Best Western The Grand Hotel Hartlepool

My boyfriend and I had travelled from Belfast to visit family and friends and chose The Grand Hotel because of its central location. The hotel was a five minute walk from the train station which was particularly handy for our trip to Newcastle over the weekend. It's also directly across from the shopping centre and very close to the taxi rank, making it very easy to get out and about. What really made our stay special, though, was the welcoming staff. Everyone was incredibly kind and approachable, and we genuinely felt very well looked after throughout our stay. A special mention to Kyaw Zin Oo, the assistant manager. He was such a great help to us ands greeted us every day when we came in and out of the hotel. His attentive attitude made such a difference to our stay and deserves great recognition for the way he looks after guests! A special mention to the housekeeping staff, particularly Angela (Angie), and Tracy, as we saw them often throughout our stay. They were so friendly and approachable, it was so lovely to have a chat with them whenever we passed them in the corridors. They made us felt very comfortable and well taken care of. We absolutely loved seeing Angela, Head of Housekeeping, throughout our stay and would like her to also receive the recognition as housekeeping can sometimes go unnoticed, but the effort she put in really does make a difference to a guest's experience, and we would definitely be back! Overall, our experience was FANTASTIC, to say the least! The staff genuinely care about their guests and the location was brilliant. We would recommend it to anyone looking somewhere central and convenient! A huge thank you to Kyaw Zin Oo, Angela, Tracy and the entire team for making us feel so welcome and well looked after!

Absolutely fantastic from start to finish, we booked the ballroom for my daughter's wedding reception and the family room for 2 nights with the bridal suite for the newlyweds. The staff went above and beyond, honestly could not fault them and they went out of their way to help, the manager was so good, nothing was a bother at all and they are all so friendly, beer prices a lot cheaper than we thought they would be too, rooms are spacious, beds comfy, linens crisp and clean, towels perfect and the ballroom looked amazing. I would definitely recommend.

Abomination, is the kindest word I could summon to describe this almost uninhabitable place. Upon arrival it felt haunted and outdated with a rickety lift and staff who were surprised we wanted to stay. I knew I was in for a treat when the door appeared to have been broken in numerous times. First night set the tone for the next 2 with an iron which perceived to rag over my clothes rather than gliding causing a burn in an 80 pound t shirt. And when the horrible night came to an end I could barely fall asleep past 6 o'clock in the morning due to the curtains being see through and waking up to a blinding sun. Due to the warm weather after my cricket match and a long day in the sun I was looking forward to a cold shower to cool me down yet to find out the Temparature dial was moulder and stuck on boiling hot preventing me to stand under the burning stream of hades for more than 5 seconds. And when it seemed like it couldn't get much worse the entire shower door fell off and could have shattered my foot. Due to this after the shower the entire bathroom held seemingly more liquid than my nan's fish pond. After the shower capitulated on me I carried the door down to reception in disgust just to be challenged by a worker of pure contentment and optimism that it can be fixed acting as if it was a normal occurrence, later yet I found the door balanced against the shower still disconnected. Overall I would have rather stayed on the lovely streets surrounding the hotel as the druggies substances may have eased my pain of putting up with the WORST western grand hotel.

The Location was great as next door to shopping centre and other amenities. Although the hotel's main entrance is locked and guests need a key card to gain access, I was disappointed by what I felt was a lack of security during my stay. On the night my colleague and I were staying, the only staff member on duty informed us that there was an intruder in the hotel who had gained access to the room next door to mine. Naturally, this left me feeling extremely unsafe and frightened, particularly as the room was immediately adjacent to mine. The staff member explained that it was possible the individual had been given a key card by another hotel employee, which made the situation even more concerning. What was equally alarming was that there appeared to be no immediate attempt to contact the police. Before my colleague and I returned to our rooms, I had to ask the staff member to check both of our rooms to ensure the intruder was not inside. We were then advised to lock the door, put the security chain on, barricade the door if possible, and, if anyone managed to enter our room, to call 999. I found this advice to be completely unprofessional and inadequate. Rather than taking steps to resolve the situation, the responsibility for our safety seemed to be placed on us as guests. As a result, I spent the rest of the night unable to sleep, feeling anxious and constantly worried that someone might try to enter my room. I was also surprised that, despite being told my colleague and I were the only two guests staying on that floor, we had been allocated rooms several doors apart rather than close together. Given the circumstances, it would have made far more sense to accommodate us in neighbouring rooms. While I appreciate that the staff member was honest and kept us informed, this incident raised serious concerns about the hotel's security procedures, emergency response, and overall commitment to guest safety. No guest should be left feeling this vulnerable or be advised to barricade themselves inside their room while an intruder remains in the building. I hope the hotel urgently reviews its key card management, security protocols, staffing levels, and procedures for responding to incidents like this to ensure future guests are kept safe.

