James Cook Hotel

This hotel is consistently praised for its central location and the friendly, helpful staff who contribute significantly to a positive guest experience. Its position offers easy access to the city center and main attractions, making it an excellent choice for sightseers and business travelers seeking convenience. Many guests highlight the hotel's overall cleanliness and the comfortable sleeping arrangements. For those looking for a practical and well-located base, this hotel provides good value. To make the most of your stay, be prepared for potential variations in room amenities and consider confirming specific features upon arrival, as some aspects receive mixed feedback.

Facilities & Amenities
Feedback on the hotel's facilities and amenities is varied. Most guests appreciate the presence of a mini fridge in the rooms and generally find the AC and Wi-Fi to be functional. However, a recurring issue is that the TVs are often reported as not working, or lacking proper remotes or connections, which can be a minor inconvenience for some. While a pool and new sitting areas are available, some guests note the pool is small. Other reported deficiencies include the absence of an in-room phone, safe, or tea cups, and a lack of power converters. There are also mentions of a mouldy lift carpet and ongoing construction around the entrance, which might affect the overall ambiance.

Cleanliness & Room Comfort
Guests frequently commend the hotel for its general cleanliness and the comfortable beds, often describing rooms as cozy. However, a significant and widely reported concern pertains to the bathroom design, where the absence of a shower divider or poor drainage often leads to the entire bathroom floor flooding after a shower. Many reviews also mention the poor condition of towels, describing them as old, stained, ragged, or having holes. Some guests have encountered unclean toilets, urine smells, or stained furniture. While some rooms offer great views, issues with noisy AC units or leaking ACs are noted. Additionally, some guests report hearing noise from hallways or draining water from other rooms due to poor insulation.

Dining & Food Quality
The hotel's breakfast receives mixed but generally positive reviews, with many guests finding it good, awesome, and hearty, often highlighting the eggs cooked to perfection. Some also praise the lunch and dinner options as outstanding and flavourful. However, several guests describe the breakfast as basic with limited variety, and report issues with coffee machines or toasters. Concerns about hygiene in the kitchen area, such as staff smoking or the presence of cats, have been raised. Specific dietary concerns include cross-contamination for Muslim guests due to shared cooking surfaces and limited vegan options at breakfast, often restricted to toast and baked beans.

Location & Accessibility
The hotel's central location is a major highlight, consistently praised by guests for its convenience. It is described as being walking distance to main attractions, the city center, supermarkets, and restaurants. Its proximity to public transport is also noted as a significant advantage for exploring the area. However, parking is a point of contention; while some reviews mention a free car park with easy access, others report a lack of hotel parking, leading to reliance on potentially unsafe street parking, and issues with advertised undercover parking not being available. Some guests also mention accessibility challenges, including steps and gates that can be difficult to navigate, particularly when returning late.

Staff & Service
The hotel staff consistently receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, being described as friendly, helpful, courteous, and accommodating. Many guests highlight the staff as outstanding and approachable, noting their willingness to assist with requests and resolve issues promptly. Specific mentions include efficient receptionists and attentive dining staff. While isolated comments suggest some staff might appear uninterested or that language barriers could occasionally slow down the check-in process, these are minor points compared to the widespread praise for the team's dedication to providing excellent service and making guests feel welcome.

Additional Information
Guests frequently note that the hotel offers good value for money compared to other accommodations in the area, despite some of the reported issues. There are inconsistencies in housekeeping frequency, with some guests reporting that their rooms were not cleaned daily. The hotel has a policy against bringing outside alcohol. During power outages, guests may experience a lack of hot water and non-functional elevators due to the absence of a backup generator. The management has been noted for addressing guest concerns, such as providing daily newspapers as compensation for non-working televisions. Some guests also mention ongoing construction around the hotel entrance.