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I worked as a hotel inspector 30 years ago, Britannia had a bad reputation back then of having pretty run down properties, find it frightening that they haven't improved on that.
@@Jason-jz1bv I didn't realise Brittania were around that long. 30 years ago they must have taken over 60s hotels, their only customers now are old biddy tours and Government bookings, if you know what I mean.
I feel sorry for these grand hotels. In their days they were clearly spectacular hotels. Imagine what it must cost to run and maintain them these days. Still have glimpses of their former glory...which I would personally be happy to see.
Yeah - all that government money they received as business grants... the money from the taxpayer. Why put it into council housing when you can make the rich even richer?
Yes I agree. And the logistics of refurbishing a small area is a complete night mare. Remember these are live hotels. You can only work certain times because of the guest staying there. Getting thing in there to the place you will be working on its own is a mission. I've been painting and decorating for 25 years. Too shut down 1 area could take out a lift to certain floors .. guests dont want see areas blooked off saying sorry for the inconvenience due to construction work 🤣 So the cost alone of doing a job .. time involved times it by 3 at least. And when you have finished the building. It's time to start again 🤣
@@noobracers3931 Debatable especially as I work in the travel industry and you no doubt have seen the news with COVID and now Russia virtually destroying tourism. As no bard with a political leaning once wrote: "To build a council house or a commercial building that is the question - whether tis better to be slain by the arrows or learned helplessness and social inequality" - I mean this is the UK's politics of Tories vs Labour - capitalist or socialism, right? Make the rich richer or the poor more dependent on the state. I see both sides as options forced on us.
finally I found this channel. so tired of people playing up how bad something is for clicks or views. this felt genuine. when I saw the room my first thought was "eh its not that bad, surely he's not going to pretend that this is the worst thing he's ever seen right?" and no, you didn't. you gave a very fair review. glad you're so successful without falling into the common RUclips reviewer traps. keep it up.
I'm staying at the hotel right now. Been coming here for decades, since I was a child. The staff work hard. They are severely under staffed. Jobs are available here! Most staff do have a polite welcoming vibe, professional manner, good communication and customer service skills (Management work to high standards and are competent). Anyone with eyes can see staff do work hard. Most have great interpersonal skills especially those on reception front desk (Yvonne & Justin), bar staff (Lynn), Restaurant staff (Jackie) Maintenance(Mason) + House keeping (Mandy) and particularly excellent are the Spindles Spa staff (Jamie & Shelly). Its such a shame hotel is decoratively run down now, a one star rated hotel. If you want luxury/ boutique hotel this place isn't for you. Not everyone can afford 5* accommodation. Some of us want a budget hotel. If you need an affordable getaway or cheap cheerful family seaside break come along with even your pets! Dogs are welcome! Folkestone has plenty of natural beauty to discover outside the walls of The Grand Burstin Hotel.
Yes! I've been looking for a vlogger that tackles both bad and good reviews of hotels. Not those who sugar coats hotels. Glad I found this channel. Great narrator too and excellent videography.
I worked there for two days and I was told to dust with the used pillow cases from the last guests and wipe the bathroom down with the used towels. The worst part was when I was told to rinse out the mugs and wipe with the towels just used for the bathroom. Wish I was joking 🙃
One of the places I worked at had a limited amount of rags for the dusting. We had to use them well after they were wet and dirty to wipe down surfaces. They were already in poor condition to begin with. Also mugs and glasses that were still dirty after cleaning by the kitchen staff were sprayed with Mould killer... MOULD KILLER. Then wiped with a rag. Not rinsed mind you wiped with a f**n rag. Generally an awful place to work as well. Poor attitude from the head houskeeper and supervisor, a competitive environment instead of teamwork focused one.
No difference to working for Travellodge...I had 20 mins to clean each room so it no surprise pillow cases and used towels were used to clean everything including the toilets
In fairness to the balcony, the “dirt” on the balcony wall is lichen - which is not only a superb sign of very clean/unpolluted air, but a critical CO2 scrubber
Sad to see the demise of a lot of the old grand seaside English hotels. You can imagine how different they were when they were first opened. Now, they just seem far too big to maintain properly and still make money.
There's not really much of the hotel of old left in here. It seems the more modern expansions slowly consumed the Victorian-era complex until there's only one section left in the middle of the block. That remnant seems to be where the Victorian Restaurant is located, which explains why its interior fixtures seem far classier in comparison.
@@numberonehater1239 I'm staying at the hotel right now. Its fuuly booked. Been coming here for decades, since I was a child. Swen alot of changes inside and locally outside. The staff work hard. They are severely under staffed. Jobs are available here! Most staff do have a polite welcoming vibe, professional manner, good communication and customer service skills (Management work to high standards and are competent). Anyone with eyes can see staff do work hard. Most have great interpersonal skills especially those on reception front desk (Yvonne & Justin), bar staff (Lynn), maintenance (Mason) + House keeping (Mandy) and particularly excellent are the Spindles Spa staff (Jamie & Shelly). Its such a shame hotel is run down now, a one star rated hotel. If you want luxury/ boutique hotel this place isn't for you. Not everyone can afford 5* accommodation. Some of us want a budget hotel. If you need an affordable getaway or cheap cheerful family seaside break come along with even your pets! Dogs are welcome! Folkestone has plenty of natural beauty to discover outside the walls of The Grand Burstin Hotel.
I lived in Folkestone for a few years and knew of the Burstin's horror stories. It is such a shame that this hotel has turned out to be a dive. I remember it was used by bootleggers from the North, stopping off before embarking on their journey over to Belgium. This hotel could be a real asset to Folkestone if it could attract some proper investment.
That place looks like it was built and designed for a time when holiday habits were very different, and yet it’s completion in 1984 was too late to capture that kind of holidaymaker it was aimed for, because people were already moving on, to cheaper and easier foreign holidays. A land locked cruise ship with nowhere to go but down. I’m watching this and getting a “motorway travel lodge” feel
I'm a local and see it as an eye sore that replaced a genuine grand hotel. A little known fact is it had a reputation in child services as an establishment that rented rooms by the hour and many kids were trafficked or raped as a result. A true stain on this seaside town.
Now I know why so many in government kept this running as their pleasure palace despite calls to knock it down. Oh and the sickos just moved the trafficking overseas.
@@ChelseaMLarkin They do seem to treat the public areas with the respect they deserve, and I can understand that it must be difficult to maintain so many rooms with what is surely a declining customer base. The places are grand but belong to another era and are too big for today's market.
Just watched your video. My husband and I have stayed at the Grand Burstin, Folkestone for many years and absolutely love it. We call it shabby chic as you get what you've paid for. We think it represents good value for your money. The views are to die for especially if you have a harbour view room with a balcony. The 'all inclusive' themed entertainment weekends are always good fun and very enjoyable. We would recommend upgrading to the Victoria Restaurant. Can't weait until we go again. Try it yourselves, you will not be disappointed.
When I worked on the Dover-Calais Ferries, we'd check which coaches were coming on board for each trip to be prepared. One of the ones that always filled us with dread was when there was a Grand Burstin excursion. There's nothing much worse than a British tourist currently experiencing their worst holiday of their life.
Or a French tourist experiencing their worst holiday of their life...once they realise they've been booked into this hotel. 'Welcome to England' Indeed 🙁
Great video, Tim. I stayed at the Burstin about fifteen years ago. It was much the same then. The worst part of the experience was the bathroom taps which looked as though they hadn’t been cleaned in about ten years. Yet another formerly grand hotel that Britannia have run into the ground.
I lived in Folkestone as a teenager. From what friends who worked at the Burstin (1998/2002 ish) told me about what employees and guests got up to there, none of this surprises me.
I LOVE visiting places like this and enjoy the older, nostalgic style they have hung onto to invite older patrons back year after year. Imagining what it might have been like back in the day when it was BOOMING but it also makes me sad that the place might eventually close due to being a little run down in areas that the owner can't afford to fix. I'm 36 btw. Not 60 or 70.
The lovely rooms he found were part of the beautiful old hotel that stood there before. The Burstin is a blot on the Landscape. Someone posted a picture of a drink on a table in their room near the top of the hotel during a very high wind. The whole room was shaking as witnessed by the drink. The destruction of the lovely edwardian Hotel that was there for this monstrosity was a huge mistake.
Another great video Tim, it is interesting to see how this hotel has started to improve under Britannia after years of neglect. The hotel had previously been owned by Burstin Travel who also owned the Palace Hotel in Southend-on-Sea and unbelievably they also had their own airline, Princess Air which didn't last long. If anything the money lost on their airline venture dragged the two hotels down along with Burstin Travel. For a Britannia it does look really good on the inside, a pleasant surprise especially considering how bad it looks from the outside. With regard to the plentiful notices regarding smoking and abuse, I believe the local authorities or government would use the hotel as a temporary accommodation for various folks (just like a number of other Britannia properties) and that was where most of the trouble was coming from. Anyway, great stuff and keep them coming :)
Your videos are so well filmed, the editing is also spot on. You are such a natural presenter! I love your Britannia hotel series , seeing the huge historic buildings normally in disrepair is sad. You are taking one for the team staying in these.