Disappointing hotel don't waste your money. I like to leave honest reliable reviews. Arrived to a dirty dusty room windows screwed shut and heating on full and the weather was 26 degrees. Zero hot water so couldn't shower and the provided fan was so dusty when you turned it on it filled the room with dust. Surfaces not wiped or cleaned. Breakfast was pathetic 1st night zero warm option available and no cups for warm drink or juice. Asked for cups and glasses to receive dirty fingerprinted cups and glasses. Asked about vegetarian options for the wife so over paid for toast and had no tables set or cleaned . 2nd day there was an apparent warm option which was cold complained to only person working in morning who said come back at 11 to see manager saw manager and he was beyond helpful asked to email complaint heard nothing. Been in the hospitality industry I've never known such a ridiculous letdown

The room 314 was quite small. There were no towel rails or hooks so where would one put their clothes and towels when using the shower? On the floor? Hotel was well located in a quiet area. The room was not cleaned properly with an empty tissue box. The carpet had bits of crumbs in the corner areas. Receptionist cannot move me to another room because the hotel was full.

First of all, staff are very friendly and helpful. However the actual hotel needs refurbishing and improving. The carpet in the room was stained and needs replacing. The bedding had some stains. Generally not that clean. No air conditioning, which I understand as it's an old building, but no solutions to this such as a fan in the room. If they had fans in the room this would be better. Shower was leaking and the cold water tap in the sink ran warm water, even after leaving it a few minutes. Bed wasn't that comfy. Breakfast was average, I wouldn't get it again but it wasn't bad. Limited free parking.

Bathroom wasn't very clean and the light pull cord ceiling attachment was hanging down. Shower pressure was very poor. Carpet is in need of a deep clean.

Staff... Upon arrival Thursday evening I parked on the car park next door and the reception asked where I parked. He said that is a car park they share with the council and the barriers will come down at 7am then will go back up in the evening. They will be up all day Saturday and Sunday but I'd I needed my car on the Friday I should move it. I said I will be in a training session on Friday and don't need my car as I will walk to the venue. I asked if it will be ok to still leave my car there because I don't need it on Friday and he replied yesterday, no problem just be aware the barriers are down as if you do need it you won't be able to. No worries. After coming back Friday evening there was a parking fine ticket! The same guy was on reception and he actually came and looked at my car to ensure it was on that specific car park and said he couldn't believe it as it never happened before. On my check out another member of staff was on reception and he said happens all the time!!! Very unhappy!! Also the room... Carpet not very clean and wall paper falling off. My friends room shower not working and couldn't open the window (they told him to use the fan as there should be one in the wardrobe). I don't think this hotel is going to last much longer and I certainly will not be using (no so) Best Western again

Work often deposits me in hotels not of my choosing — a sort of professional lucky dip, though “lucky” is perhaps doing some heavy lifting. The Best Western Grand Hotel Hartlepool, I'm afraid to report, is less “grand hotel” and more “end-of-days holding pen.” On arrival, the receptionist appeared mildly surprised that I existed, let alone had a booking. My first room featured a television behaving like it had strong opinions about being watched, and a telephone that had opted out of public service altogether. Reporting the issue required the sort of initiative normally associated with polar expeditions. Room two was, if anything, more philosophical. It posed an interesting question: what is a bath without hot water? The answer, it turns out, is “decorative.” The bar was closed, which felt less like an inconvenience and more like a narrative choice. One half expected a distant door to creak open and something undead to shuffle through. By morning, the hotel had taken on the unmistakable air of a recently abandoned battlefield. Breakfast was technically present, but only in the way props are present in a school play. The cooked options looked as though they had been waiting for rescue for some time. I opted instead for a Weetabix, some milk, and half a cup of coffee of a thickness that suggested commitment rather than flavour. The shower was lukewarm — not aggressively so, just enough to keep hope alive before quietly withdrawing it. And yet — a glimmer. One heroic staff member (distinguished by a splendid ginger beard and an air of cheerful resilience) appeared to be running reception, breakfast, and possibly the national grid. Delightful, indefatigable… and entirely alone. Which, I suspect, is rather the point. This is what happens when you understaff a hotel: it becomes less a place of hospitality and more a gentle endurance exercise. I return in May. I am, even now, scanning the horizon for a nearby Premier Inn like a man in a lifeboat looking for land

We recently stayed for 2 nights. We booked a double superior suite and none were available on our arrival. We asked for disabled accessibility due to disabilities and a recent knee operation. The hotel tried to put us in an inferior twin room, we declined. They offered a room that had matresses turned upside down due to urine staining - we declined. We had to accept a smaller twin room for the 1st night as nothing else was available. Both I and my partner are disabled and needed an accessible room, which we were moved to for the 2nd night stay. The customer service was mostly appalling with only 1 member of staff actively trying to resolve our room issue. The rooms generally need maintenance, with poor plumbing, loose bathroom tiles, mould on bathroom sealant and dated and worn mattresses. We have stayed at this hotel numerous times over the years and can clearly see the deteriaration of the hotel and quality of service, resulting in us never going to use this hotel again. Other guests during our stay had the same issues as we did, so their failings seem now a common issue. We would not recommend this hotel.

