A SHANKLIN hotel is being investigated by Trading Standards for false advertising and guests have been complaining on Trip Advisor about its dirty state.

The Melbourne-Ardenlea is now reopen after it was forcibly closed over health and safety fears in early July, but phrases such as "grot hole and " a rancid hellhole" have been used by disgruntled guests since.

Read more: Hotel owners appeal against closure

The Isle of Wight Council initially served prohibition notices under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 as there was 'reason to believe' the gas and electrical installation and appliances were unsafe.

The hotel said at the time it would appeal the decision and it had provided all the relevant certification.

Last week, the council confirmed: “Communication received by the environmental health department from the hotel included the provision of certification to confirm all electrical and gas works had been completed by competent persons to standards demonstrating that they are now safe, with no further immediate risk to the employees or guests. Subsequently the prohibition notice was lifted.”

However, the spokesperson said: "The hotel is still under investigation for a number of potential offences. Trading Standards has also had complaints where people have been left feeling they have been misled into making a booking based on the advertisements and description of this hotel."

On Trip Advisor the hotel is rated the 48th out of 51 hotels in Shanklin, and all recent guest reports have been negative, right back to November 2019, except one single positive review posted on August 6. 

One, entitled "Disastrous stay" said the photos on the website were at least 20 years out of date and the pool was closed.

Another called their review "A Dantean vision of hell" and said the hotel was a "rancid hellhole".

They said: "No toiletries or bins, windows that would not shut properly, corridors that looked like something from The Shining."

Another said the hotel was an "absolute grot hole" and said it was the worst hotel they had ever stayed in.

The County Press has also received complaints about the hotel.

The County Press contacted the hotel owner who declined to comment about the cleanliness but said the notices had been complied with and have subsequently been lifted by the IW Council.

They also said the hotel has refunded 'thousands of pounds' to customers through booking.com, relating to the period in which the hotel was closed.

Read the Trip Advisor reviews here