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Reviews of Avalon Guest House

3 out of 5
Avalon Guest House
7 Upper Rock Gardens, Kemptown, Brighton, England

Reviews

6.2
Rating 10 - Excellent. 10 out of 72 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 21 out of 72 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 18 out of 72 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 12 out of 72 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 11 out of 72 reviews" "

6.8/10

Cleanliness

6.2/10

Staff & service

5.0/10

Amenities

6.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Mr. Lynn

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
the location was good closrvto
Stayed 5 nights in May 2024

8/10 Good

Amanda

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property looked clean and presentable. The room was smaller than i expected, especially the bathroom i didnt even attempt to use the shower because it looked so cramped. We had a little trouble accessing the property at first because the email hadnt arrived with details how to input access code etc but luckily the gentleman came by and confirmed my reservation and instructed how to use the access code reader. The property was mostly quiet, wifi wasnt great but useable. Walking distance to where we needed to go and local cafe's. We slept very well for our 1 night stay.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

6/10 Okay

Glen

Liked: Room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our experience
Me and a friend stayed here for 2 nights . Upon our arrival we had a email to check in as there isn’t a reception at this hotel . We only had received the front door code and no information on which room we were staying in . We decided to ring the numbers provided with our booking with all of them going straight to voicemail. After 40 minutes luckily a man who must have worked for the hotel arrived and we got hold of the owner who told us our twin room had been double booked which meant we had to have a double room
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Rooms are dirty, the sheets and towels were clean but the surrounding was dirty. Carpets sticky and mould in shower. It’s cheap so you get what you pay for. It felt more like a private room hostel. Be aware that when you arrive you have to wait until 10 to 3 for the hotel to text or email you with the code to get in. You cannot just arrive without the code, there are no staff and the number you are given to call doesn’t work. One lady was sat on the doorstep for hours as she couldn’t get in, she didn’t have a smart phone so couldn’t access emails. Location is very good, if you are happy with one step up from a hostel then go for it.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
You have to walk to another guest house to get your key and it's not the one your told on website . Property run down smells bad . Doggy locks. . no lock on window. Sea view laughable no communication between Expedia and the guest house emails not answered . Key codes should have been emailed to me and wasn't . Lucky a cleaner at other guest house was able to help us. Very disappointed with Avalon and Expedia ...
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

2/10 Terrible

Hannah

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
How on earth was this £140 a night
Awful, dirty, expensive
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

2/10 Terrible

Amy

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Challenge Anaka !
Had to walk to another hotel to pick up the keys to then find a note on that hotel door telling me to get the keys from yet a different hotel ! In the rain to top it off .i jist wanted to get into my room not take part in trrasure hunt ! The room itself was damp and tiny and the bed fell to bits when i got in it .its was a farce from stsrt to finish.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

2/10 Terrible

Michaela

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We didnt even get to stay at the hotel as we were not given any room number or access code to retrieve the key. We had a number for a "person" and was advised to collect the key from the main reception 5 minutes from the Avalon. When we arrived the address that was given simply 13 to 69 charlotte street no exact door number. We tried to call the person we spoke to to meet us
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Hi, the room was clean and big which I loved but that’s where it stopped. The toilet didn’t flush properly, the fan was broken and it was a very very hot couple of days I was there. They gave me a tiny little fan the next day but it was full of dust, they didn’t clean it! Also the electricity kept going out which was frustrating as fans would stop and my phone died at one point which my alarm didn’t work. Very disappointed
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Liv

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really lovely stay. Perfect location and very clean and tidy room! There was even a hairdryer and complimentary toiletries! Overall, we really loved our stay here and can't wait to come back!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The image is extremely misleading. The single room I booked was in extremely poor condition.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
An Average Stay
The location is good. Take note the reception is a few houses away and it wasn’t written anywhere on the front door. We have to call them. It’s a pity the cupboard to hang your clothes look nice on the outside but terrible on the inside so I will not hang our clothes inside. Finding a car park in this area was a nightmare. It took us more than half an hr before we found one. The wardens were hard at work in this area.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

