Travelodge Harlow North Weald

We arrived on the sunday evening to find our room was less than expected. There was a 2 inch layer of dust, with associated rubbish around the edge of the room. The bedside table had come off the wall leaving just 2 holes. One of the picture frames was falling apart and looked like it would collapse if touched. The bathroom was filthy, all the grouting was mouldy, and the vanity units were stained. Someone had also clearly kicked a hole in the bathroom door and it had just been filled with polyfilla. The inner door handle on the front door was just hanging on...but the worse part was the black soot on the wall above the heater which i did not feel safe enough to use!! When we went to check out no one was on the reception desk, and looking outside the door i could see all the cleaners and the receptionist were stood right outside the door smoking and having a cup of coffee. I appreciate staff need a break but everyone all at the same time? And smoking outside the exit so that we had to walk though a cloud of smoke to leave, and not one of them acknowledged us.

On the upside the staff in the Little Chef were lovely, and we enjoyed our breakfast there before heading off.

I wrote a letter of complaint to travelodge. They did reply quite quickly but reading the reviews on here i think the response was appalling!! I was basically fobbed off and told it was obviously a drop in their usually high standards and they would implement a new system from now on, whereby the head of house keeping would do spot checks on rooms to ensure their cleanliness, and that a maintanence company would be sent around to sort out the issues i highlighted. Nothing was mentioned about the terrible image/attitude the staff are giving off.

Thankfully i have stayed in many lovely travelodges, so it has not put me off them as a whole, just off this one....especially as i was not even offered a refund, more like empty promises!!

Warm and cosy on a cold winters night. Lady on reception was very helpful. Bathroom really needed a good clean, bath tiles and toilet needs bleaching around rim etc but most things were ok bed sheets were spotless, coffee mugs were taken to reception as they were dirty, washing them in room is useless they need replacing each day with a visit to the dishwasher.

very scary! receptionist was in a daze when we arrived around midnight. we were paying cash and he wanted to photocopy my visa card and put it in a file, along with my driving license which contained my full address. i expressed concern as the file was just left on a shelf in view of me and at one point, he had opened it up to show me another customers photocopied card and license, as he thought i needed to know how it was filed. frightening stuff. this hotel has no idea of data protection!

the room was disgusting. i slept on top of the bed with a spare sheet over me. the bedside shelves had been wrenched off the wall. it wasn't dirt cheap either. paid around £50. much better standard hotels in the budget range around harlow but unfortunately they were all booked up. i've stayed in a lot of travelodge hotels but never experienced this standard before.