Do distance selling regs apply to hotel or apartment bookings - **updated**

HurdyGurdy

These don't make it sound appealing! There are many more in a similar vein.
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- Looks NOTHING like the pictures that where quite clearly taken years ago! I would avoid this apartment at all costs i have stayed in cleaner hostels then this one! just to name a few of the problems with this place:
-dirty carpets
-dirty walls
-mouldy walls
-disgusting oven that we had to clean
- taps in double bedroom bathroom which if you look on reviews have been broken for over a year.
-table in living room held together by cable ties!
-door on unit broken
-bathroom door locks broken and would't even shut!
-dented fridge
-broken ice machine
-being kicked out at 10 and not 11 like the website clearly states
Clearly the £250 deposit that they take they do not use to 'repair' HOWEVER, i have had £150 not refunded to me to 'clean' the carpets what a joke! The reason for us checking out at 10 was because people where coming in at 12 on a bank holiday? Doubt it. They would not have enough time to get a cleaning company in that quick and on a bank holiday! Very disappointing and when ringing the company up she says 'if you of tried to clean it your self you may of gotten away with it' Excuse me? why send a £150 carpet cleaning company in then if it is not that bad that we would be able to of cleaned our self? We have also asked for receipts and are yet to hear back. Obviously this robbing company needs to be avoided at all costs and removed from booking.com until they get their hygiene standards back up and stop robbing peoples money!

+Nothing i would avoid this apartment at all costs!
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Uncleanliness, Used condoms found in the draws. No wifi as advertised. One working channel on TV. Underwear found in cupboards. Ovens and freezers dirty. Mould on plates. Holes cracks and stains throughout! Not a happy stay!
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Dirty floors, work surfaces and drawers.
The handrail was very very loose on the second floor - it is a two-story fall for the lucky person that leans on it too much and detaches it. Health and safety nightmare.
The boiler broke down twice. Numerous phone calls to staff to come and fix it plus a room move thrown in for good measure.
Overall, a very unimpressive stay and an expensive apartment.
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If you would like to stay somewhere with not even a basic level of cleanliness then by all means book here. Also if you enjoy finding used condoms in two or the three bedrooms carry on and book your stay here. The kitchen was filthy and all counters were sticky to the touch. The pots, pans and utensils were filthy, some left festering in the dishwasher for God know how long. The fridge had a suspicious orange stain all over it. The sofa had massive gashes in it and the dining chairs were all damaged. Bit of a joke to take a £250 deposit, not too sure we could even do damage to that effect. The beds were falling apart and in a general state of disrepair and had a lovely surprise of a dirty thong and condom wrapper under the bed. The boiler was leaking and lost all heat on Saturday morning meaning some of our party had to have freezing cold showers. When staff were informed of issues they seemed unconcerned and unhelpful, absolutely shocking way to run a business. Oh and you better pray it doesn't rain as there was a leak in the ceiling into one of the bedrooms. Overall not at all worth the money we spent on it. Very very disappointed, my advice avoid at all costs.

Alice_Walker

You've focused on the bad ones, and there certainly are some (I'd not seen the link to all reviews before now). However there are an equal number, if not more, that have had no problems at all.

If you look at even the best hotels you can pick out poor reviews and make judgment on that. Or you can take a balanced view, looking at the good and the bad. I would say the accommodation is basic but adequate, which is what 3* accom is meant to be. One thing I would be aware of is that it attracts groups, which may or may not cause problems noise wise.

Becles

HurdyGurdy wrote: »

We are planning to visit Beamish and google said it was only 20 minutes away. I don't know the area at all, so 20 minutes distance seemed good.

It's about 30-40 minutes drive from Hebburn to Beamish depending on traffic which can be bad at peak times.

If you can cancel it, I can recommend Low Urpeth Farm at Ouston. You can either stay B&B in the farmhouse or they have cottages to rent. The couple who run it are absolutely lovely and they will look after you well. It's about five minutes drive from Beamish.
http://www.lowurpeth.co.uk/

There's also the Best Western Beamish Hall next to the museum. That looks really nice but I've not stopped over. I've had meals there which were lovely though.

Andypandyboy

Alice_Walker wrote: »

You've focused on the bad ones, and there certainly are some (I'd not seen the link to all reviews before now). However there are an equal number, if not more, that have had no problems at all.

If you look at even the best hotels you can pick out poor reviews and make judgment on that. Or you can take a balanced view, looking at the good and the bad. I would say the accommodation is basic but adequate, which is what 3* accom is meant to be. One thing I would be aware of is that it attracts groups, which may or may not cause problems noise wise.

I disagree, however "basic" somewhere is it can still be clean. Many of those reviews refer to the lack of cleanliness which is why I wouldn't stay there.

HurdyGurdy

Well, we're back and I was very pleasantly surprised. The apartment was absolutely mahoosive.

Yes, the block and the apartment are tired and a bit shabby, needing a bit of TLC and a lick of paint - things like holes in the walls where picture hooks have been and removed and not filled in.

The carpets are getting a bit worn, and the two sofas are without a shadow of a doubt the most uncomfortable I have ever sat on (to the point where we spent most time sitting at the kitchen table!). The beds were old, and the mattresses very flat and uncomfortable.

But all that to one side, the apartment (we stayed in) was pretty clean. The windows were dirty (and several cracked panes of glass), and the extractor fans in the bathrooms were filthy, but the kitchen was clean, apart from the floor which was a bit sticky (but given the state of the mop that was in there, hardly surprising!), the fridge/freezer was spotless, and the cooker was lovely. Apart from the cooker hood, which was thick with grease.

The kitchen was well fitted, with a huge range of cupboards, but there was very limited equipment. For example, I needed an ovenproof dish, but could only find a round casserole lid, but no dish, and a bit of a mishmash of unmatched pans and lids. Not too much of an issue, as I have a "going away box" with various bits of equipment that we always need when we go to caravans etc)

The two bathrooms were lovely (apart from the extractor fans) with baths big enough to swim in, and brilliant water pressure in the showers. Oh and always warm due to the underfloor heating (which we couldn't figure out how to switch off ) No problems at all with hot water.

We had one night as sole occupants of the building, and then on the Friday morning when we went out, on the door of the apartment opposite us were a load of "hen party" banners. My heart absolutely sank, but we didn't hear a sound from them, other than some excited shrieks when some of the party arrived.

All in all, for what we paid, and for huge accommodation with *slightly above adequate* cleanliness, this was perfectly acceptable. To the extent that we would stay again if we were in the area.

Oh, and it was just 20 minutes from Beamish - which was utterly brilliant!