'We stayed at one of Blackpool's worst hotels that smelt bad and looked like a prison'

A pair of influencers have shared their experience of visiting a hotel in Blackpool that has become known for ‘looking like a prison.'

Social media influencer Zac Jones and his partner, Kseniya, recently spent the night at The Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool. The hotel has been regarded as one of the worst in the area, due to its more than 4,000 'terrible' reviews on Tripadvisor.

Amongst its reviews online, previous visitors to the hotel have pointed out "bloodstains, hair in the bathroom and brown stains in the carpet." The influencers said the hotel, situated on the Queen's Promenade, was ‘quite dirty’ and ‘smelt awful’ during their recent visit.

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Posting on TikTok, where Zac has more than 65,000 followers, the couple said their initial check-in went well with a friendly member of staff at reception greeting them, reported the Daily Star. Upon entering the Hotel, Zac said: "Tonight we're staying here and we're going to see if the reviews quite represent the Norbreck Castle in Blackpool. Well I've got to say it sure does look like a Britannia. The lady at check-in was very friendly."

Walking down the hotel’s long corridors, the pair discovered a large function room with a bright red patterned carpet and rows of chairs, with Zac reported that the flooring was a ‘bit wonky’.

Entering their room, which cost £35 a night, Kseniya was videoed pinching her nose with a look of surprise upon her face. "It gets worse and worse," she said, before Zac interjected: "There is a strong smell, I can't lie, of you know what."

Upon entering their room, Zac initially admitted it was ‘not as bad as some of the reviews’ led him to expect, with the space looking ‘clean enough’. He, however, noticed some dust and chipped paint on the skirting board stating: "You would think the cleaners would go around here."

In the video, he shows inside the kettle, which appeared to be rusty and discoloured, and a dirty spoon which was left on the side. But Kseniya added: "To be honest, I expected it to be worse." Agreeing, Zac said: "I mean, when you pay attention to detail, it's a bit scabby. I dunno what a piece of Blu Tak's doing just chilling in the rooms as well.”

Discovering that some of the paint was ‘coming off the wall’, Zac attempted to flake some away with his finger before pointing to what appeared to be a dead bug. “What the f**k is that?,” he declared, before describing the black window frames as ‘quite dirty’.

In the bathroom, the pair found what they believed to be hairs in the sink, but reported the toilet was nice and clean. "That'll do,” Zac said. "Bit scruffy but ok. £35 a night this is."

They then go on to inspect their bed with a UV light and find a few hairs and stains. "I still don't want to get into the bed," Kseniya states. Zac added: "The bedsheet itself doesn't look that troubling." After not finding much to complain about for £35 a night, he adds: "I've got to give props where props are due."

The TikTok video has since been viewed more than three million times, and has also attracted hundreds of comments from people who commented on the findings and also those who had stayed at the hotel themselves.

One person said: "Reminds me of the hotel from The Witches (1990s film) especially with the meeting room." Another said: "The trauma we sustained from this building."

Another added: "Stayed there not by choice and it was the worst idea ever." And one joked: "We stayed there a few years ago and our room was about three miles and 700 corridors and fire doors from the lobby."

Taking the prison references further, another said: No way that's a hotel, looks like HMP Barlinnie."

The video also attracted comments from some who had positive things to say about the hotel. One wrote: "I love this hotel. Go here everytime, such a laugh." Another said: "It's cheap and full of characters. I love it, always have a good time here."

Another wrote: "I've stayed here, I didn't think it was that bad for what we paid for."

Britannia Hotels have been asked to comment by both The Daily Star and the Manchester Evening News.