How do you define a good hotel?
A recent stay at a hotel got me thinking about what defines a good hotel?
The hotel I stayed in was an "old style" hotel. It was at least 100 years old and was clearly from a previous era. The décor was a little bit dated and it felt like it could do with a bit of an update. Parking was on the road outside and was tricky to get a space. Hallways were dark and furniture was old fashioned.
However, the staff were friendly, the room was really clean and the location was excellent. And it was relatively cheap. It had some character that you don't get in the modern chains of hotels.
I definitely would not class it as excellent however as a place to stay it did the job. I would actually recommend someone to stay there in future if they want a cheap, clean hotel in a good location. If they want something special or more modern then maybe not.
Which brings me to the question, what makes a good hotel?
I think there are a few factors - firstly, is it clean? I don't care what level of hotel it is, I expect the room and facilities to be clean - especially nowadays.
Secondly, does it do what I need? If I just want somewhere cheap to stay then does it work? Is it near where I need to be? Or if I want a romantic place to stay does it meet expectations? This last criteria changes depending on the role the hotel is expected to fulfil.
And lastly, can I get a good nights sleep? This is a factor of the bed, the room and the noise. I usually sleep really badly on the first night at a hotel. I am a light sleeper so noise has a big impact for me. I always wear earplugs. I want to be able to adjust the room temperature and not having a fan or air conditioning humming all night.
Oh and why do they never seem to put electrical sockets next to the bed so you can charge your phone and use it as an alarm/clock? Admittedly newer hotels have started to address this.
If you want a relatively cheap place to stay, next to the beach in Worthing then maybe the Chatsworth Hotel is the place for you ...
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