Blue Keys Hotel Southampton

It seems that when this hotel changed hands, it did not remain a full-service hotel. It is a crumbling building functioning more like and AirBNB type of operation. There is no reception. No staff. They are not on any of the communication apps so if you do not have a UK phone, you're in trouble if you need access!! We had to stop a passer-by to use her phone which is inappropriate for a business. There is NO breakfast or bar. The yard is a shambles and gives the impression that the place is almost abandoned. The room itself was really dated. No WIFI - or at least we had no way to get a WIFI password and did not see a WIFI available in our phones. The beds were comfortable enough but there were only two towels for our three guests. The bathroom was dated but functional. Everything seemed clean enough but this is not the hotel you think you're booking.

This hotel has changed hands since we went there pre covid. In my opinion it is no longer fit for purpose. No reception , no restuarant, no breakfast , no staff. We were told that the change of ownership is reflected in the cheap price. I don't think that £133 is cheap.

The description and pictures are quite deceptive. There is no restaurant (no breakfast option as shown), no bar (as shown), no cute little backyard under the lights you can access (as shown). The room looked fine but not nearly as nice as the pictures. The bathroom was functional but dated and in mild disrepair. There is no reception desk or even a common room for sitting tables (there was not desk or table in our room). I could also write a dozen minor inconveniences about the place and our stay, but I truly don’t enjoy nitpicking and writing bad reviews. I felt I was deceived and that’s not a good feeling to have when you’re vacationing. I have relied on #tripadvisor for much of my travel planning for over a decade but after having this experience a few times I don’t think I’ll be using the site anymore. There is no way this is the #3 place to stay in Southampton. On the positive side, it’s clean, quiet and inexpensive.