I used to stay here regularly when I was contracting in the area about 10 years ago. One thing that sticks out in my mind was that the heating in the corridors was always turned right up regardless of the weather. There was always that lingering smell of smoke around the building. Compared with how I remember it, it's obvious they've had some work done in places over the last few years. The restaurants have been spruced up but the bar area is still exactly as I remember it; dark and dingy-looking. Also, I remember that the beds always had these horrid orange duvet covers and mattress toppers, like something from a prison bed. If nothing else, seeing the old place has brought back a few memories.
@@WalkWithMeTim Given the age of the hotel (some parts dating back to 1843 according to a quick Google search) I can imagine it's a result of 160 ish years of indoor smoking.
I stayed at this hotel about five years ago and can confirm that it is simply the worst hotel it has ever been my misfortune to stay yet judging by your review it looks like they’ve made a load of improvements since I stayed there it truly was a hovel the room was falling apart there was no room in the underground car park The room smelt musty and and the bathroom and shower we’re falling apart, there were people fighting in the corridors in the evening and someone thought it would be a good idea to let fireworks off in the car park behind us I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought this place was a total toilet
I stayed here when i was looking to live in folkestone. It was absolutely disgusting. The carpet was alive with moths and bugs all over it and under the beds. The mattresses were rock hard and the windows had filthy marks on them. Not the best place i have ever stayed.
I stayed here and had a seaview and must say its a bit old and tired but the view over the harbour was absolutely amazing and made the holiday basically, sunnyside beach is amazing for a swim as well. I enjoyed Folkestone!
Love this series, Tim! Just a suggestion, would be great to see you spend the night and offer your thoughts in the morning as one of the big complaints about some of these hotels is a poor nights sleep. Looking forward to the next video!
Hi Tim don’t often comment mate but just wanted to say how immaculate and brilliant all of your videos are! Thanks for your uploads and this ‘worst rated’ series is a personal highlight :)
As a local from Folkestone the hotel is a massive eyesore. It’s a shame really as it’s somehow outlived a lot of actually nice local businesses in the area despite me not seeing anyone check in from 5 years of living here. Praise be the day Britannia runs out of business.
@@MaggieMop is it this one that if you look at a certain angle, is shaped like a ferry? I think I’ve caught a coach from this hotel (or whatever boat shaped one) to dover, and then over to France for £10
Another great video Tim! Britannia as a hotel chain always amaze me - they own some amazing properties, many of which are listed buildings, yet don't seem to maintain them at all! Would love to see you review their more of their food offerings like breakfast, lunch or dinner! Thanks as always from Ireland 🇮🇪 Sam
Your first room was pretty decent, I'm not sure if the upgrade was worth it (slightly bigger bathroom, grubby balcony) but you did have an amazing view. I don't know why Britannia insists on cramming arcade games and slot machines into their hotels, I noticed they'd put them in the Grand and in Norbreck Castle, too. They make me think of a pub rather than a hotel. I didn't like that you had to pay for parking but the worst thing for me was that if you don't pay theparking fee within 10 minutes of your arrival, you get fined £100! What a rip off.
So just about anything sets off the smoke alarm but covering it to avoid setting it off everytime you use the shower or spray on deodorant is a 150 pound fine? wtf. Either upgrade to some decent smoke alarms that only activate in case of actual smoke instead of any kind of vapour or get rid of the fine.
Me and my girlfriend had a lovely stay here in June 2021, it was shabby and under renovation and it was VERY rough around the edges. It was however, still fully booked. This meant there was ALWAYS a line of people complaining at reception. It had a kind of Butlin's holiday charm. Our first room had no working bathroom light. We upgraded to a sea view room when one became available (The sea view was mostly scaffolding erected for maintenance work, but having a balcony was nice). I really felt sorry for the staff as they seemed to be bearing the brunt for a lot of things out of their control and getting a fair chunk of abuse. The parking was free with my stay (you just put your reg into the screen at reception) Despite all that went wrong we actually kind of enjoyed it! I thought it had a lot of charm and although a bit grubby and deffo in the need of some major upgrades, it was affordable and in a great location. We had a lovely time and actually want to go back. I'd even consider the Burstin again, but Folkestone itself is probably the main reason. If you embrace the chaos of the Burstin, you'll have the grandest time.
I live in Folkestone and feel fond of the Burstin. I love that it looks like a ship sailing out to sea. My friend often comes here from London and loves it. She invited me in once and her room was lovely. Everything else I saw seemed fine too, although a bit old-fashioned. Having said that my brother stayed there and hated it. Maybe it just depends what we expect. But yes, I have heard the concerning stories about children too (see comment below) and they would appear to be true. I feel sorry for the poor old Burstin.
Great video. I remember staying at this hotel in 1982 when my parents took us to France for the day it was quite posh back then. I think the original design of the hotel was for it to look like a cruise ship from the side view.
It seems a lot of hotels and holiday parks owned by Britannia have problems. I would be interested to see you visit the Metropole hotel in Blackpool. I stayed there many years ago when it was Butlins in a suite room and it was very nice but I believe it is not like that now.
He should also try the Henson Hotel in Blackpool I went a few weeks ago I walked in and walked straight back out it was beyond disgusting and the smell was out of this world.
I think you are jumping the gun a bit. Why assume its to stop people jumping out. My friend was in room about 3 years ago during a Storm and one of the open windows blew off. This Hotel sees some horrific weather in the Winter, cue the bits of dilapidation on the outside.
Unless I missed them, I find it frightening that building of this size has hardly any fire sprinklers. Certainly not required at the time of construction but it seems like one of those buildings that could burn down rather quickly.
Looks like they've "deferred" maintenance a few too many times. But some thought has been given to what they spent their available budget on. Such as: keep the assembly and conference areas looking nice, they bring in money. The drop ceiling is the absolutely cheapest option, and allows easy access above. But yes, it just lacks a premium feel.
Stayed here with my other half a few months back as we have family nearby. We knew full well the reviews and reputation and we had very low expectations which were met. It was significantly cheaper than alternatives and we would brave it again, especially a balcony room just for the gorgeous sunrise views over the sea :) btw.. Rocksalt resturant over the road is amazing 👍👍
Mee yes it's a under budget hotel so I'll be going back because as you say that sunrise...the beautiful walks the Lees it was great to get in clear water..if you Don't expect much you won't be disappointed..I'd rather go to the bursten for fifty pounds a night than to go to silly Isles we just had a quote one thousand eight hounded pounds...food not included. So good people I'll be returning to the bursten hopefully for a lot lot cheaper..thank you very much...
Personally what I would like to see is you sit down with the owners and discuss the issues you've found. Then perhaps developing your feedback by opening a similar hotel and illustrating how your constructive criticism can be implemented. Great series.
The only way this would happen was if Tim was to invest into the property. The hotel has a lot of long term residents which is where it makes its money and stays full year round.
@@SuperShellington yes I agree. Tim investing would be a good idea. But I like the idea of him opening a similar hotel nearby. So rather than improving the existing hotel he shows them how it should be done!
stayed there when we had an early eurotunnel booked, it was cheap and cheerful and did what you needed. a bed and a place to shower before you got on your journey. less then £50 for the night as well. some people just expect 5 star everywhere
I stayed here with my late grandparents in about 1997 when I was 10. Seeing the pool table in the ballroom etc really brings back memories! I can remember playing on a table there and my gran bringing me chips! Thanks for recording this
The underground car park area reminds me of the condition of the underground car park in Florida where the concrete had degraded and caused the whole side of the building to collapse. It would be very interesting to know who or what company owns that building.
I seriously felt on edge the whole time just watching the video. Just from looking at the condition of the building. All the cracks in the beams, the water damage and the concrete spalling. Looks far too much like the Surfside building's condition before it collapsed for me to every feel comfortable or ever want to sleep there. It also seems like the same general type of construction, nearly exactly the same age and also a seaside location. I'd bet money that this one is also seriously corroded as well, like the collapsed Surfside building.
My Wife and I have stayed at the Burstin twice in the past three years. We love it, you get what you pay for and you can't expect Champagne for Lemonade money. If you get a room overlooking the Harbour and Channel it's excellent sitting on the Balcony with a cuppa first thing in the morning as the Sun comes up. In the Summer the Hotel is a hive of activity with Coach trippers, etc etc. We like a drink, and sitting in the bright Maritime lounge, watching all the mixture of people and nationalities is quite entertaining. It's a huge Hotel and to bring it back to perfection would be an enormous cost. I could fill a ream of paper defending this place, you get what you pay and it's adequate. Good food, reasonable accomodation, good Beer, brilliant location and lovely hard working Staff. As the old saying goes, if you look for trouble you will find it!!
