I stayed in UK's 'most infamous' seaside hotel for £45 and it was amazing for one reason

How can you even begin to describe The Grand Hotel?

Its infamous reputation precedes it with a quite odd rundown of national headlines - from the bizarre claim that Hitler wanted to run England from its once luxurious rooms through to, more latterly, it being a home for asylum seekers.

It’s even been caught up in a recent bout of infighting from the Tories, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reportedly p****d off that Conservative North Yorkshire regional mayor candidate Keane Duncan failed to get elected, with some saying it was due to his so-called socialist vow to buy the dilapidated hotel in a bid to turn around Scarborough’s fortunes. Many, however, absolutely loved the proposition, given the hotel’s stunning location overlooking the sea.

A quick reccy of travel website TripAdvisor basically tells anyone who isn’t a dark tourist to leg it in the opposite direction. And so I made the only sensible decision a journalist can make - I wanted to stay the night and see if the recent negativity was indeed justified.

I have to be clear. This wasn’t my first Britannia jaunt. In fact I’m quickly becoming a bit of a Britannia hotel superfan. I’ve stayed at the Britannia in Manchester, the International Hotel - which is its flagship Canary Wharf hotel - and I’ve had a whistlestop stay at The Grand Hotel before - but I was that busy I barely took notice of anything other than the bed.

This time I was back - and taking notes.

First impressions were surreal. Blue plaques that proudly hang outside declare it “once Europe’s largest hotel” and also the site where writer Anne Bronte died… I told you it had history.

Once inside its illustrious Victorian past is clear - in fact it’s pretty much stuck there along with a century of decay and deterioration. Weirdly extraordinary features - such as the magnificent staircase and ballroom - are decked out with horrific carpets and accented with vending machines.

My check in, however, couldn’t have been smoother. Despite the clear lack of investment everything looked as clean as it could and, given the circumstances, staff were incredibly helpful.

Although dedicated to my craft and wanting an authentic experience to write about, that swashbucking sense of adventure didn’t extend to saving an extra tenner and booking a windowless room. Instead I was handed the keys to a single room - 502 - with, thank God, a window.

I dragged my little pully case to the lifts, each the size of a coffin. As it was blazing hot there was a fraught few seconds where I panicked about every claustrophobe’s nightmare breaking down and stopping dead - and me being entombed there eternally.

Thankfully - or maybe not depending on your view of cheap hotels - I was able to escape and venture through the Shining-esque corridor into my room.

It was absolutely tiny and the carpet was a manky shade of brown that *probably* hid all manner of sins.

But here’s the rub: I’m not that fussy when it comes to hotel rooms. Okay that sounds a bit dodgy…The truth is, I’ve stayed in loads and as they’re not home, they’re rarely ever to my taste.

So as long as the sheets are clean, the bathroom immaculate and towels white and fluffy I can forgive bad decor. And, believe me, this room was like a cheese-induced 1970s hallucinatory dream.

I ventured into Scarborough, met lovely people as I learned more about the town before heading back for, hopefully, a decent night’s sleep. I had been momentarily tempted by the booking offer to add a bottle Champagne to my room, but had decided against as it was just too bizarrely paradoxical.

I slept well and I woke to - honestly - the most stunning view. My breath was literally taken away looking at the amazing vista which could have been anywhere overlooking the Med. But instead I was in Scarborough, where I’d earlier walked past a bloke swigging red wine from the bottle.

I went all in and plumped for breakfast too. Yes, yes, the surroundings were horrifically dated but it was a slick operation. It was a budget friendly £12 for as much coffee and breakfast buffet I could handle.

So would I go back?

I’m afraid so. Britannia hotels are about my price range when I’m looking for cheap, work-based accommodation. And do you know what? If you’re looking for a budget option, so should you.