Betws-y-Coed, Best Western Waterloo Hotel

I previously stayed at The Waterloo Hotel back in April 2010, and stayed in Room 56, which was a Deluxe Double Lodge Style room, that particular stay was enjoyable and the room nicely furnished, clean, light and spacious. It was the positive experience of the first visit which, when travelling on business in the same area in August, made me choose The Waterloo Hotel for a 2nd overnight stay.

On arriving at the reception, I was allocated Room 148, which according to the hotel printout was a 'Family' room rather than the Double that I had booked, however since all Double and Family rooms apparently all share the same / equal 'Deluxe' facilities (according to their website), I wasn't too concerned however all of that changed when I turned the room key.

The room, could only be described as an upper floor 'attic room' - dark, stagnant and pokey and feeling hot and stuffy even on a relatively cool summer afternoon. The room was so dark that it required full use of the ceiling and wall lights even at 3pm. or should I say, the lights that actually WORKED, as replacement bulbs must be in short supply in Snowdonia.

The room was finished in a sort of chocolate-brown furry wall covering, with matching tired brown furniture which didn't help the already very limited light nor give it a cheerful, welcoming atmosphere. In contrast, my previous stay in room 56 had patio doors and large windows and was very light and airy, whilst room 148 was more like an attic prison designed by Norman Bates.

I'm really not sure, what type of family would find the dark, 'gothic' atmosphere and appearance of room 148 acceptable or pleasant. The manson family perhaps? or maybe Bill Sykes and Nancy?. I really wouldn't keep a battery hen in that particular room.

In addition the whole room decor was very tired and grotty. Cobwebs adorned the corners in the Bathroom close to the filthy, grime ridden extractor fan (which didn't work), the ceiling in the living area looked like it had scabies, as it had been patched with various repairs and then the repair area 'scar' daubed in paint which didn't match the old shade. The accumulation of dust and old empty coffee sleeves behind the sofa-bed is totally unacceptable in any hotel, and it must be months since it was hoovered behind there, and this alone, totally lets down the Best Western brand.

The hotel website boasts of internet connection in Bedrooms and Lodge Rooms, and this was indeed available on my April stay in room 56 in the form of LAN based modem plugged into the phone socket like you would have at home, however despite being advertised as sharing the same 'Deluxe' room Specification, room 148 had NO internet connection whatsoever nor any Wi-Fi service, despite it being sold at the same rate, and in the same 'Deluxe' bracket as the other Lodge rooms, which, I know from my previous stay, do have Internet Access.

I find it abysmal that The Waterloo clearly have Deluxe Rooms which have better facilities than others, and its a Russian Roulette as to whether your room is light and pleasant or an upperfloor attic 'cell' and whether you will have access to the internet or not, but you will be charged the same room rate, regardless of the very different room facilities and level of services. I'm reliably informed that even the cheaper 'standard' rooms have internet access, so why not the expensive Room 148?

This is 2010 and not 1910, and internet access is pretty much routinely available from every seaside guest house to the discounted Travelodge Motel. People increasingly rely on the internet to keep in touch, especially foreign visitors who want to use Skype or email holiday photos to their folks back home and younger travellers who want to keep updating their facebook profile. For business travellers like myself its a necessity of travel, due to doing business in countries with different time zones. As no room internet service was available, I had to drive several miles to a larger town in order to get a Mobile internet signal from Orange as I was expecting an important email later that night.

The rest of the night was very uncomfortable. The TV channels were 'glitchy' making it largely unwatchable, the bedroom was uncomfortably hot making sleep difficult, along with the rain which was hammering on the Velux Skylight which was right over the bed, and amazingly loud and distracting from sleep when the noise is right in your ear!. There was also a noticable machinery 'hum' coming from somewhere below, and given how warm the room and floor was and also the ambient sound of fans and pumps, I believe that this room may be close to, or even above the boiler room!.

I'm still not sure why a Solo Traveller was allocated a Family Room without any warning or notice, located in a family orientated block of lodges. Fortunately 'family' noise and the sound of younger guests doesn't bother me, however a couple on a romantic break or Elderly guests seeking a quiet weekend away may find it distracting if they are allocated a Family room without warning or explanation by the Reception staff upon arrival, instead of the normal Double that they had booked online.

Anybody who likes to lie in bed and watch the late night movie on TV may also be disappointed with Room 148, as the living area and Bedroom is not open plan like the other Lodges, and the Bedroom is in a seperate room and therefore well away from the only 'TV' in the living area.

This was the second time I have stayed at the Waterloo Hotel and unfortunately it will be my last. For the top tier prices that this Hotel charges you would expect more than the dark, grubby, stuffy, cobweb strewn little attic room which is Room 148.

I only hope and pray that the next occupant of Room 148 is Alex Polizzi, as this is one room that needs a complete overall as well as a good clean and an internet point. The whole 'morose' and depressing atmosphere of the room made me want to listen to my Smiths CD, its certainly not a room which i'd want to spend my holiday in.

Stopped for lunch today, so this review is for the Bistro only.

The lunch menu was extensive, the staff were friendly and efficient and the meal was excellent.

I've marked down the "value for money score" because the meal was priced fairly, not cheap and not expensive.

On the 10th January 2010 we took a party of 40 walkers from Abergele Rambling Club for an Annual Lunch to The Waterloo Hotel Betwys y Coed North Wales.

We were made welcome from the moment we entered the Hotel by the manageress

Megan and her staff. The meal and service were superb and the ambience was wonderful.

A big thankyou to all who were involved in making the day such a success, we shall certainly be visiting again.