2/10 Terrible

Alan

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Avalon hell
Area run down, drug use clearly visible next door. Broken windows, bad smells, I must be a snob this place was like a ghetto. I could not stay and handed the key back.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Shelley

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Cheap but practical stay
You get what you paid for. Very practical accommodation nothing stunning but good for a short stay if budget is a concern. The staff was very helpful. Reasonable wifi and location. Heating was good both bathroom and bedroom. Only downfall is we were in a room next to the road so bit noisy but so far it was not a bad stay.
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Grzegorz

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019

8/10 Good

Amanda

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Was absolutely fine given the cheap price.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

6/10 Okay

Gillian

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
OK but only for one night!
Good location. Very shabby building. Dreadful corridor to room and 'patio' was a junk area for rubble and broken stuff. One very bright ceiling light - no side tables or side light. Thin walls (what were other guests discussing at 4.00 am in the morning for an hour!?) However bed comfy and clean, shower clean (took a long time to warm up). Bit chilly in the room (basement room). OK for one night.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Roz

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
A bit rough round the edges but a great deal.
The room was very clean and we had a lovely little balcony looking down towards the sea. It had all the amenities, wifi, fridge, the shower worked although the head of it did spray a little due to cracks. There was no lock on the large sliding window which was a slight concern and the bed was definitely not king sized as advertised. HOWEVER for the price it was comfortable, warm, very conveniently located and the staff were lovely. We would happily stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Timothy

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Basic, decent, great location
Cons: I had expected more for a double room at this price. Small room in a converted town house. Thin walls so you can hear others talking and moving around. Noise from toilet macerator in other rooms was bad - a screeching pump for 20 seconds when they flush the toilet and that can happen throughout the night. I was woken up at 1am from other guests talking and banging doors even though there are lots of signs telling guests not to make noise after 10pm (or a £100 fine). There are no staff on site to ensure people stick to the rules. Pros: Staff we collected the keys off in the neighbouring guesthouse we're very friendly. Although small it had everything you need for a short stay. It is well looked after, very clean, decent bedding, simple en-suite with reasonably sized shower. Fridge, TV, hair dryer, kettle and tea and coffee, complemetary toiletries. I'd rather stay somewhere more basic like this which is well maintained than somewhere more plush which is dirty on uncared for. It was like staying in a really good guestroom in a friends house. We just stayed for one night and didn't want to spend time in the room anyway as we came for Brighton so the size didnt bother us really and the location was perfect for us. For 1 night it was good and we would stay again but more than 1 night and I could see getting annoyed with it's limitiations and noise from other guests. It's not a hotel, it's a guesthouse, if you know what you're getting you shouldn't be dissapointed.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Glen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean and comfortable
Room was small but very clean and comfortable, perfect if you just need somewhere to get your head down. Great area with all you need within walking distance.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jamie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent value, would go there again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

Jake

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Cleanliness
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The website suggested that the last minute room I took was at a hugely discounted rate. I therefore had high expectations which were certainly not met. A notice at the door on my arrival instructed me to call a telephone number. The person who answered asked me to go to a different hotel to check in! The room was small, poorly decorated and smelled a little of damp. The shower fixing was loose and required propping up in order to take a shower. The kettle was placed nowhere near a socket, so had to be put on the floor in order to use it. Also, it would not fit under the tap in the sink, so I had to decant water into it using a cup. On getting into bed I found a patch of the covers which felt wet, but was in fact coated in something shiny. Instructions on the inside of the door requested the key to be left inside the room, whereas there was a box outside for keys to be placed, leading to some confusion on checking out. I will certainly try somewhere else next time I stay in Brighton.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

I loved it here. The room was gorgeous, everything was provided (shampoo, conditioner, towels, linen, even tea and coffee). The check in process was super easy. The room was warm and comfortable.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

4/10 Poor

Bear, Brighton, UK

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The room was so small, I had to shuffle around the bed to get to the toilet. There was no TV or tea spoons.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Pictures on website are nothing ike I stayed in room was dirty .Staff was no were to be seen apart from checking out . The hotel was in poor condition
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Sonia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
the room was clean . very good location all and all worth the price
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Ben

