in the middle of nowhere you're limited to your room or the bar. Plus I hate the noise of doors closing etc through the night. Only hotel we stay in regularly is dog friendly and they have trad bands on in the bar every night and there's plenty to do regardless of weather.

I love being looked after in a hotel. Going down for breakfast. Beds made. The swim maybe. The bar. The room service. The weird ironing board stuck in a cupboard. All of it.

I love a good hotel. I’ve stayed in some amazing places.

I have to agree. The best hotels I've stayed in have been Premier inns and travel lodges. Modern, clean and reasonably priced.

All of the 'fancy hotels' I've stayed in have been drab, rundown old things that would make Faulty Towers look fancy.

I find they are either overrated (literally), a bit soulless, or quite nice but rude. My favourite is The Grand in York, traditional but really warm and friendly. Someone will probably be along with a bad experience but I like comfortable, professional but friendly too.

I've stayed in some amazing places, all over the world, and I still don't like hotels. I like my bed in my home.

I love a hotel. And there are plenty of smart ones that aren’t run down and shabby! Not in Cornwall but off the top of my head, I can think of a dozen nice hotels in the U.K., and more overseas.

in the U.K.,

the Clayton in birmingham
the Sofitel in London
the Pullman in london
the grand in york
malmaison in Birmingham or Oxford
the Luton Hoo
the titanic in Liverpool
the george at stamford
newly renovated Haycock at Wansford
the cow hollow in Manchester
balmoral in Edinburgh

you just need to be choosier! Sorry you’ve had a bad run though, that’s crap on your holiday.

English hotels are a different experience to those abroad. In particular, Asia seems to excel at hotels. We don’t seem to do them well for some reason. A good hotel is something very special and can make or break a holiday.

Nope, I agree with the grand!

Agree, unless you can afford quite fancy hotels they're always a bit grim. Always seems be a sense of stabbings. I especially hate the extra loud slamming doors that all hotels seem to have, with people coming and going all night. Now that so many places allow dogs it makes them even less appealing.

Shabbiness! Not stabbings, autocorrect ffs.

Try The Fish.
It's amazing.

I used to work as a chambermaid at a Hilton and would suggest if you care about cleanliness, do not stay at one!!

Ohh this is great, like a mini Trip Advisor! Hope there might be some possibilities here for you OP, The One might yet be out there 😉

I like the idea of them but not the reality.
I don't like people faffing about with my stuff for a start. I can make my own bed!
They're always seem to boiling or freezing often the windows don't open much.
Can you drink the tap water? It seems wrong coming from a bathroom.
The facilities seem a good idea until you remember you are sharing them with everyone else.
There's always a sense that everything's a bit grubby. Even the ones that look immaculate.
The thought of all the people who've slept in the bed, sat on the toilet etc is icky.
Almost always a feeling of being ripped off unless your in a premier inn or something cheap and cheerful.

I travel for work and have stayed in some of the supposedly best hotels around the world.

All are unreservedly shite. There's always something wrong, not working or irritating and there is always, ALWAYS noise

• tv channels that don't work
• now where to plug a phone in near the bed
• beds that are tucked in so tightly you untuck everything just getting in
• crap shower pressure
• missing hairdryers
• terrible room service food
• the 5 star hotel in the UK that thought removing coffee making facilities from the room and only offering hand delivered barista made coffees was a great idea. Except they a). Didn't do that service at 6am and b) I don't particularly want coffee delivered to me when I'm in my pants, chilling in bed or just out the shower.

We love hotels!

We love them too.

Yep agree, hate hotels. They always seem to be dirty if you look under things and I can’t believe how they haven’t solved the problem of doors banging loudly all night. My kitchen units have been ‘soft close’ for decades, so why can’t hotel doors be, too?