Exactly, I would even go further saying this hotel is a hidden gem, where can you get such an amazing view for £50 a night or less? The Hills,The Cliffs of Dover, French coast, marina, harbour arm sunny sands beach all from the same window. It's a unique place to stay.
What's the point in nailing the windows shut to stop people throwing themselves out when they can just go and throw themselves off the balcony instead?
Loving this series. This one looked alright to me. Goes to show that reviews don’t mean everything, you kind of get what you pay for. I have stayed at some dodgy hotels but sometimes it gives them a bit of character. Keep posting these vids :)
Spot on callum jackson you do get what you pay for...if you have somewhere to sleep have a shower.. and enjoy your cheep hotel and make the most of it ...because things are changing now hotels are asking hounded pounds a night we stayed in a hotel in London it was a present and it was hounded twenty pounds a night. this was ten yeas ago..couldn't use shower the sheets were rotten and the breakfast I wouldn't feed it to a dog..so on comparison the bursten is a pretty good deal 👌...
Hi Tim, liked the video as I live in Folkestone and enjoyed seeing inside the hotel. I’d love for you to have commented on how cheap the hotel compared to whats on offer around. Theres are many incredible traders offers brilliant food now in Folkestone not to mention the other shops. Great channel though.
Would love to see a review done after you have actually spent a night in ont of these hotels. Tell us how noisy they are, how cold/hot they are, what's the shower like after you've had one etc.
This made me sad. This was my hotel that I used to go to with my ex fiance. We had our first holiday there, he proposed to me there, and then we brought our baby there for her first holiday. So many wonderful memories and we always had a fantastic time and loved the hotel. Sadly I haven't been able to go back since my ex cheated and left me, far too sad. I think the hotels wonderful and they often give you a sea view room for free if you ask and they have any spare ♥️😊
I have worked in Britannia hotels probably 10 years ago when I was studying, only in London where they have their "flagship" The Britannia and generally speaking this show company/chain is like that - very mismanaged, running on shoestrings, patching things up with whatever leftovers they have. It is just not the place where you would want to stay or work. It seems like hotel has no management at all, only sort of low level supervisors and managers who have individual views of how place should be run, which means that it is like patchwork, if you floor supervisor is sensible, you may get better mattresses and cleaner rooms, but you can get horrible room, just on the other side of the same hotel - there are no standards at all. And just general disrepair is exactly the same across the chain, patched-up with screws and tape etc. They survive, because they generally have hotels in good locations, like in London they are in Canary Wharf and although business travels are wise enough to avoid them, after first time, they still have conference place which makes money and perhaps helps to fill some rooms. Who stays I don't know, when I worked there they had loads of Americans, who doesn't seem to be bothered with low standards, or in smaller towns they attract older people with bingos and cheesy offers, again older brits doesn't seems to bother too much, they get loads of tasteless steamed British breakfast in the morning and that is what they need. Dated rooms may even bring nostalgia to them or something. I guess in Folkestone they get some truckers staying and whole that traffic generated by trade with Europe, so despite of being quite horrible, they are basically the only one big enough to cater for the numbers. All in all, just very characteristic Britannia Hotel - used to be 4* by the 80's standards and now just really run down.. and trust me back of the house areas are even worse, full of shit, broken stuff and you literally have banquet and floor manager asks you to go around the hotel cubby holes to find 8 same chairs and you can find all sort of weird broken things from 80's - it is like one big landfill/museum. I would say by now they are trending between 2-3*, but again because they are so inconsistent there may be one room which is genuinely 4* and others which would not pass HSA inspection. Staff on other hand quite friendly, many have worked there for many years, even their entire life - they are sometimes weird, but generally friendly and caring.
@@WalkWithMeTim Well yes - they are like time capsules at places and as well kind of funny, because it makes you wonder how they can get away with that and continue operating, but they do. As I said even 10 years ago in their London hotel it was quite bad, the younger staff who had perspective of how bad it was joked around saying it needs to be set on fire and burned to ground and something else rebuilt on the site, because hotel was so delipidated that nobody believed it could be renovated... yet - it still stands today, still hasn't been renovated! Older staff they just learned to live with that, things like broken door lock on walk in fridge in the kitchen was replaced with the strap made by maybe 100 layers of duck tape and screws on both ends. You just unscrew on side and that is "the lock". That is hotel which pretend to be borderline 5* in Canary Wharf! Well it is officially 4*, but doesn't shy to charge 5* prices.
Really interesting video. I didn’t think UK had such ‘resort’ type hotels anymore but I’d imagine they were super popular before tourism abroad to the Canary Islands etc became much more affordable. Looks in dire need on a refresh but doubt theyll have the investment! It’s huge.
I love how you don't ham things up for the camera and how you actually try and accentuate positives as well as the negatives. Only discovered channel last night and have just been on a binge watch.
Wow, going by the 'art deco', ocean liner exterior appearance, i was convinced that this one dated from the 1930s or 40s, but I just checked and it turns out it was built as recently as 1984, and on the site of a grand Victorian beauty as well, which can't have endeared it to anyone from the very start. The top floor balcony room was lovely (though thicker cuttains would have been good, both for winter warmth and to block out early morning sun in summer if you wanted to sleep beyond 4am!) and I'm not going to hold the seagull poo and flaky paint against them- ever tried maintaining even a regular house in a coastal town? - but the rest of it did very much feel like a tired Eighties convention hotel, all low suspended ceilings and acres of tired carpet. That said, Folkestone isn't exactly the first place that jumps to mind as a holiday destination either.
Great videos Tim. Love your honest reviews. Great detailed reviews . Random the room with the balcony you are unable to fall out the window due to the nailed windows but could fall off the balcony a few feet away 😅 I’m into my trains and will certainly be visiting Folkestone harbour soon as I didn’t even know that was all done up! 👍🏼
The sad fact of the matter is that people want cheap. They will not pay the rates needed to allow for proper maintenance on these old hotels, then they complain that they aren’t getting million dollar amenities for their $40 stay.
Although people say this hotel is the shithole of Folkestone, I've got some good memories with it. During the 2011 Earthquake our chimney fell through our roof and we needed to repair it. The Bursitn offered us free accommodation for the duration it took to repair our roof. So, overall its not actually that bad! Sure nowadays its not a nice sight to behold... But back in history, it truly was the gateway to Europe.
In 2011 I asked for a job application form at the Grand Burstin. The person who gave it to me looked me up and down as if I were pond life. Not long after I got a job in Cyprus with Saga Holidays and had a wonderful time.
That place is HUGE! I’m trying to think if I’ve ever stayed in a hotel as big as that & I’m not sure I have. I kinda understand why it’s a bit dated, must cost a fortune to remodel.
We went to Calais to meet someone to collect two cats. When we crossed back over to Dover we decided to stay here for the night as it was at least a 9 hour journey back home to Scotland and we'd travelled down that day too. This was one of the only hotels on our journey that would accept pets. It was absolutely grim, even the majority of people staying in the hotel were grim. We laugh looking back because we had to pay a deposit in case the cats did any damage to the room. It was funny because the room was an absolute bomb site and the following morning our rusty shower also wouldn't turn off! I also don't think the corridors have ever been painted since it opened as they absolutely stank of cigarettes Never again!
I've never seen suspended ceilings in hotel rooms before; i presume they don't conceal a void spanning several rooms, or the hotel would have failed fire inspections.
Good vid Tim. We have stayed in a lot worse believe me! The first room looked ok. The hotel looks like a cruise ship with the bow and stern cut off! Excellent work Tim. Better than the telly! 👍😁
Hi Tim, I stayed here last week, not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. Doing a late booking for a 5 day coach break, and needing a single room, I was given a double with a sea view - a Premier room on the 7th floor. The bed was comfy, the bathroom was good, with a bath and plenty of hot water. The public areas, the food and the staff were also all okay. I would stay here again. However, a different room with a horrible view might affect my enjoyment, but that is quite normal in any hotel.
I had many happy memories staying at the burstin as, a kid in the 90s , doing snorkel diving in pool and playing in video game arcade and eating in that beautiful dining room. Sadly they like many hotels the cost of upkeep and the fall in demand makes it near on impossible for hotels to keep up with modernisation required, such a pity.
So I think I’ve got it. The function areas are in amazing shape because these hotels have given up being hotels and merely hold functions and events for hire. It makes more sense for Brittania to turn all the upper levels with rooms into apartments and close off the ground floor/function areas to tenants OR just turn these hotels into the best kind of apartment complex you can think of with in house swimming pools, gyms, 24hr security etc with a couple function rooms to hire possibly.
I've stayed here many times as I work in folkestone but live in my van and although I'm 99.9% sure the hotel doubles up as a knocking shop 👀 it's actually a pleasant place to stay. We never pay more than about £40 a night and get upgraded almost every time to Premier. We've never had a room without a sea view either. The bathrooms are definitely antiquated and the ceiling tiles don't keep any noise out from your rambunctious neighbours but if you're tired enough, it does the job. Avoid the front of the hotel if there are events/dances/karate clubs on!
