Brook Red Lion Hotel

Second stay here, first was good. This one was not, had no heating or hot water was freezing all night especially as it was probably about 2 degrees outside that night. Receptionist tried his best to help situation but was out of his control as the heaters he gave us did little to improve the temperature in the room. Have constantly contacted them to try to get refund or compensation but they keep ignoring my emails and calls.

I recently stayed at The Red Lion in Colchester while visiting friends, and unfortunately the experience was very disappointing. I appreciate that the hotel is old-fashioned and has a quaint, historic charm — that’s part of its appeal. However, there’s a big difference between “traditional” and poorly maintained. The biggest issue was cleanliness. There were bugs in the bed, which is completely unacceptable in any hotel. In the bathroom, there was a large hair left on the tiles, which immediately made the room feel unclean and not properly checked before our arrival. When I reported these issues to reception, I was told that Head Office would be in touch. I have to say, the response felt dismissive and lacking any real urgency or concern. There was no immediate reassurance or meaningful attempt to resolve the situation, which was very disappointing. Additionally, the bathroom layout is poorly designed — the shower screen hits directly against the sink, and if you’re running a bath it looks as though it could easily smash into it. This doesn’t feel safe or well thought out. Overall, while the building itself may have character, cleanliness and guest care should never be compromised. Sadly, I wouldn’t stay here again.