Parkmore Hotel & Leisure Club - Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom 

Where to begin...? Surly receptionist Wrong room booked for me Creaky, bad taste, poor decor Noisy bedroom Greasy food Lack of breakfast items (at breakfast time?!) Frighteneing staff What a poor excuse for a 3 star hotel. If this is number 2 on the Tripadvisor website, what the hell are numbers 3 to 8 like???!!!!

The problems with this hotel began before we arrived as I booked 2 rooms and then the other couple found that the husband had been called in (owing to an accident) to work. I called back about 4 hours after booking and asked for the 25% deposit to be taken off my room only to be told it was a non returnable deposit. I think that, given the circumstances, and the fact that they had 8 days to re-let the room and on a Bank Holiday (end May 08) it was very unhelpful especially as most hotels give up to the day before arrival to cancel. However we chose to go and the reception welcome was average. We then went for tea out into the large open air and well furnished area with a lovely garden and two of four of the party were smokers but smoking was not allowed! Now I don't smoke myself but as we were OUTSIDE I did not see a problem, my sister spoke to others who were sent to a very small and very dirty area outside of the front of the hotel and they also thought this was ridiculous. The room (four poster) was pleasant enough, though a little 'tired' but was clean. The worst part of the stay though was at the evening meal, the stay and the dinner were part of a birthday present from my husband and were spoilt by the fact that a large party took over the restaurant. The staff were over-stretched and stressed, we booked for 8.00pm and got the starter at 9.15! Our table was in the centre of the room and by about 9.30pm we were completely surrounded by other guests meeting and greeting each other so much so that when I returned from the ladies I could not get back to the table! The food was excellent and the Head Waiter apologetic and he gave us complimentary coffee and brandy by way of an apology. However the night was thoroughly spoiled, as I said to him, we should have been informed that the restaurant was full so that we could have made alternative arrangements elsewhere but owing to the greed of others we had a night that was spoiled. Breakfast was another fiasco, we arrived at 9.05 am (it served 'til 9.30) and were sent to sit in reception as no table was ready, we were called back in about 10 minutes later, I had cereal and went to get the cooked food only to find there was hardly anything left (another couple had found the same and requested more food) when I asked the waitress she responded by looking at her watch! She was very rude and ask what time I had arrived! I would not return to this hotel or indeed recommend it to others, my advice is to give it a miss altogether.