You wonder about Britannia Hotels' business strategy, owning all these hopelessly faded grand hotels and all needing a fortune spending on them. The mattresses look like £35 jobs from charity shops. Great, honest review with a very fair balance of pros and cons.
I thought that too when I saw it! Why would you nail windows shut, If you're gonna do yourself in you'd just throw yourself off the balcony. Doesn't make sense.
Another great video Tim.Such a shame these once regal places have fallen into disrepair. Time warp time for the music😵😵😵😵😵.Thanks for a good honest fair review😁😁😘😘
Yeah they could put a barrier instead, to stop the beachgoers parking there. I think the selfishness of the parked cars annoyed me most; literally about 30 marked spaces empty but they all park near the entrance making it tight
We ended up there as we were in need of a dog friendly accommodation that didn't break the bank over the Jubilee weekend. £99 per night was still daylight robbery, I wasn't prepared for what we were about to experience.. basically, the only good part is that they are dog friendly. I don't think I've ever stayed in a hotel like that not even when I was much younger and the only way I could afford travelling was by staying in hostels. The room was disgusting, I woke up in the morning feeling so dirty and even my dog was too disgusted by sleeping on the carpet and spent the whole night sleeping under the sink in the bathroom. We had a sea-view bedroom with a balcony but we couldn't use the balcony because the rail was too unsafe and my dog could fit under the bars (for reference, my dog is medium size, he's not tiny!). My friends were staying in the bedroom next to us and we could hear them even talking. It's probably comparable to the Cecil hotel.
amazing. i lost it at the christmas music. must stay here with kids and the mrs. thanks! its sad to see what was once a grand place in such sad decay. the old dining hall was jaw dropping. thanks again.
When I saw the doormat saying Britannia Hotels I thought oh-oh here we go. But to be honest compared to the previous dumps, this one wasn't too bad. I preferred the first room and it actually looked quite pleasant. The second rooms balcony with rickety chairs and dirty floor I could live without. It's a shame that again the outside looks tired. Another hotel that should be shining but is instead giving out a faint glow. How do Britannia get to run these hotels? 🤷♂️. Another great video Tim 👍
Another great honest and impartial review. It would be good if you could include the price you paid though, so we can make a more informed opinion ourselves, and for comparison.
My partner and I visit her mother regularly in Folkestone, almost had to stay here a few times as the spare room in her mum's is filled with tat. Glad to finally see the inside of it without actually having to visit
I’ve really enjoyed your videos Tim! I’m an ex Brit living in Canada and even though these hotel videos are a bit dodgy 👀 I still feel a pull to revisit again. Last time was 2017 so definitely due a trip soon. Thanks!!
We stayed there… OMG Christmas , it was full of travellers that was fighting , and the kids was running riot the ballroom had to be closed . Police was there every night , we talk to a local and he said wait until new year it’s full of bikers (hells angels ) he said there is always trouble and it is past it’s best and they should pull it down . Christmas dinner and the food was terrible we tried to go out side to get some fish and chips one tea time , room was not to bad but stank of smoke , we went with national holidays and they always use Britannia hotels and all Britannia Hotels have a contracts to home immigrants … so no more National Holidays for me and by the way I loved Folkestone and will one day go back and try another hotel . 😊
nice video, A few years ago I slept in that hotel weekly with my colleagues. I've slept in just about all the rooms I think. the comments on the internet do match my thoughts at the time. However, I did enjoy that time, staff very diverse but always friendly, in the evening enjoying a beer watching the show ballet, live music bingo and especially older people. We down-to-earth Dutch can appreciate the English conviviality
I remember we stayed there about 30 years ago. It was popular because the SeaCat left to Calais opposite the hotel. I am sure it had a snooker room, and most people booked full board, although the dinner sitting was done in 2, so you had about 30 minutes to eat before they pushed you out for the 2nd sitting to come in. Was maybe a slightly better hotel back then , but it was still the case that all the money was spent on the reception area and not the rooms.
This hotel is not old at all, built between 1975 and 1983, on the site of the Royal Pavilion Hotel dating from 1843. It was a white elephant from the beginning, and is a grotesque eyesores for the local town. There have been wide allegations of murky dealing over planning permission and the whole place was obviously a terrible mistake
Was a brilliant hotel during the 80's and 90's. Especially great for families. Had a brilliant kids club, swimming pool etc. Used to have celebrities coming in to meet the children. Food was always good as was the entertainment. Back in the day you could also cross the road and get a ferry to France. Such a shame it was allowed to deteriorate, but with the loss of the Ferry terminal and the Rotunda amusement park you can see why. I do think with the improvements that are currently going on with Folkestone this could be a goldmine if someone had the money upfront to invest and bring the hotel back up to standards,
This video just bought back memories of the hotel I stayed in, in London. It was in a great area and looked good going on the photos on the web but it didn’t translate when we got there. The loft fitted one person and two suitcases. We had to do three trips to get our bags up. I walked forever to get to my room. The rooms were very clean.
Hi Tim my sister lives in Crete she was due to go on holiday in Mexico flew to Heathrow didn’t have correct paperwork so ended up in this hotel for 3 weeks shouldn’t laugh but omg she wasn’t exaggerating we are originally from Dover hence why she went to Folkestone that hotel was luxury in the early 80 s great episode again
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I worked as a hotel inspector 30 years ago, Britannia had a bad reputation back then of having pretty run down properties, find it frightening that they haven't improved on that.
@@Jason-jz1bv I didn't realise Brittania were around that long. 30 years ago they must have taken over 60s hotels, their only customers now are old biddy tours and Government bookings, if you know what I mean.
You should try the Britannia Hotel in Manchester, which has an awful reputation.
Can u smoke on balcony?
Is it owned by Batman?
I feel sorry for these grand hotels. In their days they were clearly spectacular hotels. Imagine what it must cost to run and maintain them these days. Still have glimpses of their former glory...which I would personally be happy to see.
Agree
Yeah - all that government money they received as business grants... the money from the taxpayer. Why put it into council housing when you can make the rich even richer?
Yes I agree.
And the logistics of refurbishing a small area is a complete night mare.
Remember these are live hotels.
You can only work certain times because of the guest staying there.
Getting thing in there to the place you will be working on its own is a mission.
I've been painting and decorating for 25 years.
Too shut down 1 area could take out a lift to certain floors ..
guests dont want see areas blooked off saying sorry for the inconvenience due to construction work 🤣
So the cost alone of doing a job .. time involved times it by 3 at least.
And when you have finished the building.
It's time to start again 🤣
@@noobracers3931 Debatable especially as I work in the travel industry and you no doubt have seen the news with COVID and now Russia virtually destroying tourism.
As no bard with a political leaning once wrote: "To build a council house or a commercial building that is the question - whether tis better to be slain by the arrows or learned helplessness and social inequality" - I mean this is the UK's politics of Tories vs Labour - capitalist or socialism, right? Make the rich richer or the poor more dependent on the state. I see both sides as options forced on us.
Yeah ultimately a larger staff complement would be required to keep the building in repair, and the level of occupation is insufficient to fund that.
You can't open your window on the 13th floor, but you can walk onto a balcony and throw yourself off. Gotta love H&S.
This is what everyone that lives in Folkestone wants to do
Well, mis - applied or misunderstood H&S.
I was thinking the exact same thing!
@@FelixWasHere3 as a folkestonian I can confirm
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
The room before the upgrade felt so much better than the room with a balcony. Felt lighter, roomy and the bathroom also looked cleaner.
finally I found this channel. so tired of people playing up how bad something is for clicks or views. this felt genuine. when I saw the room my first thought was "eh its not that bad, surely he's not going to pretend that this is the worst thing he's ever seen right?" and no, you didn't. you gave a very fair review. glad you're so successful without falling into the common RUclips reviewer traps. keep it up.
Thanks Jc its part of the channel but I visit seaside resorts, hotels and attractions thanks for the honest comment too :-)
I'm staying at the hotel right now. Been coming here for decades, since I was a child. The staff work hard. They are severely under staffed. Jobs are available here! Most staff do have a polite welcoming vibe, professional manner, good communication and customer service skills (Management work to high standards and are competent). Anyone with eyes can see staff do work hard. Most have great interpersonal skills especially those on reception front desk (Yvonne & Justin), bar staff (Lynn), Restaurant staff (Jackie) Maintenance(Mason) + House keeping (Mandy) and particularly excellent are the Spindles Spa staff (Jamie & Shelly). Its such a shame hotel is decoratively run down now, a one star rated hotel. If you want luxury/ boutique hotel this place isn't for you. Not everyone can afford 5* accommodation. Some of us want a budget hotel. If you need an affordable getaway or cheap cheerful family seaside break come along with even your pets! Dogs are welcome! Folkestone has plenty of natural beauty to discover outside the walls of The Grand Burstin Hotel.
