The Old Ship Hotel

Really need to get their act together What a difference from the last stay. Book two rooms for a Saturday, try to order food at 7:30pm and get told they are too busy and understaffed. So basically you don’t care about people who stay at the hotel in favour of a full bar !

Awful front of house and customer service Upon arrival, we were greeted in the car park by a gentleman who was extremely helpful and accommodating, ensuring we knew where to park. This created a very positive first impression, and as we had arrived early, we left our bags at reception before heading out for the day. Later, when we returned to check in, we collected our room keys and went to our allocated room. (Pictures below, awful… flies in the bathroom!!!) On checking the room, we found that neither the balcony door nor the windows would open and that was just the start… I went down to reception and politely explained the issue to the front of house team. The gentleman at reception said he would contact the maintenance team about the window and door. However, he then left me standing at the desk without further communication. I kindly asked him approximately how long it might take, as I wanted to know whether to wait or head out. His response was: “Well, I need to radio through, I’m not psychic!” This response was unprofessional, unnecessary, and quite upsetting, especially as I had been polite in my enquiry. The duty manager on shift I ask to talk to was supportive and understanding. He asked me to write a statement, but as I explained to him at the time, I did not wish to spend my weekend doing that and simply hoped he would address the matter with his team. The hygiene standards of the room were not as they use to be, dirty walls, stained pillow, broken door, stained Kettle, flies in the bathroom. This just wasn’t the stay we wished for! I wanted to bring this to the attention of others so that it can be handled appropriately and so others are aware, as this interaction did not reflect the high standard of hospitality we expected from your hotel, especially after such a positive arrival experience even if the hotel did look run down and damaged from the outside. Myself and my partner attend this hotel yearly for our weekends in Brighton and this has made me second think where to stay next time and within a year it’s gone down hill a lot!! I hope that steps will be taken to ensure better communication and professionalism at the front desk in future Below are attached room pictures….

Decline in standards for loyal customer Gutted to be writting this but after 22 years of anniversary stays at the Old Ship Brighton but we will not be returning. On arrival we parked as we have done many time and headed to reception and told we had to pay for our parking for 2 day now which wasn't a problem but we usually paid on leaving and when we question this we were made to feel like we had asked for something terrible. This was just the start when we got to our room we found its cleanliness not to the stardard we had come to expect over the years. There were multiply areas of mould in the bathroom and behind the door was dirty and clearly not been cleaned for a while and a shower screen seal that was so disgusting. The door its self had a loose handle and jamming at the top which I had to push open twice to let my wife out (not sure what she could of done had I not been in the room) . We went to the bar for a drink but found multiple table not cleared and when a table came free in the window we tried to move but had to clear glasses. The poor barmaid was the only one working and had to serve and clear. Half way through the night the smoke alarm went off for about 30 second then stopped with absolutely no explanation. We also had storm Amy make land that night and found water dripping from the pelmet above the window. The fact that we loved staying here made this so disappointing. Whilst getting ready to go out for dinner the night of our annivesary my wife and I were using the bathroom I turned away from the basin and caught my hand on a broken tile. I would considering raising this on check out but when we got to reception we had a young lad that just asked if we were checking out and said all done..no how was your stay, nothing! Totally lost the personal touch and a shame you have left such a great hotel loose it class.

Old Ship full of Charm and amazing Location Yes the hotel is old and in need of renovation, but in Brighton its all about Location, Location, Location, and it doesn't get much better than this. Great location right on the seafront, lovely waking up in the morning to the view of the sea on a brilliant sunny day. All the staff are really friendly and helpful and the breakfast in the morning was perfectly adequate and plentiful enough to fill you up for the day. Car parking was reasonable in their own car park and managed by very friendly staff. It does need a lick of paint and tidy up but it has a certain charm and that's why I will always stay there when I am in Brighton.

Read reviews, then read again with disernment Positives first, on arrival staff could not have been more helpful or welcoming. The breakfast room was clean, food was alright, there was plenty for every one. We stayed a week. Hotel itself is literally caving in on itself! Plaster glides like snow from the ceiling, scattering the floor with many different patterns! A shampoo bottle rolled under the vanity in the bathroom, to stay there for 3 days until we managed to move it, hence the floor hadn't been done. On last night I asked a man named Dan if I could either borrow a pair of nail scissors or clippers so I could remove my luggage tags to put new ones on. After declining my request Dan proceeded to tell an incredulous me, who is attached to an oxygen cylinder and who is terminally I'll, that it is more than his job is worth because if I went to my room. To harm myself, he might lose his job! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How dare this man say such a thing to anybody, never mind a ill person. So I asked him to leave his position as he has other staff and come and cut the cable for me. He just smirked, ruffled a drawer a bit and said he didn't have anything. I just walked away at this point. I walked straight into the dining room and picked up one of 100 knives. You couldn't make it up. The hotel itself is falling apart, you take your life in your hands each time you enter the 120yr old lift. The bath was bad, safety grabs hung off the wall, toilet holders not secure. But location was 10 out of 10. Checkout! I pay a premium so my luggage is collected at the hotel and delivered to my door. 10 minutes before my train home I get a call from the hotel to inform me that they've made a mistake by offering the courier the wrong package, they tried to give him my oxygen cylinders, at this point my head just hit the table. 3 days later im still waiting my luggage. I would never use this hotel again. I don't blame the staff, they are only as good as their supervisors, but this what happens when you leave such young staff In charge. I don't think you could understand how offensive the Monday night manager Dan was to even dare to suggest that I would harm myself. I told him what I wanted them for. To accuse a terminally ill person of such a thing is abhorrent and it needs rectifying. If old, falling down architecture is for you, with dreadful to no WIFI in rooms. If whilst in the bar you like carpet nailed to the wall to disguise holes, if you like split plaster boards were the sea wind can blow through, this is for you. This hotel requires a lot of time effort and money spent on it to bring it up to 21 century standards. It's was bordering on Fawlty Towers without the humour! I can't believe i payed just shy of £1000 to stay her. If I wasn't tied to my luggage snd oxygen delivery I would of simply done an about turn and booked else where. However, again I will stress that the majority of staff where very good. Especially the manager who helped me on arrival with my oxygen, that guy went above and beyond.