Extremely concerning stay, we have stayed in many hotels and on staying here I initially didn't leave a review however 1 year on seeing things have not improved I am compelled to do so the issue is room security doors in adequately locking and a staff member prowling round our bedroom at 3 am in the morning when my wife screamed at him to get out he still hung around in the bedroom before getting out the guy was so I was told the night porter this type of incident has happened before to which I demanded an explanation the explanation given as far as we. Were concerned was inadequate nobody nobody should be hanging around in the darkness of a guests bedroom in the early hours of the morning beware I believe it happens a lot

Horrific incident in at 3am when people (a "courting couple" as we were told) who had not previously booked were given a room (ours) in the middle of the night. They tried to get into our room when they had been given a key by a member of staff. Staff are pleasant but very overworked but this is not safe or acceptable. The member of staff we spoke to said "you're lucky it could have been much worse if they had been an angry drunk", well thanks for that! Was promised a deputy manager would ring us to apologise...of course they did not. Room is clean but threadbare with carpets bald in places and bathroom door so thin it wobbles when you try to open it (after it jams if you lock it). They advertise the football on TNT but the hotel does not actually have TNT anymore and half of the beer pumps are for show only as they no longer sell the full range. I could go on but you get the drift. Simply I would not ever go again for fear for my safety.

Hotel locked when we arrived, cleaner let us in. Couldn't check in until 4pm,only person available was a caretaker, no receptionist, room was cold, with 3 quarter bed not double, paid for bed and breakfast but told we had to pay £10 each for breakfast on top, no private parking as stated,felt uncomfortable and unsafe, so left soon after, went to reception but nobody there, left key card and left. Later in day was charged £43 , disgraceful!!!

Stayed for one night recently. A perfectly adequate, clean and quiet room for a very fair price. Sandra and Richard were very welcoming and engaging, and even took the time to show me the ballroom when I expressed an interest in the beautiful old building. I'm assured that the Indian restaurant in the basement of the building is top drawer too.

Lovely hotel really friendly staff . But need more staff at night time if the door is locked you can be waiting sometime for someone to come and let you in esp if they are busy as their is only one member of staff on duty . And need more staff in the morning they had one person covering breakfast and reception apart from that I enjoyed my stay

My wife and I travelled by train to Hartlepool and stayed in room 206 of this hotel, check in was 15.00 we arrived about 12.00 and was offered early check in for nearly as much as we had paid for the room. We was able to leave our overnight bags behind reception , so no problem there. We arrived back at the hotel about 14.45 and had a drink in the bar and at 15.00 I went to check in and was given room 206 accessed via the lift. The hotel and room was warm and clean bar and reception staff friendly and efficient. The room was fully equipped with all you could want for a night away. All toiletries supplied, the shower is bath located so would be an issue to somebody with mobility issues. We would definitely use again it is central to town and about 15 minutes to the train station.

I stayed here for 4 night and it's clean and tidy if a bit dated and the staff are amazing especially Sandra and Richard as they made the stay memorable.

First a highlight, a receptionist, Sandra an absolute star, friendly and efficient. But an odd hotel, some parts fabulously refurbished, like the bar. But nobody in it?. Other parts, for example really short staffed, also like my room clearly refurbished on the cheap, curtains 15cms short for example, sink tap turns on wrong way ie clockwise.. . Would i stay again.... hmmmm Best Western I've stayed in many and I expected more....

Amazing stay! The staff were super friendly, the rooms were spotless, and the location was perfect. Highly recommend this hotel — I'll definitely come back!

Really nice place and have stayed here multiple times breakfast is good and nice staff is really friendly and helpful, it's great that it's an old building and have maintained it can't expect more out of it.

The rooms were really nice, spacious, and clean. Everything was lovely—from the cozy atmosphere to the little details that made us feel at home. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, always ready to assist with a smile. Overall, it was a wonderful experience!

Don't stay here. Old and rundown. Reserving me tge wrong room was just the start. Very disapointing. Breakfast was also extremely poor. There is a lot more I could say but dont want to list all that was bad about this. Being locked out in the wind and rain with inadequate parking to name a couple of things that I didn't mention in their survey. Don't plan to stay here.

