The Clarendon Hotel, Exclusive Hire

I stayed at this hotel and experienced a deeply upsetting experience that I feel future guests need to be warned about. I left my room for just one hour to go for a local run. During that time, two designer handbags, two purses, my credit and debit cards, driving license, and ID cards were stolen from my locked hotel room. My cards were then used fraudulently, costing me thousands of pounds and causing huge inconvenience. The crime was reported to the police, who have a full record of the incident and even located footage of the criminal using my cards. The hotel has shown a complete lack of duty of care: • There are limited security camera with large blind spots, and conveniently no cameras were on the floor where my room was located. • The room was locked, which strongly suggests the thief had key access. • When the police attempted to contact the hotel to investigate, the manager was reportedly “too busy” to speak with them. • The hotel has offered no apology, no reassurance, and no support to me during this entire ordeal. Their insurance, I was informed, does not cover theft unless there are signs of force or violence — which is extremely concerning, as it leaves guests unprotected against theft that is more likely to be from staff with room access and no security camera coverage. Despite clear evidence and a police investigation, the hotel has been unwilling to compensate, provide a refund for the hotel stay, or even contribute towards the cost of my stolen belongings. Staying here has been a nightmare — back and forth emails with the hotel, following up with the police, and still waiting for a refund from my banks eight weeks after my stay. What should have been a safe and secure environment and pleasant trip turned into one of the most distressing travel experiences I’ve had. ⚠️ Warning to future guests: Do not leave valuables in your room. This hotel is unsafe, has insufficient security with large CCTV blind spots, and shows no care or responsibility towards guests when something goes wrong.

I recently stayed at The Clarendon, and it was awful. I had a reservation and, despite learning in advance that the hotel has no air conditioning, I decided to go through with the stay. That was a mistake. In the middle of summer, the lack of AC made the entire experience miserable. The heat was unbearable, and it’s simply unacceptable for a hotel that describes itself as “elegant” and “traditional.” What kind of upscale hotel doesn’t offer something as basic as air conditioning in 2025? To make matters worse, the staff didn’t seem particularly concerned about guest comfort or resolving complaints. I raised the issue and received little more than a shrug. For the price they charge, you’d expect far better service—and at the very least, a room that’s not sweltering. If you’re considering staying here during the warmer months, think twice. No AC, no comfort, and no sense of urgency when it comes to guest concerns. Never again.