Novotel Ipswich Centre

I have recently stayed 2 nights at the Novotel Ipswich Centre and was disappointed how tired looking the hotel is. We have good facilities in our rooms, which were on the third floor. One other thing, there seemed to be groups of men inside and outside the hotel who leered at my two teenage daughters, making them feel extremely uncomfortable.

Awful treatment from a hotel I have regularly used and praised for years. Had four reservations between November 2022 and February 2023. Received an email to say all bookings cancelled as the hotel had been taken over by the Home Office. Had to make a number of telephone calls to ask for a refund, which then never appeared. Cannot get hold of Accor Head Office email and emails to Novotel Ipswich not being answered. Novotel / Accor Hotel group have handled this entire affair terribly.

This Hotel was being turned into a home for asylum seekers during our stay. Woken up both nights by staff having to replace furniture in the rooms, seating removed from the lounge, no hot breakfast on Sunday, bar closed early Saturday night.....I could go on. Still waiting for a response to my complaint from Accor.

I was phoned two days before our trip saying that we couldn’t stay on the last planned night as the hotel was closing. No explanation. While we were in the hotel we couldn’t use the lift on Saturday as it was being used to move mattresses around the hotel. We were on the fourth floor. The stay was made very uncomfortable due to the obvious air of closing down, furniture moving, items being taken from empty rooms - such as the coffee making facilities. Furniture blocking corridors and exits. We were very upset for the staff who were doing their best to remain helpful under very difficult circumstances for them. I have absolutely nothing but praise for those staff we met but I am very disappointed by the handling of the situation by those higher up in the planning of the closure which must have been known for sometime. I also feel that the ‘change of use’ work such as moving the mattresses and furniture from the lobby should have waited until the last paying guests had left rather than put them in danger with blocked corridors.

Hotel closing to be used for another use . We arrived Friday lobby being cleared of furniture. Furniture being moved on floor above at 2 in the morning. Saturday corridors full of mattress , ironing boards . Restaurant closed Saturday night no Wi-Fi . More noise if furniture during night on Saturday. No emailed to say hotel closing . Felt very sorry for the staff they did not know if they had a job .