Candlesticks♡

Great Little Hotel

10.0

My parents and my husband and I decided to have a night away and randomly chose Stamford as it was only an hour away and we’d heard good reports. We wanted a budget hotel as a base so mum chose Candlesticks as it was very reasonable and close to the centre. We arrived early and parking was limited but the owner moved his own car so we could park and our rooms were ready. First impressions were that it was a very old building and old fashioned inside, needing updating. However, the owner was very welcoming and helpful and happy to chat about the hotel which had been owned by his parents. So he had great sentiment to the place. He also did all the cooking himself and was very passionate about that too. So much so we booked in for our evening meal. We loved hearing his stories of cooking, chefs and his family. The hotel was about a 5/10 min walk to the centre and we spent a lovely day there, retuning in the evening for a fantastic home cooked 3 course meal. He served us personally and recommended a lovely wine, again he was knowledgeable. Afterwards we popped back into Stamford to try some other pubs and let ourselves in later with the key he left with us. Our room was clean and the beds comfortable (although mum had booked twin beds without realising!). The shower was easy to use and the right temperature. Breakfast was toast and cereals left in our room that had a mini fridge. If you’re looking for a homely place to stay, close to amenities and very reasonably priced then Candlesticks is perfect. We will definitely be back.

Dirty and tatty

2.0

Stayed here for two nights with some friends. Nice owner who was very friendly. Really great location as very central to Stamford which is a beautiful town. Now onto the hotel….horrible is the best word for it. It’s old and tatty. Mould on the windows, which are also rotting away. The bedding was clean but the mattresses are ancient and the bed bases are very old and tatty. The bathroom is very dated and tatty with mould and cracked tiles. The shower is decent enough but tatty. Both rooms have small fridges with crumbs all round the seals. The floor is very old and dirty. All in all i could never recommend this place and as much as i love Stamford as a place i will never return to this hotel. If it could be gutted and revamped, given the superb location it could be excellent.

Nelio was a great host

8.0

We stayed here for one night over a weekend. The property was locked when we arrived, but we were early. Within a few minutes, we were warmly greeted by Nelio. He carried our bags from the car into the property and was friendly and welcoming. He let us check in a bit early and we were able to park in the small carpark next to the property. We stayed in room 1 on the top floor. Nelio carried our bags upstairs and checked we were happy with our room. He also checked we were happy with a bath rather than a shower (we were). Breakfast is in the room. We told Nelio we were vegans and he left us dairy free milk, dairy free yoghurt, dairy free spread, preserves, bread, cereal and fresh fruit. He had obviously got the milk and yoghurt in especially which we were really grateful for. There was also tea, coffee (inc ground coffee) water and fresh orange juice. We are not big breakfast eaters, so this was more than adequate for us. Like the property as a whole, the room was a little dated, however it was clean with bright white bedding and towels. There are only 8 rooms and we may have been the only guests staying at that time. We certainly didn’t hear anyone else whilst we were there. We didn’t use the restaurant or bar so cannot comment on these. The hotel is a great location for exploring the town. Nelio was charming and we really enjoyed talking to him. He was a great host. The hotel was good value and we would definitely stay here again.

Quirky

8.0

Great value, centrally located with parking. Character property with fluffy, white towels & crisp, white cotton bed linen. It had everything we needed for an overnight stay including tea/coffee/hot chocolate, pastries, cereals, toast, preserves & bathroom toiletries. It was clean although the skirting boards needed a wipe! Owner was very friendly, welcoming, accommodating & responsive. Would stay again, thank you

Disaster

2.0

Positives- excellent location Negatives- building needs extensive maintenance. Bar & reception area smelt fusty & damp. Decor is very poor with paintwork chipped & wallpaper peeling off. Broken blind in bedroom, cracked bathroom sink, bare hardboard wall not decorated. Wires dangling everywhere, electric sockets overloaded doesn’t look safe. Breakfast in a cupboard 4 slices of white bread, orange juice, chocolate croissants, & yoghurt- the whole breakfast did not look appealing nor enticing. Coffee table with a white paper tablecloth with two meagre biscuits. The whole place is in dire need of a deep clean. The bannisters on stairway have not been cleaned for years. Our bedroom window did not open. The room was so dirty & undesirable we didn’t use the bath. We had a cooked breakfast that just arrived without asking what we would like with bacon, sausage, egg, mushroom, tomato & toast. This hotel is relatively cheap for Stamford however, no matter what the price is I expect anywhere to be clean, safe & hygienic. How this hotel has 3 stars is a joke This hotel has nothing on Fawlty Towers!

You get what you pay for.

6.0

Stayed one night in a room that was not quite big enough to swing a cat. The included breakfast consisted of 2 yoghurts, some Weetabix and four slices of white bread (does anyone eat that stuff anymore?) Bathroom had cracked tiles and broken washbasin. Mine host was a pleasant fellow and the location good. I suppose one gets what one pays for and this one was cheaper than some nearby hotels. Stamford appears to be an expensive town.