The world's dirtiest hotels

The world’s dirtiest hotels

Which hotels need to clean up their act? We've got the dirt on the world's worst places to stay.

Published October 14, 2010

Bed bugs. Rats. Questionable stains. Ants. Dirty sheets. Mysterious sticky substances. Rancid smells. It’s the stuff that vacation nightmares are made of — but it’s also the reality many travellers encounter on the road. If simply reading that list makes your skin crawl, you’ll want to avoid booking with any of the hotels on TripAdvisor’s list of Dirtiest Hotels.

Every year, this popular travel review website combs through its user reviews and compiles the hotels that its users were thoroughly disgusted with during the previous year. There’s a top ten list of “dirty hotels” for some of the most popular destinations in the world including the U.S., U.K., France, India, Italy, and Spain. (Canada isn’t included, so we hope this speaks well for our country!)

Get ready to squirm — Here’s a sampling of the some of the dirtiest hotels in the world.

Hotel Carter, New York City, U.S.

You would think this hotel might have cleaned up its act by now. It’s been hovering between the number 1 and 2 slot on TA’s list since 2005. Of the current 814 reviews, only 44 rate this hotel above a three out of five. Reviews do praise the choice downtown location and the price (it’s relatively inexpensive at an average $122 USD a night), but found no shortage of things to hate about the place.

Among the many offenses are blood stains on the sheets, insects feasting on the garbage left behind from last night’s guests, offensive smells and rodents. Some reviewers said it might be okay if you only planned to sleep there, but other disagree — they went home covered in insect bites. (Read the reviews).

Cromwell Crown, London, England

At $72 USD this hotel in central London is practically a steal — but most reviewers still think the price is too high. Here TA members found bodily fluids in the sink, unknown stains on the furniture, underwear on the window ledge and layers of dirt and grime on the carpets and in the bathrooms. Reviewers report having to pay for the room upfront before they could see it, and found that staff members weren’t helpful or sympathetic when they complained.

In short, don’t let the word “Crown” fool you into thinking you’ll get the royal treatment here. (Read the reviews).

Hotel Merryl, Paris, France

It’s the worst hotel in France, but it still receives more positive ratings than many of the other offenders. If the room was too small and the conditions shabby, then many people thought that was in line with a two-star hotel. For $100 USD a night, the hotel is close to attractions like Sacre Coeur and Montmartre — though perhaps not in the nicest area of town.

However, many reviewers didn’t care for the cramped conditions, the musty smell or being forced to clean up after the meagre breakfast. Some reported mould in the bathroom or around the windows and curtains, and bathroom tiles didn’t seem to know their place.

While this hotel doesn’t have many of the horror stories of others on the list, it’s still one reviewers advise others to avoid. (Read the reviews).

Ludwig Hotel, Munich, Germany

Reviewers liked the location — directly across from the train station — but had mixed reviews of the hotel’s cleanliness. Some reported that everything about their room was filthy from the carpets to the curtains and furniture. In some places the stains were so bad that one reviewer quipped he wouldn’t want to “DNA test the stains.”

It’s also not a place to visit if third-hand smoke is a concern. Reviewers noted that there’s no difference between a smoking and non-smoking room — most smell terrible and are stained yellow. One traveller even found exposed wires and a leaky bathroom ceiling; another was worried about the knife-slashed paintings in the hallway. Broken windows, bathroom tiles and broken mirrors popped up in some reviews — yet staff appeared to be in no hurry to fix them.

Yet is there still hope? Not all of the reports were bad — some people thought the rooms were reasonably clean and a good value. The discrepancy could be explained by one reviewer who reported that some floors were better than others. (Read the reviews).

Catalonia Gardens, Salou, Spain

Admit it. One of the things we like about staying in a hotel is that we don’t have to clean. However, some reviewers reported that they had to do just that — spend time cleaning on their arrival to make the rooms habitable. One reviewer found a cockroach in the bedroom, another was greeted by a badly burned bathtub and yet another found hair in their fridge. Fleas made the occasional appearance in bed, most dissatisfied users reported that the maids rarely cleaned the rooms and complaints went unheard.