Here here 💯 Tim is truthful but very fair...too fair sometimes❤..great streams
Yes! I've been looking for a vlogger that tackles both bad and good reviews of hotels. Not those who sugar coats hotels. Glad I found this channel. Great narrator too and excellent videography.
I worked there for two days and I was told to dust with the used pillow cases from the last guests and wipe the bathroom down with the used towels. The worst part was when I was told to rinse out the mugs and wipe with the towels just used for the bathroom.
Wish I was joking 🙃
no way! OMG
One of the places I worked at had a limited amount of rags for the dusting. We had to use them well after they were wet and dirty to wipe down surfaces. They were already in poor condition to begin with.
Also mugs and glasses that were still dirty after cleaning by the kitchen staff were sprayed with Mould killer... MOULD KILLER. Then wiped with a rag. Not rinsed mind you wiped with a f**n rag. Generally an awful place to work as well. Poor attitude from the head houskeeper and supervisor, a competitive environment instead of teamwork focused one.
No difference to working for Travellodge...I had 20 mins to clean each room so it no surprise pillow cases and used towels were used to clean everything including the toilets
You should try some places in Blackpool.
@@drewtonta travelodge rooms are so small you should be able to clean them in 15 min ffs! LOOOL
In fairness to the balcony, the “dirt” on the balcony wall is lichen - which is not only a superb sign of very clean/unpolluted air, but a critical CO2 scrubber
Sad to see the demise of a lot of the old grand seaside English hotels. You can imagine how different they were when they were first opened. Now, they just seem far too big to maintain properly and still make money.
Yes indeed william
There's not really much of the hotel of old left in here. It seems the more modern expansions slowly consumed the Victorian-era complex until there's only one section left in the middle of the block. That remnant seems to be where the Victorian Restaurant is located, which explains why its interior fixtures seem far classier in comparison.
To be fair, there really is not enough in folkestone anymore to warrant a hotel this big
@@numberonehater1239 what in your opinion is missing?
@@numberonehater1239 I'm staying at the hotel right now. Its fuuly booked. Been coming here for decades, since I was a child. Swen alot of changes inside and locally outside. The staff work hard. They are severely under staffed. Jobs are available here! Most staff do have a polite welcoming vibe, professional manner, good communication and customer service skills (Management work to high standards and are competent). Anyone with eyes can see staff do work hard. Most have great interpersonal skills especially those on reception front desk (Yvonne & Justin), bar staff (Lynn), maintenance (Mason) + House keeping (Mandy) and particularly excellent are the Spindles Spa staff (Jamie & Shelly). Its such a shame hotel is run down now, a one star rated hotel. If you want luxury/ boutique hotel this place isn't for you. Not everyone can afford 5* accommodation. Some of us want a budget hotel. If you need an affordable getaway or cheap cheerful family seaside break come along with even your pets! Dogs are welcome! Folkestone has plenty of natural beauty to discover outside the walls of The Grand Burstin Hotel.
I lived in Folkestone for a few years and knew of the Burstin's horror stories. It is such a shame that this hotel has turned out to be a dive. I remember it was used by bootleggers from the North, stopping off before embarking on their journey over to Belgium. This hotel could be a real asset to Folkestone if it could attract some proper investment.
That place looks like it was built and designed for a time when holiday habits were very different, and yet it’s completion in 1984 was too late to capture that kind of holidaymaker it was aimed for, because people were already moving on, to cheaper and easier foreign holidays. A land locked cruise ship with nowhere to go but down.
I’m watching this and getting a “motorway travel lodge” feel
yes I remember those lol travel tavern lol
"A land locked cruise ship with nowhere to go but down." What a way to put it!
@@0099ffgg The building does have a cruise ship vibe style structure. Sure it was very impressive in its day.
I'm a local and see it as an eye sore that replaced a genuine grand hotel. A little known fact is it had a reputation in child services as an establishment that rented rooms by the hour and many kids were trafficked or raped as a result. A true stain on this seaside town.
oh dear
It’s normal Kent
oh my god
Now I know why so many in government kept this running as their pleasure palace despite calls to knock it down.
Oh and the sickos just moved the trafficking overseas.
Wow! That’s dark
Well, it’s no surprise that it’s owned by Britannia…
wait .. what ;-)
@@WalkWithMeTim I read somewhere or heard on another video post that Britannia has been voted the UK's worst hotel chain for the past eight years.
@@WalkWithMeTim omg I’ve seen that before
It's makes me sad because they seem to have such amazing buildings
@@ChelseaMLarkin They do seem to treat the public areas with the respect they deserve, and I can understand that it must be difficult to maintain so many rooms with what is surely a declining customer base. The places are grand but belong to another era and are too big for today's market.
Just watched your video. My husband and I have stayed at the Grand Burstin, Folkestone for many years and absolutely love it. We call it shabby chic as you get what you've paid for.
We think it represents good value for your money. The views are to die for especially if you have a harbour view room with a balcony. The 'all inclusive' themed entertainment weekends are always good fun and very enjoyable. We would recommend upgrading to the Victoria Restaurant. Can't weait until we go again. Try it yourselves, you will not be disappointed.
When I worked on the Dover-Calais Ferries, we'd check which coaches were coming on board for each trip to be prepared. One of the ones that always filled us with dread was when there was a Grand Burstin excursion. There's nothing much worse than a British tourist currently experiencing their worst holiday of their life.
What....
That’s fucking hilarious
Worst holiday of their life until they reach Calais
I thought this one was till we went to Tunisia.....now that's bad!
Or a French tourist experiencing their worst holiday of their life...once they realise they've been booked into this hotel.
'Welcome to England'
Indeed 🙁
Great video, Tim. I stayed at the Burstin about fifteen years ago. It was much the same then. The worst part of the experience was the bathroom taps which looked as though they hadn’t been cleaned in about ten years. Yet another formerly grand hotel that Britannia have run into the ground.
I know shame
I stayed in 2007 and I found the hotel to be good.No complaints.
I lived in Folkestone as a teenager. From what friends who worked at the Burstin (1998/2002 ish) told me about what employees and guests got up to there, none of this surprises me.
Here's my hot take: the first room he stayed in was much better than the "upgrade" 😆
lol agree
Totally agree
I LOVE visiting places like this and enjoy the older, nostalgic style they have hung onto to invite older patrons back year after year. Imagining what it might have been like back in the day when it was BOOMING but it also makes me sad that the place might eventually close due to being a little run down in areas that the owner can't afford to fix. I'm 36 btw. Not 60 or 70.
There isn't much point in screwing the windows shut when there's a balcony
Thank you for your honesty, you always give us a good look around!
The lovely rooms he found were part of the beautiful old hotel that stood there before. The Burstin is a blot on the Landscape. Someone posted a picture of a drink on a table in their room near the top of the hotel during a very high wind. The whole room was shaking as witnessed by the drink. The destruction of the lovely edwardian Hotel that was there for this monstrosity was a huge mistake.
Thanks for the info!
I stayed on the 10th floor during storm Eunice in February 2022. Yes the room was swaying it was scary!
Another great video Tim, it is interesting to see how this hotel has started to improve under Britannia after years of neglect. The hotel had previously been owned by Burstin Travel who also owned the Palace Hotel in Southend-on-Sea and unbelievably they also had their own airline, Princess Air which didn't last long. If anything the money lost on their airline venture dragged the two hotels down along with Burstin Travel. For a Britannia it does look really good on the inside, a pleasant surprise especially considering how bad it looks from the outside.
With regard to the plentiful notices regarding smoking and abuse, I believe the local authorities or government would use the hotel as a temporary accommodation for various folks (just like a number of other Britannia properties) and that was where most of the trouble was coming from.
Anyway, great stuff and keep them coming :)
I think it will just keep going down hill. There's a britannia hotel in my city and it's an absolute state
1;44. Tim steps on Britannia Hotels doormat. Wonder how this,ll pan out.😂
Your videos are so well filmed, the editing is also spot on. You are such a natural presenter! I love your Britannia hotel series , seeing the huge historic buildings normally in disrepair is sad. You are taking one for the team staying in these.
wow thanks Thomas , means a lot
I used to stay here regularly when I was contracting in the area about 10 years ago. One thing that sticks out in my mind was that the heating in the corridors was always turned right up regardless of the weather. There was always that lingering smell of smoke around the building. Compared with how I remember it, it's obvious they've had some work done in places over the last few years. The restaurants have been spruced up but the bar area is still exactly as I remember it; dark and dingy-looking. Also, I remember that the beds always had these horrid orange duvet covers and mattress toppers, like something from a prison bed. If nothing else, seeing the old place has brought back a few memories.
What's with the smoke smell
@@WalkWithMeTim Given the age of the hotel (some parts dating back to 1843 according to a quick Google search) I can imagine it's a result of 160 ish years of indoor smoking.
