The Shipwrights Arms Hotel

What People are saying

Lovely people

Debbie K on 05/12/2017 18:45

Hi a hotel run by some lovely people, I made a mistake with my booking and they did all they could do to help . If you take a look on there facebook page you can see how great there breackfast is , would recommend to friends and family.

Basic but quirky. Helpful staff. Expensive if you are are travelling alone

tranbytrien on 07/06/2017 22:35

I stayed for one night (attending a concert) and overall was happy enough with the stay in this pub, although as a single I found it very expensive for what I got. Would be better value for 2 but even then I've had better for that price. Not much choice in Ipswich given my last minute booking. (I have to say generally, when booking, Ipswich rates seemed very high). I was in room 307, overlooking the main road ; not one of the smarter areas of Ipswich but within a reasonable walking distance of the centre (I got taxis due to time constraints but fares were reasonable). It's an old Inn with no lift to the upstairs bedrooms, accessed by a curved and quite steep staircase so anyone with mobility problems would probably find it difficult, but there is a handrail.
Room was a good size with a comfy double bed, en-suite bathroom with shower (can't comment as didn't use) and toiletries (shampoo, conditioner and shower gel) and tea/coffee making facilities with hot chocolate also provided. Yes, the kettle has to be unplugged to fill it, but no big deal. Cup and saucer clean, but mug had tea stains and therefore avoided. Did take a long time to boil though. Iron, ironing board and hairdryer all provided (in the wardrobe).
Decor was appropriate with the age with the age of the building but could do with a re-furbishment. It did look quite tired. Lovely small cast iron fireplace in the room.
I had the small breakfast, available until late morning as local workers come into eat. For £3, I had a sausage, bacon, fried egg, hash brown, baked beans and toast. Rather greasy, but for £3 it did the job. Tea/coffee was £1. Large breakfast also available for £5. Beans or scrambled eggs on toast also available.
The bar was still open when I returned, not many in, but noise in my room (above) was loud until 12.
Unfortunately, you can't get into the Hotel until 4pm. I've never experienced such a late check-in without anywhere to leave your bags. Having traveled for hours, I had to hang around the station but still arrived arrived too early to even gain access.
Staff were very pleasant and helpful when I did get in.
Think in the main this hotel is catering for workmen whose arrival times would probably suit the weird access time for booking in but it doesn't really suit tourists or non-business travelers.

A week later and I STILL feel dirty

Retired_author on 10/01/2017 16:51

In my lifetime of travelling I have probably visited 50 - 60 countries, and have stayed in accommodation costing as little as 10 pence per night. In all of that time and those hundreds of thousands of miles, I don't recall any hotel experience anywhere near as unpleasant as the Shipwright's Arms, Ipswich.

After a night's fitful sleep on a lumpy bed, I awoke to find the bedclothes were unwashed since the previous visitors. There were blood and semen stains on the duvet cover.

The main staining was an almond-shaped blood stain about 6 or 7 cm long and 3cm wide. It had a tea-coloured aura around it indicating previous mixing of the blood with semen. There were also several streaky bloody stains from the previous occupant of the bed.

I still feel dirty just thinking about it. After that, does anyone really care about the lumpy beds in which you can count the individual mattress springs using your back, the lack of any bedside lights, the filthy bathroom, the unsafe wiring, a 'patio' area covered in cigarette-ends and littered with the pub's detritus,..?

And worst of all, the pub is now denying all of this and even refusing to refund my money. I heartily recommend that you do not even think about staying at this place as it more suited to renting beds by the hour rather than by the night.

Health & Hygiene liability

Steve b on 14/12/2016 09:10

Discussing. Do not stay there! No matter how cheap it is they should still meet basic health and hygiene standards but they are a long way off. I am certain the room had just had the bed made in between guest an nothing else done. (I am just hoping they didn't realise use the bedding from the last guests). There was no one there to complain to as we just dumped our bags an went straight out. By the time we returned at about 9pm the bar was all shut up. Likewise when we departed early in the morning.

Worst stay! , nice Town.

kirsty s on 12/12/2016 19:33

We stayed here as wanted a do a bit of shopping in the town centre and live around 50 miles away.On arrival we were shown to our room by a nice lady but straightaway I was shocked by the musty smell and filthy carpets.We dropped our shopping off , had a bit of a giggle about how it was the worst place we'd ever booked but just thought never mind it's one night.We decided to go for a meal in the town which is about a 10 minute walk and was thankfully lovely.On returning to our room we inspected things further and we're in utter shock! The kettle had Brown gunk on the spout, the bed runner was covered in stains that looked like urine, rusty shower and stains everywhere across units etc.The bed was collapsed in the middle and to top it off, somebody started hammering at the main door which was really scary! We regularly visit bed and breakfasts/ hotels etc and this was like somthing out of the film hostel! Could not wait to leave and have a cuppa as that kettle was too much of a risk to use! We are not complainers but both work in Hospitality and have never come across this standard before, really poor!