While stains on the walls and “dog dirt” on the stairs (or in the pool) are bad enough, a few reviewers reported conditions that put the safety of guests at risk — like locks on windows and doors that didn’t work, loose handrails, and a swimming pool that made guests sick.

In short, these apartment-style accommodations should be ideal for families, but users would only recommend them to brave young people looking for a cheap place to say. (Read the reviews).

Centaur Hotel, IGI Airport, New Delhi, India

It seems that none of TA’s members actually liked this place — it didn’t receive a single ranking of three or above. The location was good for people who had early flights, and is even listed as a four star hotel. However, there are many reasons guests hesitate to return, even with a free voucher from their airline. Reviewers reported sights that would make your stomach turn — roaches, mould and stained sheets, mice and insects crawling on the beds. One guest even slept in her clothes for fear of insects infiltrating her suitcase.

Still, some users say the hotel has potential. With some repairs, regular maintenance and a good cleaning, it might even be worthy of its inflated rating and $149 price tag. (Read the reviews).

Hotel Nizza, Rome, Italy

Is this hotel worth the $314 per night? Many TA members certainly didn’t think so. As with many of the other hotels on the list, the Hotel Nizza had a great location but fell short when it came to cleanliness and repair. The faded and outdated appearance left much to be desired, and some guests found themselves sharing accommodations with roaches or ants.

One guest found her “sealed” water glass had already been used, and other found nail clippings all over the carpet. When one guest complained his bed was wet, he was reportedly offered another room — for an extra cost. The most common complaints concerned the broken air conditioners and the “cheap” breakfast.

However, not everyone agreed with all the fuss… Some reviewers were pleased with their stay and argued that other users’ expectations were simply too high for this three star hotel. (Read the reviews ).

First Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

The First Hotel might be your last choice once you read the story about the dead rat in the lobby and the many reports of bed bugs throughout the hotel (and yes, some reviewers even include pictures of their bites). Other reviewers were overpowered by the smell of smoke, and disgusted by soiled bed sheets and other people’s hair under the covers. One reviewer even recommended packing slippers to avoid the stained carpet and burn marks.

However, a recent review from one member happily reported that the insects and vermin had been dealt with, and his group quite enjoyed their stay. Others were pleasantly surprised by accommodations in the hotel’s new section and would recommend the hotel for other budget travellers.

The most outlandish claim: Several guests reported unexplained noises in the night — which they attributed to the ghosts of people killed years earlier when the hotel burned down. (Read the Read the reviews).

NEXT: HOW TO AVOID HOTEL DISASTERS

Can you avoid disaster?

Sure, the reviews are amusing, but is there much truth to them? If you’re researching a place to stay, other people’s comments can help you avoid potential problems — like a permanently broken elevator if you don’t want to climb eight flights of stairs. However, you’ll likely want to take the advice with the proverbial grain of salt.

Remember, reviews are user-generated content and everyone gets an opinion. This means the person who has a bone to pick with the hotel has the same opportunity to be heard as the person who genuinely enjoyed their stay. Some hotels even go as far as to post their own overly-positive reviews — which certainly keeps TripAdvisor’s editors on their toes. You also can’t tell the expert traveller from the first-timer just by the review, though you can see what other places they have reviewed.

And do some travellers have too high expectations? Quite possibly. The things that bother some people — like a crack in the wall — are merely “amusing details” to others. Some people might think a couple of bugs are just a minor nuisance, while others report the sighting as evidence of an “obvious infestation”. Hotel standards are different around the world, so well-versed travellers tend to be more tolerant.

Ultimately, we all want somewhere clean and safe to spend the night. Now that the internet has opened up a world of possibilities, it’s important to do some research — but not necessarily believe everything you read.

ON THE WEB

See the complete list of World’s Dirtiest Hotels.

Do you have a hotel horror story? Tell us in the comments.