The Northgate

The Northgate is in a good central location and we had a well-appointed and comfortable room, but the bathroom had no door on it, something that could easily have been done. That would stop us returning, as we do like privacy where appropriate !

I stayed overnight in the Conway room, this was my first visit to this unusual establishment, which is presently for sale. As other reviewers have mentioned there is no physical reception at the Northgate, you will need your confirmed code (by text) to get your key and gain access via the outside blister boxes, clearly marked. If you arrive in darkness, ensure you have a torch with you / light on phone etc. Once inside you will have a steep climb to your room if on the second floor and still a climb if not, people with mobility issues please note this. My room had no overhead light but two bed side lamps and a further reading light, it was quite dark for working in, unless you use the bathroom table, which is well lit next to the en suite. The room is furnished by items similar to items stocked by "The Range". Room clean and well presented but with an unflushed toilet and a non wprking pump on the soap dispenser. The building is on an arterial road into BSE and quite noisy with traffic. I am well versed with the city of and central London and that had nothing on this. I could also hear other guests talking until the early hours and again early in the morning. Public spaces in the hotel are lit by timer lights. Plenty of tea/coffee, towels etc, beautiful comfy bed and linen. Food pictures on here should be disregarded as no food no served there but plenty f eateries in town, staff will advise on this if needed. Only 1 hangar in the room but coat hooks provided. It is a short walk into town from the Northgate but may be off putting to single / older people going via Pump Lane in the dark, passing property with smashed in windows and poor street lighting. I saw a young lady house keeping on leaving who took my key for me. A comfortable and quirky establishment, steep stairs.

We stayed at The Northgate Hotel Bury St Edmunds we had to get our key from a key safe . When we went to our room the room had not been cleaned from the previous guest, disgusting, very disappointed . There was a number to ring for assistance, I rang it six times and left messsges no answer!! . So I rang booking. Com to get some help. They eventually after a few hours got in touch with the owner , who rang me and told me there was someone on their way to clean our room. Eventually we got in our room!! We was not informed till the day before when they sent us a text message to say the hotel would not be manned. Which by then was too late to cancel. The following day there was no staff to make the bed or top up tea, coffee, water. No clean towels!! Apparently this hotel has been running like this since September. We will not be returning or recommending this hotel it’s a disgrace and it’s for up for Sale!!

NOT a hotel! No staff, key code entry, no food/support at all. More like an AirBNB. Hotel up for sale too. Not told until the day before with no refund offered. Room was surface clean but stair carpet filthy, room carpet stained. Chairs and bed divan stained too. Bathroom again surface clean, with black and orange mould in shower, chipped bath and cracked sink. Paintwork badly in need of an overall. Broken coffee machine in room (heated to lukewarm only) and kettle only worked if you held the button down. Obviously had no choice but to put up with this as no one to report it too. Positives, bed comfy and clean sheets and towels. Close to town centre with parking (why we booked it). It looked like it had been a beautiful hotel in the past, such a shame and very misleading images/info on their website!

Wow, never been so disappointed in a hotel in my life. Five stars my backside. I only gave one because you can't give zero. Booked B&B later found out no restaurant or bar open no refund offered. Very steep dirty stairs to top floor to find the carpet around the bath, which was in the bedroom. Soaking wet. All bath products out of date and unusable. Window blinds broken and unable to keep windows open. All the beds lumpy and uneven. I could go on. Enough to say I would wait until the hotel sells to someone who knows how to run one before stopping here.

I must have been lucky as the room I had - The Conway - was beautifully decorated and very clean. Big towels and lovely toiletries. Parking was a bonus for Bury and an easy walk into the centre. But because it was 'boutique-y' it was and open plan room and no door between the toilet/shower room and the bedroom. . There were no clothes hangers despite loads of chests of drawers. Only one breakfast tea bag, the rest were all Early Grey and Camomile. And as others have commented, there is no 'meet and greet'. Its a bit hit and miss with the key safe instructions. It is not a B&B as there is no Breakfast. Needed an oxygen mask by the time I climbed the stairs to the second floor and got lost with the different landings and staircases. But it might not be available for much longer as the building is up for sale. Apartments coming up?