I stayed at this hotel about five years ago and can confirm that it is simply the worst hotel it has ever been my misfortune to stay yet judging by your review it looks like they’ve made a load of improvements since I stayed there it truly was a hovel the room was falling apart there was no room in the underground car park The room smelt musty and and the bathroom and shower we’re falling apart, there were people fighting in the corridors in the evening and someone thought it would be a good idea to let fireworks off in the car park behind us I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought this place was a total toilet
Yep
and... you gonna tell us about the bad parts?
What can hotel do about the crass clientel? citizens reflect outside society in real life.
I think I would rather sleep on a park bench based on what you have said.
I stayed here when i was looking to live in folkestone. It was absolutely disgusting. The carpet was alive with moths and bugs all over it and under the beds. The mattresses were rock hard and the windows had filthy marks on them. Not the best place i have ever stayed.
For any of those that read this, this hotel actually had a major incident. Part of the front wall collapsed into the street and onto a coach
I stayed here and had a seaview and must say its a bit old and tired but the view over the harbour was absolutely amazing and made the holiday basically, sunnyside beach is amazing for a swim as well. I enjoyed Folkestone!
Love this series, Tim! Just a suggestion, would be great to see you spend the night and offer your thoughts in the morning as one of the big complaints about some of these hotels is a poor nights sleep.
Looking forward to the next video!
Great idea!
@@WalkWithMeTim brave brave man
Hi Tim don’t often comment mate but just wanted to say how immaculate and brilliant all of your videos are! Thanks for your uploads and this ‘worst rated’ series is a personal highlight :)
that means a lot! thanks for the comment and of course a thumbs up always helps lol
As a local from Folkestone the hotel is a massive eyesore. It’s a shame really as it’s somehow outlived a lot of actually nice local businesses in the area despite me not seeing anyone check in from 5 years of living here. Praise be the day Britannia runs out of business.
😒
It just looks cheap, I'm local too and I never thought much of it, just a cheap fixture that kinda contrats with the harbour arm
@@MaggieMop building itself is nice, it’s just that it could be used for such better things
Iirc it was used as a holding camp for illegals/asylum seekers for a while
@@MaggieMop is it this one that if you look at a certain angle, is shaped like a ferry? I think I’ve caught a coach from this hotel (or whatever boat shaped one) to dover, and then over to France for £10
Another great video Tim! Britannia as a hotel chain always amaze me - they own some amazing properties, many of which are listed buildings, yet don't seem to maintain them at all!
Would love to see you review their more of their food offerings like breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Thanks as always from Ireland 🇮🇪
Sam
I did have cream tea
@@WalkWithMeTim Indeed, it looked lovely!! Keep up the great work!
I would definitely stay in that balcony room for the right price. The decor isn't my thing but the dual aspect views give the room a really nice feel.
yes I liked that
Your first room was pretty decent, I'm not sure if the upgrade was worth it (slightly bigger bathroom, grubby balcony) but you did have an amazing view. I don't know why Britannia insists on cramming arcade games and slot machines into their hotels, I noticed they'd put them in the Grand and in Norbreck Castle, too. They make me think of a pub rather than a hotel. I didn't like that you had to pay for parking but the worst thing for me was that if you don't pay theparking fee within 10 minutes of your arrival, you get fined £100! What a rip off.
So just about anything sets off the smoke alarm but covering it to avoid setting it off everytime you use the shower or spray on deodorant is a 150 pound fine? wtf. Either upgrade to some decent smoke alarms that only activate in case of actual smoke instead of any kind of vapour or get rid of the fine.
good point but that's the case with most places apart from the fine
Me and my girlfriend had a lovely stay here in June 2021, it was shabby and under renovation and it was VERY rough around the edges. It was however, still fully booked. This meant there was ALWAYS a line of people complaining at reception. It had a kind of Butlin's holiday charm.
Our first room had no working bathroom light. We upgraded to a sea view room when one became available (The sea view was mostly scaffolding erected for maintenance work, but having a balcony was nice). I really felt sorry for the staff as they seemed to be bearing the brunt for a lot of things out of their control and getting a fair chunk of abuse.
The parking was free with my stay (you just put your reg into the screen at reception)
Despite all that went wrong we actually kind of enjoyed it! I thought it had a lot of charm and although a bit grubby and deffo in the need of some major upgrades, it was affordable and in a great location. We had a lovely time and actually want to go back. I'd even consider the Burstin again, but Folkestone itself is probably the main reason.
If you embrace the chaos of the Burstin, you'll have the grandest time.
it does have great views lol
I live in Folkestone and feel fond of the Burstin. I love that it looks like a ship sailing out to sea. My friend often comes here from London and loves it. She invited me in once and her room was lovely. Everything else I saw seemed fine too, although a bit old-fashioned. Having said that my brother stayed there and hated it. Maybe it just depends what we expect. But yes, I have heard the concerning stories about children too (see comment below) and they would appear to be true. I feel sorry for the poor old Burstin.
Hello how are you doing?
Great video. I remember staying at this hotel in 1982 when my parents took us to France for the day it was quite posh back then. I think the original design of the hotel was for it to look like a cruise ship from the side view.
It seems a lot of hotels and holiday parks owned by Britannia have problems. I would be interested to see you visit the Metropole hotel in Blackpool. I stayed there many years ago when it was Butlins in a suite room and it was very nice but I believe it is not like that now.
Great suggestion! but they are currently closed
He should also try the Henson Hotel in Blackpool I went a few weeks ago I walked in and walked straight back out it was beyond disgusting and the smell was out of this world.
..Or even Scarisbrick Southport
the metropole is no longer taking bookings it has now turned into housing asylum seekers
Love that they lock the windows on the top floor for obvious reason yet you can have a balcony 😂
I know crazy
I think you are jumping the gun a bit. Why assume its to stop people jumping out. My friend was in room about 3 years ago during a Storm and one of the open windows blew off. This Hotel sees some horrific weather in the Winter, cue the bits of dilapidation on the outside.
Unless I missed them, I find it frightening that building of this size has hardly any fire sprinklers. Certainly not required at the time of construction but it seems like one of those buildings that could burn down rather quickly.
I cant say I looked .. it must have
Only really a new requirement, the building would have been built to with-hold / detect a fire. Giving ample time to get out
Looks like they've "deferred" maintenance a few too many times. But some thought has been given to what they spent their available budget on. Such as: keep the assembly and conference areas looking nice, they bring in money.
The drop ceiling is the absolutely cheapest option, and allows easy access above. But yes, it just lacks a premium feel.
Stayed here with my other half a few months back as we have family nearby. We knew full well the reviews and reputation and we had very low expectations which were met. It was significantly cheaper than alternatives and we would brave it again, especially a balcony room just for the gorgeous sunrise views over the sea :) btw.. Rocksalt resturant over the road is amazing 👍👍
Thanks for the tip
Mee yes it's a under budget hotel so I'll be going back because as you say that sunrise...the beautiful walks the Lees it was great to get in clear water..if you Don't expect much you won't be disappointed..I'd rather go to the bursten for fifty pounds a night than to go to silly Isles we just had a quote one thousand eight hounded pounds...food not included. So good people I'll be returning to the bursten hopefully for a lot lot cheaper..thank you very much...
Personally what I would like to see is you sit down with the owners and discuss the issues you've found. Then perhaps developing your feedback by opening a similar hotel and illustrating how your constructive criticism can be implemented. Great series.
Lol they would never agree to that
Well that's dumb coz you know that's never going to happen EVER
The only way this would happen was if Tim was to invest into the property. The hotel has a lot of long term residents which is where it makes its money and stays full year round.
@@SuperShellington yes I agree. Tim investing would be a good idea. But I like the idea of him opening a similar hotel nearby. So rather than improving the existing hotel he shows them how it should be done!
Haha, open a hotel (a prospect near doomed to failure) to make your RUclips videos more interesting. Brillian idea. 😄
stayed there when we had an early eurotunnel booked, it was cheap and cheerful and did what you needed. a bed and a place to shower before you got on your journey. less then £50 for the night as well. some people just expect 5 star everywhere
agree
I stayed here with my late grandparents in about 1997 when I was 10. Seeing the pool table in the ballroom etc really brings back memories! I can remember playing on a table there and my gran bringing me chips! Thanks for recording this
You found a "How random!" Moment with that wardrobe hiding another door..love it🤣🤣👍
The underground car park area reminds me of the condition of the underground car park in Florida where the concrete had degraded and caused the whole side of the building to collapse. It would be very interesting to know who or what company owns that building.
;-)
I seriously felt on edge the whole time just watching the video. Just from looking at the condition of the building. All the cracks in the beams, the water damage and the concrete spalling. Looks far too much like the Surfside building's condition before it collapsed for me to every feel comfortable or ever want to sleep there.
It also seems like the same general type of construction, nearly exactly the same age and also a seaside location. I'd bet money that this one is also seriously corroded as well, like the collapsed Surfside building.
