Our holiday from Hell in Blackpool hotel included soiled undies under the bed

A holidaymaker looking forward to a short break in Blackpool instead says she endured a nightmare stay in a hotel from hell.

The guest, who lives in the Midlands, searched for a place to stay via Booking.com and thought she had found just the right accommodation for herself and a friend.

They arrived at the OYO Dora Hotel, on Station Road, South Shore, but within minutes she says they were questioning their decision – and says things went from bad to worse.

She says a catalogue of problems included faeces left in the toilet when they arrived in their room, dirty plasters in the shower and faeces-stained undies left under the bed.

The guest, whose identity is known by the Gazette but who does not want to be named, says she contacted booking.com to complain about the hotel, previously known as The Hawkes Hotel.

She stated on social media:  “The Dora Hotel – avoid at all cost! Had a family room booked at the Dora Hotel weekend just gone.

“Had to wait 10 minutes for the owner to get back to the hotel in which we were put in a side room (lounge if that’s what you would call it) with a dog running around. The owner finally takes us to our room in which the “cleaner” is putting the bedding on the beds.

“Two mins after doing the beds she comes back to put a light bulb in and then I requested the toilet to be cleaned as there was faeces all over the toilet. After looking around the room I found dirty plasters in the shower, god knows what on the bed sheets, filth on the headboard, lights hanging off the walls, radiator completely missing.

“Carpets were lifting from the wind outside. My daughter had dropped my phone down the side of the bed in which I pulled the bed out to find what appeared to be a cloth until I pulled it out and it was male boxers covered in faeces.I took them downstairs to the owner in which he just sat there and laughed. I said what do you want me to do with this as I don’t want it. He said oh just drop it on the floor. “

The hotel has five reviews on TripAdvisor, with one giving it a five-star rating and describing it as a “hidden gem”. But the four other reviews have slammed the accommodation, each giving it one star and describing it in terms such as “shocking” and a “hell hole hotel” One reviewer complaimed that there was “poo on the bedding”.

Booking.com said it would look into the matter and asked to be provided with details.

The hotel is part of a chain called Oyo Rooms, otherwise known as OYO, an international hotel chain whose head office is based in India and which deals with budget and mid range properties.

Ian White, of hotel association StayBlackpool, said it was disheartening to hear such stories when many other hotels were doing their best for guests and the town itself.

He said: “Places and experiences like this are why StayBlackpool keep on pushing for a better way to manage the town’s holiday areas and short stay accommodation sector.

“With a desperate need for a License to trade similar to a taxi private hire license where both the property and those running it are subject to scrutiny.

“The Consumer Right Acts of 2025 says that services provided to consumers must be offered with reasonable skill and care. That seems to be a long way off what happened here.”