Carlisle Station Hotel, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western

After reading reviews we were worried but were pleasantly surprised. Yes it needs updating, is a bit tired here and there, also breakfast could be better. BUT The staff were amazing and friendly especially house keeping, the rooms were clean and tidy, the hotel is right next to the train station and brilliant for city centre activities. less

We had 3 rooms for a family event. One suite which was newly decorated and very large ( new carpet would improve aesthetics ) . Shower took a long time to get hot but was very good when it did. Other rooms ok , in need of some update but in the main very clean . Housekeeping and staff generally very good. Excellent location but was noisy at night at the weekend external noise less

I stayed at this hotel for four nights as part of a Rail Discoveries Tour. My room was quite a decent size with a large bathroom/WC. It did take me while to find the bathmat which was hidden in a wardrobe. Would have been better left in the bathroom. My room had an iron and ironing board and tea and coffe making facilities. The breakfast in the morning was good although some of the hot items were under the lights for a while. The evening meals we had on two nights were OK. It wasn't Michelin starred but was palatable. The staff were all very good especially Rebecca. The bar was very good and service was very prompt. The location of the hotel was excellent being right outside Carlisle Railway Station with plenty of bars and restaurants very handy nearby. On the downside the hotel does need a little bit of TLC. My toilet seat was very movable and the towel rail was coming loose. One of my bedsheets had a rip in it as well. However my stay here was very good. less

We booked with Rail Discoveries again, knowing them to be reliable, and despite the bad reviews of the Station Hotel, Carlisle, thought they would not use poor accommodation. Having stayed 4 nights we have had to revise our opinions. The hotel itself left a lot to be desired. The downstairs areas had obviously been refurbished, but our bedroom was very tired and shabby, and the lighting very poor, even with all the lights on, and a broken window pane. The bathroom was a disgrace; and very small; I could reach both walls without straightening my arms, and the shower cubicle had extensive black mould and needed a thorough clean. The plastic curtain was missing rings and was far too long, creating a potential trip hazard. The WC took at least 5 minutes to refill and was therefore difficult to flush. . The standard of food at breakfast and the two evening meals were of poor quality and disappointing and our bottle of wine which cost £24 we would not have expected to pay more than £18 - again poor quality. Other recommendations were made to eat out, but Carlisle’s restaurants all close on Mondays and Tuesdays, so was of no help. The staff on the other hand were friendly and courteous and obviously working under difficult circumstances. . Nothing would induce me to return to this hotel, even if you paid me., and feel Rail Discoveries have let themselves down by using this place and I would definitely NOT recommend this hotel.. less

Travelling for work, we never normally use this hotel but occasionally need to be in the town centre so do use it. The location is ideal for the station and the centre of Carlisle, but that is it. There is limited car parking behind the hotel but it's very tight for larger vehicles. I was the last space in the carpark at 18:00 and there was a clear risk of damage from people getting out from their cars in the narrow spaces. The downstairs area of the hotel looks OK on arrival but once you enter the "upper floors" things rapidly go downhill. It's like something from the 1960's and looks like it was last decorated then too. I had a single room for £70 and the room was possibly the most depressing hotel I have ever stayed in. Dim, dingy, dark old furniture, dirty carpets, grimy bathroom, extractor fan like a spitfire taking off, water hammer like a jackhammer when you flushed the toilet, crumpled bed linen that may or may not have been clean, scratchy towels etc etc. Room overlooked the station and had a lovely view of two british transport polce vehicles. The window had some dirty secondary glazing but these wouldn't close fully, which let in the smell of train brakes every time a train came in. The bar downstairs wasn't as bad. Service was OK and the beer was at least OK too. At around 7pm, a staff member turned on the TV and proceeded to complain loudly about having to have the news on as the company said so. Anyway, I was glad not to stay in for dinner... After a not so great night, I presented myself for breakfast. This was where the experience properly went downhill. If that's possible. Anyway, I waited at the entrance to be seated, and a bored looking staff member folding napkins said someone would be with me soon. A few minutes passed and nobody came, during which the same staff member proceeded to go to a set table for 2, remove the "clean" cutlery and wipe down the table with some cleaning spray. Theythen put the same cutlery back on the table. Sadly the cutlery had been place directly on the cloth seat of one of the chairs and was just put back on the table for use. I asked the staff member if she thought it was OK to do this and she just shrugged. I decided not to experience the culinary delights based on this experience. I raised this at reception and to be fair, the employee there was very helpful and said many of the staff were new. They offered to refund the cost of breakfast and asked if there was anything else they could do to remedy things. Sadly, the only thing that will improve this place is a full refurbishment and a programme of proper staff training. Or maybe a full demolition. Seriously, don't ever stay here until something changes. The 1 star reviews are spot on, and you should take heed of them. Don't less