How to Survive at the Vermont Hotel.

I decided to "give it a try" at the Vermont Hotel and found it interesting indeed. I was unsure if I should stay at the Vermont Hotel after reading the reviews, but having to go up to Newcastle for a business trip I decided to try it at least. Upon arrival I was met by a porter who was very keen to take my bags to the reception on my behalf?

I told him that I could manage but he insisted that "It was his job to take them". The hotel was okay (I did ask to move rooms three times though) and the staff are friendly. What you think is the first floor is in fact floor six??? (the hotel is built on the side of a hotel).

This is my rating of the Vermont Hotel:

My first room was too small, with a main line railway just outside of a very dirty window (wonder if they never clean this window to try and hide the railway line as a view?) I asked to be moved...

My second room was again too small (for the money I was paying) Dirty window (filthy to be honest) yet again but a much better view, I could see the Tyne Bridge etc. Went to fill my bath and had no water from the tap, nor would the toilet flush, called reception and was given another room...

after unpacking my luggage for the third time, I found myself in a much bigger room and dare I look at the view... I did, had a fantastic view of the river Tyne and all of the Bridges and Ships etc. I was very Happy indeed.

Next morning went for breakfast and found that you had to help yourself to a buffet breakfast including pouring your own coffee etc (NOT worth the money)

Went to check out and found that they had given me a suite which I had not asked for but was put into by the reception and had charged my credit card a further £90??? No wonder my room was bigger than the other two I was in.

My advice when you stay at this hotel is:-

(1). To pay by cash rather than a credit card (Its much safer).

(2). DO NOT get a rear facing room unless you like the sound of trains!!!

(3). DO NOT eat in, eat out instead, The meals inside are a very poor standard and not worth the money at all. Eat out, you are beside Chinese, Indian, infact anything you like and its only a two minute walk from level 1. (Great Night Life).

I would give my stay at this hotel 1 out of 5, but 5 out 5 for the friendly staff, sorry but the food is not worth a rating.

Worth a try

After reading some of the reviews on this site, I was not looking forward to my stay. However, whilst not a fantastic hotel it is certainly of a good standard and very well situated for a night on the Quayside. Parking is not great but if you just dump your car and give them the keys they sort it out for you. I did not eat in the hotel so I can not comment on the food. All in all I would certainly use the hotel again.

Not a nice place to stay!!!

I am really trying to think of something nice to say about this hotel but I can't! Car Parking 1/10 Staff 2/10 Room -2/10 Dirty Windows -5/10 Noise from railway line (right outside of my room plus the fact that the windows are NOT double glazed -8/10

Overall this hotel is VERY overated! My first and last stay!

Wonderful Hotel - 24 & 25 October 2003

Was also nearly put off by other reviews posted!! Thankfully had a wonderful stay. The hotel is centrally located and accommodation was great. Hotel staff were very friendly and food superb.Would highly recommend to others.

NO PROBLEMS

The horror stories posted on this net almost forced me to cancel my booking at the last minute. However, as five reviews hardly seemed a representative sample of the thousands of visitors who pass through the hotel each year, I decided to give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised. The reception area/lounge was not quite as impressive as I had hoped, but the room was excellent, and well equipped. I found the staff extremely friendly, particularly those in in the dining room, and the concierge, and would definitely stay here again. The breakfast was delicious. I felt most at home.

Low Quality, High Prices

I was obliged to stay at this hotel whilst my company held business meetings there. On checking in, we had to wait for 10 minutes in the deserted reception whilst the receptionist held a long telephone conversation in a back room. I had previously arranged a smoking room but had been allocated a non smoker. The room was poky and had no view - certainly not worth anything like the £125 per night basic charge.

The "wardrobe" was barely 18" wide and inconveniently located behind the bed. No ironing facilities in the room. Window could not be left open due to noise from the adjacent railway line. Rip-off mini bar prices (£3.50 for a small bag of peanuts). Wrong newspapers delivered.

Conference rooms were in the basement - windowless and poorly ventilated. Altogether a dismal experience and I would never stay there again.

Terrible Hotel

Myself and my family booked into the Vermont Hotel for a weekend stay, a family wedding which was also held at this hotel.Our room overlooked a very busy railway line, which we could just see from a very dirty window. We asked to be moved and was met by a very snobby receptionist who told us that we would have to pay extra for another room.The wedding reception meals served by this so called 4* hotel were served cold by a clumsy waiting staff. We checked out a day early and were charged a full weekend rate!We booked into the Malmaison Hotel instead and were met by a very friendly staff and a very clean room.My rating:-Vermont Hotel = 0 pointsMalmaison Hotel = 10 points

Disappointed

Very disappointed with the hotel in general. For a 5* star hotel it seemed more like a 3*. On the web site for a double room there are supposed to be bathrobes included. When contacting the hotel they said these are only available in the superior rooms. I suggested they amend their web page. Staff not exactly happy to help. Give it a miss.

Very poor value for money

We arrived to find they had no record of our booking, which I'd made by phone a few weeks beforehand. Stress levels a little up by this, but they did manage to find us a room (although I'd just heard the receptionist tell a caller that they were in fact full). So, we had a room for well over £100 - no sweat, at least we had the room.The room itself was very nice, although the windows were filthy. Slept very poorly due to combination of the heat in the room and the noise outside until the small hours.Breakfast we learned started at 0700hrs, but when we arrived at 0800hrs, there was only cereal and insipid leftovers from the "continental breakfast". Had to ask for coffee, and then waited until 0830hrs before cooked breakfast was made available. Too late for my wife and I, so we made do with a toast each and coffee.Checked out and was charged extra for "breakfast", which was very disappointing, but too tired and annoyed to argue.Made toilet stop in the concourse before departure - dirty, no hand towels, so dried hands on trousers. Not at all what I expect from a 4 star hotel, especially at the price. Wouldn't recommend it.

Health Club at the Vermont Hotel

On a recent business trip to the Vermont Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne. I was very dissappointed at the state of the advertised 'Health Club' a very small cramped room with no air conditioning, no pool, no sauna etc. It was advertised as a beauty room only for my wife to find that this room had no staff and contained a sun bed and thats it??? Overall the staff were friendly but service was poor.