Hodgkinsons Hotel Matlock Bath

Nothing

The description on Booking.com looked really good so decided to book this as a last night stay on our road trip. The day before we arrive received an email saying that the hotel was now self check in and gave a code. When we arrived we found the door was unlocked (initially wasn't worried by this but then another guest mentioned it and had I been travelling on my own could have been a concern) and no staff around. We used the key safe to get the key and went to the room. Bed was extremely uncomfortable (needs a new mattress) , no toiletries provided (there was a tray on second floor with one toilet roll and two small bottles of conditioner) very dusty (shelves, light shades etc no sign of cleaning for a long time). Breakfast was very disappointing.
We had received a text which said: Please note we are still providing guests with a menu and we kindly request if you could please pre-order your breakfast . No menu in room so I phoned the mobile number given and was told , "no there isn't a menu, just come down between 8:30 and 9:30 (on email time given as 8:30 to 10:30) and we'll take your order" I had a look at the breakfast menu on the hotel website which shows for instance : freshly made fruit salad ( a standard plastic individual pot from a supermarket ) Fresh fruit smoothie ( a pot of cheap strawberry yoghurt ) A selection of cereals ( some very old looking coco pops and cornflakes in glass dispensers ) The Full English ( really badly cooked by someone who I suspect is not a chef). I could go on......
I gathered from overheard conversations that the owner is cutting costs. However prices for a stay remain the same .
Very expensive for a extremely poor experience .

Have a proper reception and check in.

I wasn’t expecting self check in, so I didn’t see or hear a soul the whole first day there, it made it feel deserted, uninviting, and unfriendly, and more like an Airbnb than a hotel.
The lighting didn’t help as it was very dim through out and made it feel very gloomy and dark.
I was in the single room and the shower was not easy to use as very small and effectively in a cupboard. There was nowhere to put the towel so it had to go on the floor of the room on the carpet outside the cubicle. The shower was only warm and not hot and there was no shower gel yet hand lotion and conditioner!!
I was offered a hot breakfast the only morning I was there and that was the first time I saw anyone since I’d arrived the day before, but I didn’t want one preferring cereal and toast, just as well as it was a very minimal cold buffet offering with no fresh fruit and soggy pastries just defrosted.

Rien, tout était parfait et conforme à la description.

Old fashioned hotel

The ownership of the hotel is about to change and it was clear that stocks were being run down.

Stair climb to the room.

Needs some money spent on it and staff training