The first time I stayed I received entry codes a couple of days before my booking. I had a single room and I loved it, it was on the first floor and so very quiet. The hotel did not have a full time staff, just part time for breakfast and cleaning/preparing the rooms. It wasn't a problem, the room was spotless and the breakfast fantastic.
A year later I stayed for the second time, the hotel had now been taken over. Reception was now covered until 10pm every day. The breakfast room was now leased out to an independent restaurant The Marrakesh and so breakfast, if booked, was served in the bar area.
On this visit, I had again booked a single room but was upgraded to a double. There was a huge bed, two seater settee and a single chair, two tables, wardrobe and chest of drawers, a television bigger than the one in my living room, and the usual tea and coffee making facilities. This time I was on the second floor which was even more quiet.
The third visit was definitely not the charm.
Having left the house at 10.30am I finally arrived just after 4pm, it's a long journey from home involving three trains, two tube journeys and a walk up the hill to the hotel. The receptionist was talking to a man in the lounge so I waited until she came back to the desk.
I asked to check in and she told me that the man who had had the room before me always leaves his case in the room and then comes back later for it, according to their website, check out is 11am, so why he is allowed to leave his case in the room until it suits him I don't know. She said that she would check whether he had done this.
There was a young man at the reception with her and he opened up the laptop in front of him, he clicked a few buttons and brought up a picture of a room
"This room?" he asked the receptionist, "Yes", she replied "I can't see his case, I will have to go and check". So evidently this was a live feed which meant that THERE WERE CAMERAS IN THE BEDROOMS!!! Is this not illegal?
This time the room I was given was on the ground floor, the wall behind my headboard was the wall of the bar lounge.
I was informed that there was a party booked into the bar but "as I always go out" it won't be a problem. I think always go out is a bit of a stretch. The last time I stayed here I didn't go any further than the local co-op to get sandwiches, wine and chocolate the first night, the second night I had been to a 4 year old's birthday party and was back by 8pm absolutely exhausted!
The party itself wasn't an issue to begin with, despite it being held just the other side of the wall, it was nothing really more than a murmur. Unfortunately, my room was right by the back door and the favoured area for the smokers to stand to smoke and continue the party.
At 10.20pm the music suddenly ramped up, I am guessing the receptionist had left. This went on until just after 11pm.
I then had nearly two hours of the hoover being bashed against the wall and heavy wooden furniture being dragged around to ready the room for breakfast.
The next night I was out at a party so I had no idea if anything had gone on.
Unfortunately for such a large town, there are only two hotels, the other one being disgusting by all accounts (I know people who have stayed there) so my options for my next visit are to stay here again, cameras and all, or pay twice the price to stay in Norwich and then have to pay for a taxi (about a 20 minute drive) after the party.
I need to think about this.
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