My Wife and I have stayed at the Burstin twice in the past three years. We love it, you get what you pay for and you can't expect Champagne for Lemonade money. If you get a room overlooking the Harbour and Channel it's excellent sitting on the Balcony with a cuppa first thing in the morning as the Sun comes up. In the Summer the Hotel is a hive of activity with Coach trippers, etc etc. We like a drink, and sitting in the bright Maritime lounge, watching all the mixture of people and nationalities is quite entertaining. It's a huge Hotel and to bring it back to perfection would be an enormous cost. I could fill a ream of paper defending this place, you get what you pay and it's adequate. Good food, reasonable accomodation, good Beer, brilliant location and lovely hard working Staff. As the old saying goes, if you look for trouble you will find it!!
Good points
Exactly, I would even go further saying this hotel is a hidden gem, where can you get such an amazing view for £50 a night or less? The Hills,The Cliffs of Dover, French coast, marina, harbour arm sunny sands beach all from the same window. It's a unique place to stay.
I know it's probably going to come across as a bit rude, and I am sorry for that. But reading someone defend this place is grimace inducing.
I actually stayed here and didn't find it to bad.
I must admit I was under the influence of alcohol during most of my visit
ha ha ha
What's the point in nailing the windows shut to stop people throwing themselves out when they can just go and throw themselves off the balcony instead?
Moved to Folkestone twelve years ago now. I've always wondered if was bad a people say. A big thank you for posting this.
U are welcome
Loving this series. This one looked alright to me. Goes to show that reviews don’t mean everything, you kind of get what you pay for.
I have stayed at some dodgy hotels but sometimes it gives them a bit of character.
Keep posting these vids :)
Thanks Callum
Spot on callum jackson you do get what you pay for...if you have somewhere to sleep have a shower.. and enjoy your cheep hotel and make the most of it ...because things are changing now hotels are asking hounded pounds a night we stayed in a hotel in London it was a present and it was hounded twenty pounds a night. this was ten yeas ago..couldn't use shower the sheets were rotten and the breakfast I wouldn't feed it to a dog..so on comparison the bursten is a pretty good deal 👌...
Love theses videos on hotels and holiday camps. Good work Tim
Glad you enjoyed it
The most disturbing thing about that hotel was the guy stood at reception with his trousers halfway down his arse.
LOL
I almost stayed here when I was down covering Rallycross at Lydden Hill, luckily I met a guy who ran another Hotel locally.
Hi Tim, liked the video as I live in Folkestone and enjoyed seeing inside the hotel. I’d love for you to have commented on how cheap the hotel compared to whats on offer around. Theres are many incredible traders offers brilliant food now in Folkestone not to mention the other shops. Great channel though.
thanks sam look out for my Folkestone video later
Would love to see a review done after you have actually spent a night in ont of these hotels. Tell us how noisy they are, how cold/hot they are, what's the shower like after you've had one etc.
noted
This made me sad. This was my hotel that I used to go to with my ex fiance. We had our first holiday there, he proposed to me there, and then we brought our baby there for her first holiday. So many wonderful memories and we always had a fantastic time and loved the hotel. Sadly I haven't been able to go back since my ex cheated and left me, far too sad. I think the hotels wonderful and they often give you a sea view room for free if you ask and they have any spare ♥️😊
its still a great hotel , needs tic
I have worked in Britannia hotels probably 10 years ago when I was studying, only in London where they have their "flagship" The Britannia and generally speaking this show company/chain is like that - very mismanaged, running on shoestrings, patching things up with whatever leftovers they have. It is just not the place where you would want to stay or work. It seems like hotel has no management at all, only sort of low level supervisors and managers who have individual views of how place should be run, which means that it is like patchwork, if you floor supervisor is sensible, you may get better mattresses and cleaner rooms, but you can get horrible room, just on the other side of the same hotel - there are no standards at all. And just general disrepair is exactly the same across the chain, patched-up with screws and tape etc.
They survive, because they generally have hotels in good locations, like in London they are in Canary Wharf and although business travels are wise enough to avoid them, after first time, they still have conference place which makes money and perhaps helps to fill some rooms. Who stays I don't know, when I worked there they had loads of Americans, who doesn't seem to be bothered with low standards, or in smaller towns they attract older people with bingos and cheesy offers, again older brits doesn't seems to bother too much, they get loads of tasteless steamed British breakfast in the morning and that is what they need. Dated rooms may even bring nostalgia to them or something. I guess in Folkestone they get some truckers staying and whole that traffic generated by trade with Europe, so despite of being quite horrible, they are basically the only one big enough to cater for the numbers.
All in all, just very characteristic Britannia Hotel - used to be 4* by the 80's standards and now just really run down.. and trust me back of the house areas are even worse, full of shit, broken stuff and you literally have banquet and floor manager asks you to go around the hotel cubby holes to find 8 same chairs and you can find all sort of weird broken things from 80's - it is like one big landfill/museum. I would say by now they are trending between 2-3*, but again because they are so inconsistent there may be one room which is genuinely 4* and others which would not pass HSA inspection. Staff on other hand quite friendly, many have worked there for many years, even their entire life - they are sometimes weird, but generally friendly and caring.
thanks for the info! there is something special about all the hotels tho
@@WalkWithMeTim Well yes - they are like time capsules at places and as well kind of funny, because it makes you wonder how they can get away with that and continue operating, but they do.
As I said even 10 years ago in their London hotel it was quite bad, the younger staff who had perspective of how bad it was joked around saying it needs to be set on fire and burned to ground and something else rebuilt on the site, because hotel was so delipidated that nobody believed it could be renovated... yet - it still stands today, still hasn't been renovated!
Older staff they just learned to live with that, things like broken door lock on walk in fridge in the kitchen was replaced with the strap made by maybe 100 layers of duck tape and screws on both ends. You just unscrew on side and that is "the lock".
That is hotel which pretend to be borderline 5* in Canary Wharf! Well it is officially 4*, but doesn't shy to charge 5* prices.
Thanks, gave me a laugh
Really interesting video. I didn’t think UK had such ‘resort’ type hotels anymore but I’d imagine they were super popular before tourism abroad to the Canary Islands etc became much more affordable. Looks in dire need on a refresh but doubt theyll have the investment! It’s huge.
I love how you don't ham things up for the camera and how you actually try and accentuate positives as well as the negatives. Only discovered channel last night and have just been on a binge watch.
wow thanks Kevin! means a lot
Wow, going by the 'art deco', ocean liner exterior appearance, i was convinced that this one dated from the 1930s or 40s, but I just checked and it turns out it was built as recently as 1984, and on the site of a grand Victorian beauty as well, which can't have endeared it to anyone from the very start. The top floor balcony room was lovely (though thicker cuttains would have been good, both for winter warmth and to block out early morning sun in summer if you wanted to sleep beyond 4am!) and I'm not going to hold the seagull poo and flaky paint against them- ever tried maintaining even a regular house in a coastal town? - but the rest of it did very much feel like a tired Eighties convention hotel, all low suspended ceilings and acres of tired carpet. That said, Folkestone isn't exactly the first place that jumps to mind as a holiday destination either.
nope BUT it used to be so much better
Great videos Tim. Love your honest reviews. Great detailed reviews . Random the room with the balcony you are unable to fall out the window due to the nailed windows but could fall off the balcony a few feet away 😅 I’m into my trains and will certainly be visiting Folkestone harbour soon as I didn’t even know that was all done up! 👍🏼
Thanks Andy
I’d hate to have been the person to drag the picnic table up to that balcony.
The sad fact of the matter is that people want cheap. They will not pay the rates needed to allow for proper maintenance on these old hotels, then they complain that they aren’t getting million dollar amenities for their $40 stay.
Although people say this hotel is the shithole of Folkestone, I've got some good memories with it.
During the 2011 Earthquake our chimney fell through our roof and we needed to repair it. The Bursitn offered us free accommodation for the duration it took to repair our roof.
So, overall its not actually that bad! Sure nowadays its not a nice sight to behold... But back in history, it truly was the gateway to Europe.
In 2011 I asked for a job application form at the Grand Burstin. The person who gave it to me looked me up and down as if I were pond life. Not long after I got a job in Cyprus with Saga Holidays and had a wonderful time.
Omg
The hotel layout feels to me more like a beached very old cruise ship than a resort
I know that's what's great about it
That place is HUGE! I’m trying to think if I’ve ever stayed in a hotel as big as that & I’m not sure I have. I kinda understand why it’s a bit dated, must cost a fortune to remodel.
Yep I can imagine
We went to Calais to meet someone to collect two cats. When we crossed back over to Dover we decided to stay here for the night as it was at least a 9 hour journey back home to Scotland and we'd travelled down that day too. This was one of the only hotels on our journey that would accept pets.
It was absolutely grim, even the majority of people staying in the hotel were grim. We laugh looking back because we had to pay a deposit in case the cats did any damage to the room. It was funny because the room was an absolute bomb site and the following morning our rusty shower also wouldn't turn off! I also don't think the corridors have ever been painted since it opened as they absolutely stank of cigarettes
Never again!