We booked three double rooms for three nights for our family visit to Hartlepool. Check in was fine our rooms were clean and comfortable. We arranged to meet in the bar at 8pm to have a drink before dinner we waited approximately ten minutes for someone to appear in the bar to serve us sadly the bar only had two customers in on a Thursday evening. I noticed the lady that served us in the bar was the the young lady Sandra who had checked us in at reception earlier that evening Sandra apologised for the delay the reason being she was checking in a group at reception and she was manning both bar and reception. I ordered a round of drinks only to be told they didn't have any draft lagers or draft beers we don't get our delivery till tomorrow Friday. We ordered a couple of diet cokes only to be served out of half full one litre bottles I also ordered two gin and tonics all the drinks were served with no ice apparently the ice machine was broken. I asked for a slice of lemon to go into the gin and tonic only to be told ( you guessed it ) they don't have any lemons. The young lady Sandra was very apologetic but unfortunately it wasn't her fault. There was no manager or duty manager on duty If this was a one off I would understand but unfortunately I spoke to one of the other two local customers who said this is sadly a normal occurrence. We would have been happy to spend a few hours in bar but unfortunately we went out and found a local bar with plenty of drinks and ice. Unfortunately Friday and Saturday nights we visited the bar to find the same situation regarding availability of beers and lagers. The rooms were clean and tidy and Sandra was a star running all the departments but unfortunately the lack of management presence and guidance lets the Grand Hotel down. I would stay there again but only to use the bedroom. We didn't have breakfast I wasn't confident enough and unsure if Sandra could cope with the extra work.

Stayed here 4 times this year and think it's a hidden gem. My room is great, everything I needed and the bonus is the free breakfast which was good, food could be warmer considering it started at 7 and I was there at that time, but it's free so not really moaning. I would definitely recommend to friends.

Staff unhelpful, ignorant and basically useless. Parking a nightmare, breakfast - just don't bother! Stayed 2 nights, no hot water on 2nd night and when reported told they would look at it the next day! Despite the website advertising tribute nights on the first Friday, we were not allowed into the bar on the Friday (it was the first Friday) as it was closed for a private party. Do yourself a favour and stay somewhere else.

Don't bother wasting your money. Reception staff not welcoming unable to advise you due to language barrier. Parking situation is awful. No hot water in the bathroom and when reported ,was told they will let management know ! Not helpful if you can't shower ! Very noisy not helping being next to a police station on a Saturday night. Sirens constantly going . Although doesn't help that the window doesn't shut correctly. Fan sounded like a jet engine in the room. Breakfast looked so awful that we didn't bother going down either day ,even though it was included. Can't believe it's a Best Western!

The Grand Hotel is set in downtown Hartlepool, a short walk from the Marina. It is clean, comfortable & good value. The staff were efficient & friendly. The Mumbai Majestic restaurant in the basement is fabulous. Lots to recommend.

Room finish was very poor, wallpaper was coming off the walls. It was hard to find a member of staff if needed. I wouldn't recommend staying

Stayed here with my fishing buddy for a competition. The Hotel is very clean And the staff were very friendly. It is very central for everything . The beds a Re very comfortable and the hotel was very quiet and the breakfast was lovely. We will be back again .

Really enjoyed our stayed in grand the brekkie was lovely & plenty of it thanks to the stunning Vicky who served us with a Smile 😊 also jen & Tracy kept our room spotlessly clean & gave us new towels every day😘 and the night Porter Stephen who couldn't help enough & what ever we asked him for he went out if his way to it for us😉 Big Respect to u All xx💋💕

Place is a disgrace, one member of staff in the whole building trying to deal with bar, reception and housekeeping issues. Staff who are working do their best but you can see the frustration that have to endure. Never any management on duty, if indeed their is any?

Nice Stay, Staff was quite helpful, room was absolutely clean and enjoyed couple of drinks in bar, can understand its quite old property and maintained quit well. bathroom was big and spacious and felt like a king in room. and housekeeping was too good

I'd say the only real positive of this venue was its location - right in the heart of Hartlepool. I booked around midday for that same evening, and on the Trip.com website there was an option to select for being further away from the lift - which I selected. Upon checking in, I was given the top floor right next to the lift, and every door has a heavy bang. I was disturbed several times during my sleep by people moving around and the lift going up and down. However, this wasn't the only problem. Every time someone in the near vicinity flushed their toilet, there was a loud noise for a good two or three minutes while I assume the cistern filled up - it was loud enough to hear from other rooms and again, disturbed my sleep. The heating wouldn't turn off, which led to the room being uncomfortably warm despite the window being open. I had no other general issues on arrival, however when waking up for the morning and heading to the shower, to see the bathroom having around 12-15 silverfish insects in the room. It gave me quite the fright and safe to say I wasn't impressed. Avoid if you can.

First impressions not great, having to buzz reception to get in made feel more like a hostel than a hotel, staff friendly enough, room very basic but clean, uncomfortable bed, mediocre breakfast, parking can be an issue, it's across the road from the hotel and fills up quickly with locals, advertised as 4 star, definitely only 2 star