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic 1 night stay
Easy check-in just a couple of doors down. Entrance to Guest House is security code protected. Room was clean & comfortable plus could not hear any noise from the other rooms. Clean Towels & Washing Consumables provided. Location wise very good just a 5 minute walk to the beach and/or town centre.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cheap and perfect for it
It was cheap and it's a room that has enough space to stay -- what do you expect? Was perfect for what I needed.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

2/10 Terrible

Peter

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
No staff present, which turned out to be a problem when the fire alarm went off two times the same day (one alarm was after midnight). Guests stood outside, but both times no staff was visible and the hotline number on emails and in the hotel was not a valid number The room was extremely small (no cupboard) and in general the place isn't in a good condition.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
A nice stay
Very helpful staff. Room a bit on the small side certainly not what I would call a suite. Parking a bit of a nightmare. Room was immaculatey clean. A nice place to stay in for a few days.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2018

4/10 Poor

jan, kent

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
tired and in need of an update
This b&b is unmanned which is ok in principle, except when the fire alarm went off at 4.50am there was no one to help , there wasn’t a fire and the alarm had gone off for no apparent reason, there was no response from any phone numbers we had been given and no fire drill visible, so we were all left standing in the street until a passing police car helped us. All in all ok value for money and beds were very comfortable, but the bathroom was very shabby and smelt of damp. I would not stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018

4/10 Poor

David

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perhaps tellingly, there isn't a size indication for single room(s) at Avalon; my room was barely large enough to hold a single bed - when lying down on it, I could practically touch both walls at the same time! Thankfully, I just had a small rucksack; anything bigger would have really gotten in the way. Beyond this, the floors and walls are paper thin, so everything in the surrounding rooms is audible - voices, phones, snoring, footsteps, etc. And while it’s nice being close to the beach, this also means you get to hear seagulls squabbling loudly from daybreak onwards (5am in the summer!); closing the window helped, but not by much. The en-suite bathroom was functional enough, but didn't have a door - just a bead curtain. The shower supplied hot water, but at an anaemic pressure and the sink was barely the size of a soup bowl - too small to wash my hands in! Also, there wasn’t a mirror in either room, so you can't check your makeup/hair/etc Finally, the towels and bed linen hadn't actually been prepared when I arrived, a good 30 minutes after the stated check-in time. Thankfully, by the time I returned in the evening, this had been taken care of. On a more positive note, the hotel did send check-in details by text and email, tea/coffee/milk was supplied and the linen and room were clean. Overall though, it felt like I was staying in a hostel, albeit with slightly more privacy and security. Acceptable if you're just looking for a bed for the night, but that’s about it!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Richard, Leicester

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
It's all right for the cost, but...
Location is excellent, though lack of parking is inconvenient. Room was okay but no towels were provided until we asked for them and then only hand towels. The plumbing can be noisy.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

h, London

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Ok place. Clean inside. Nothing special
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

2/10 Terrible

Sara

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Worst hotel ever.... AVOID!!!!!
Absolutely extortionate! £139 for a tiny tatty room, I feel robbed! Really shabby, room seven is about as big as a cupboard. Really grotty looking en suite which is smaller than my wardrobe. No breakfast, everything is mismatched and worn. One of my favourite things was that someone had drilled a hole to put a picture up and not even cleaned the dust up afterwards. Avoid at all costs!! You might be more comfortable squatting underneath the pier!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018

4/10 Poor

Carole

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
They do not care
Unhelpful staff when there was a problem
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2018

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cramped room poorly equipped
I stayed one night in this hotel. The bathroon was so small i could barely stand at the loo without the sink digging into my waist. The bath towels provided were hand towels which really were not satisfactory (or big enough!). The bathroom door did not shut properly, and the main door into the roim was flimsy and never looked properly shut. Although tea and coffee sachets were provided there was no milk. At least one of the power sockets appeared not to work when i tried to charge my phone. Very very disappointing.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2018