I was excited about the mystery door. Now it'll stay a mystery. :(
I've never seen suspended ceilings in hotel rooms before; i presume they don't conceal a void spanning several rooms, or the hotel would have failed fire inspections.
Probably put in as a "cheap fix" to save repairing and redecorating the original ceiling.
tbh its still better than the nursing accommodation a paid £350 a month to stay in as a student. I had a small room.
wow
Good vid Tim. We have stayed in a lot worse believe me! The first room looked ok. The hotel looks like a cruise ship with the bow and stern cut off! Excellent work Tim. Better than the telly! 👍😁
Totally agree lol thank for watching yes I like that about this hotel
It was designed to look like a ship, and to be fair it does.
Hi Tim, I stayed here last week, not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. Doing a late booking for a 5 day coach break, and needing a single room, I was given a double with a sea view - a Premier room on the 7th floor. The bed was comfy, the bathroom was good, with a bath and plenty of hot water. The public areas, the food and the staff were also all okay. I would stay here again. However, a different room with a horrible view might affect my enjoyment, but that is quite normal in any hotel.
I had many happy memories staying at the burstin as, a kid in the 90s , doing snorkel diving in pool and playing in video game arcade and eating in that beautiful dining room. Sadly they like many hotels the cost of upkeep and the fall in demand makes it near on impossible for hotels to keep up with modernisation required, such a pity.
😒
So I think I’ve got it.
The function areas are in amazing shape because these hotels have given up being hotels and merely hold functions and events for hire.
It makes more sense for Brittania to turn all the upper levels with rooms into apartments and close off the ground floor/function areas to tenants OR just turn these hotels into the best kind of apartment complex you can think of with in house swimming pools, gyms, 24hr security etc with a couple function rooms to hire possibly.
maybe
Maybe keep the Bar as a Pub as it had Sky and Gaming Machines and maybe keep a reaustrant
I've stayed here many times as I work in folkestone but live in my van and although I'm 99.9% sure the hotel doubles up as a knocking shop 👀 it's actually a pleasant place to stay. We never pay more than about £40 a night and get upgraded almost every time to Premier. We've never had a room without a sea view either. The bathrooms are definitely antiquated and the ceiling tiles don't keep any noise out from your rambunctious neighbours but if you're tired enough, it does the job. Avoid the front of the hotel if there are events/dances/karate clubs on!
The sea views is great
You wonder about Britannia Hotels' business strategy, owning all these hopelessly faded grand hotels and all needing a fortune spending on them. The mattresses look like £35 jobs from charity shops. Great, honest review with a very fair balance of pros and cons.
thanks John
13th floor "let's nail windows for safety but a open walled balcony is absolutely safe".
Great video
Good point!
I thought that too when I saw it! Why would you nail windows shut, If you're gonna do yourself in you'd just throw yourself off the balcony. Doesn't make sense.
Another great video Tim.Such a shame these once regal places have fallen into disrepair. Time warp time for the music😵😵😵😵😵.Thanks for a good honest fair review😁😁😘😘
Glad you enjoyed it sue ;-)
Can’t believe you have to pay for parking when you’re staying there!!😕I hate paying for parking anywhere!!!!Unbelievable 😳
Yeah they could put a barrier instead, to stop the beachgoers parking there. I think the selfishness of the parked cars annoyed me most; literally about 30 marked spaces empty but they all park near the entrance making it tight
I know that annoys me
The car park is actually free - you need to enter car registration onto terminals at reception :)
5 pounds to park is an incredible bargain compared to what most big city hotels in the US and Canada would charge you.
There are parts of this hotel that appear god-awful, but the parts that matter such as the room itself and the restaurants/bars are half-way decent.
We ended up there as we were in need of a dog friendly accommodation that didn't break the bank over the Jubilee weekend. £99 per night was still daylight robbery, I wasn't prepared for what we were about to experience.. basically, the only good part is that they are dog friendly. I don't think I've ever stayed in a hotel like that not even when I was much younger and the only way I could afford travelling was by staying in hostels. The room was disgusting, I woke up in the morning feeling so dirty and even my dog was too disgusted by sleeping on the carpet and spent the whole night sleeping under the sink in the bathroom. We had a sea-view bedroom with a balcony but we couldn't use the balcony because the rail was too unsafe and my dog could fit under the bars (for reference, my dog is medium size, he's not tiny!). My friends were staying in the bedroom next to us and we could hear them even talking. It's probably comparable to the Cecil hotel.
doesn't sound like you had a great time lol
amazing. i lost it at the christmas music. must stay here with kids and the mrs. thanks!
its sad to see what was once a grand place in such sad decay. the old dining hall was jaw dropping. thanks again.
you are welcome
It's nice to see a fair review Tim as always. I would be a bit concerned about the lack of fire sprinklers though.
When I saw the doormat saying Britannia Hotels I thought oh-oh here we go. But to be honest compared to the previous dumps, this one wasn't too bad. I preferred the first room and it actually looked quite pleasant. The second rooms balcony with rickety chairs and dirty floor I could live without. It's a shame that again the outside looks tired. Another hotel that should be shining but is instead giving out a faint glow. How do Britannia get to run these hotels? 🤷♂️. Another great video Tim 👍
good points! thanks Stevie
Another great honest and impartial review. It would be good if you could include the price you paid though, so we can make a more informed opinion ourselves, and for comparison.
yes I forgot that lol 59 pound
@@WalkWithMeTim Thanks for that Tim. Won't be long before you're picked up by a tv producer. You're a natural presenter.
My partner and I visit her mother regularly in Folkestone, almost had to stay here a few times as the spare room in her mum's is filled with tat. Glad to finally see the inside of it without actually having to visit
lol
I’ve really enjoyed your videos Tim! I’m an ex Brit living in Canada and even though these hotel videos are a bit dodgy 👀 I still feel a pull to revisit again. Last time was 2017 so definitely due a trip soon.
Thanks!!
Awesome, thank you!
I’m loving your hotel reviews Tim been watching a few of them
I am still shocked that these places are still open, especially the holiday parks. Absolutely horrible.
lol
We stayed there… OMG Christmas , it was full of travellers that was fighting , and the kids was running riot the ballroom had to be closed . Police was there every night , we talk to a local and he said wait until new year it’s full of bikers (hells angels ) he said there is always trouble and it is past it’s best and they should pull it down . Christmas dinner and the food was terrible we tried to go out side to get some fish and chips one tea time , room was not to bad but stank of smoke , we went with national holidays and they always use Britannia hotels and all Britannia Hotels have a contracts to home immigrants … so no more National Holidays for me and by the way I loved Folkestone and will one day go back and try another hotel . 😊
Such a pity . We stayed here a lot in the late 80's with my family. loved watching the ferry loading , especially of the train carriages .
It's not that bad
nice video,
A few years ago I slept in that hotel weekly with my colleagues. I've slept in just about all the rooms I think.
the comments on the internet do match my thoughts at the time.
However, I did enjoy that time, staff very diverse but always friendly, in the evening enjoying a beer watching the show ballet, live music bingo and especially older people. We down-to-earth Dutch can appreciate the English conviviality
I remember we stayed there about 30 years ago. It was popular because the SeaCat left to Calais opposite the hotel. I am sure it had a snooker room, and most people booked full board, although the dinner sitting was done in 2, so you had about 30 minutes to eat before they pushed you out for the 2nd sitting to come in. Was maybe a slightly better hotel back then , but it was still the case that all the money was spent on the reception area and not the rooms.
This hotel is not old at all, built between 1975 and 1983, on the site of the Royal Pavilion Hotel dating from 1843. It was a white elephant from the beginning, and is a grotesque eyesores for the local town. There have been wide allegations of murky dealing over planning permission and the whole place was obviously a terrible mistake
Was a brilliant hotel during the 80's and 90's. Especially great for families. Had a brilliant kids club, swimming pool etc. Used to have celebrities coming in to meet the children. Food was always good as was the entertainment. Back in the day you could also cross the road and get a ferry to France. Such a shame it was allowed to deteriorate, but with the loss of the Ferry terminal and the Rotunda amusement park you can see why. I do think with the improvements that are currently going on with Folkestone this could be a goldmine if someone had the money upfront to invest and bring the hotel back up to standards,
The irony of screwing the windows shut in a room with a balcony.
I know
This video just bought back memories of the hotel I stayed in, in London. It was in a great area and looked good going on the photos on the web but it didn’t translate when we got there. The loft fitted one person and two suitcases. We had to do three trips to get our bags up. I walked forever to get to my room. The rooms were very clean.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Tim my sister lives in Crete she was due to go on holiday in Mexico flew to Heathrow didn’t have correct paperwork so ended up in this hotel for 3 weeks shouldn’t laugh but omg she wasn’t exaggerating we are originally from Dover hence why she went to Folkestone that hotel was luxury in the early 80 s great episode again
3 weeks wow