A hotel in the heart of Newport has come under fire after a swelling tide of negative guest reviews has painted a picture of ruined weekends, abrupt booking cancellations, and a lack of transparency from management. The property in question—now operating under the budget accommodation brand Belvilla—has been the subject of a string of complaints on platforms such as TripAdvisor, many of which tell similar tales of frustration and disappointment.
Travellers report that, despite making bookings months in advance, they arrived at the Silurian Hotel on Newport’s High Street only to find their reservations had been cancelled—sometimes with no forewarning, or just hours before check-in. The establishment, previously a mainstay for visitors due to its prime position near Newport railway station, is now associated by many with stress and confusion, rather than convenience and relaxation.
The controversy seems to centre largely around the period since autumn 2024, when Belvilla assumed operational control of the hotel. Since then, reviews allege that staff have either failed to explain the sudden cancellations or have been unable to locate guest bookings altogether. Several guests claim repeated attempts to seek clarity from the hotel or from Belvilla have been met with silence, or in some cases, a full voicemail inbox.
One guest, Suzy Evans, described her experience in vivid detail. She and her group had reserved five rooms almost a year in advance for a concert in Cardiff, attracted by the hotel’s location. On arrival, she reported a chaotic scene, with long wait times and other guests already experiencing similar problems at the reception desk. After half an hour, Suzy’s group was told their bookings could not be found, despite receiving recent confirmation via Booking.com. Suzy expressed her exasperation: “After months of anticipation, to be turned away with no explanation was deeply upsetting. Later I received contradictory emails—from Booking.com asking if I’d checked in, followed by another confirming the cancellation.”
Other guests have echoed similar sentiments. Alex, another reviewer, recounted the frustration of having three separate rooms cancelled weeks before his group’s trip. He claimed that hotel management cited the rooms “not meeting standards” as the reason for the cancellation, but offered no alternative accommodation, only reassurance that they wouldn’t be charged. For Alex and others, such reassurances offered little comfort after months of planning had been upended.
Michelle, who had reserved five rooms well in advance, said her party received piecemeal cancellations, one room at a time. She had noticed similar complaints in other reviews, yet hoped her booking would not be affected, only to face the same outcome. It is clear from the wealth of accounts online that these incidents are not isolated, but part of a developing pattern for the hotel during busy periods, particularly when events in nearby Cardiff boost demand for accommodation in Newport.
The impact on guests’ plans is significant. Lucie, who travelled a considerable distance to Newport for a concert, found herself without a bed for the night after her booking was inexplicably cancelled just hours before check-in. The scramble for a room on a busy night left her and her husband missing the start of the event and unable to find time for a meal, turning a long-awaited evening into a scramble for alternatives.
Further adding to the criticism, Andy wrote about arriving at the hotel with confirmation emails and booking details in hand, only to be told there were no rooms available. He speculated that the hotel might be overbooking—accepting more reservations than it can accommodate—based on the sheer frequency of last-minute cancellations described by fellow reviewers.
Despite the mounting complaints and negative feedback, Belvilla appears not to have offered public responses to the concerns raised by guests. Enquiries made directly to the company have reportedly gone unanswered or were met with automated messages, leaving many affected travellers uncertain about whether they might still be charged for the cancelled rooms.
Such persistent issues raise broader questions about standards in the UK’s budget hotel sector, and the responsibilities of both management companies and booking platforms in protecting guests. At present, those seeking reliable accommodation in Newport might proceed with caution, given the wave of recent criticisms surfacing online.
As the story continues to unfold, guests hope for acknowledgement and accountability from both Belvilla and the hotel’s ownership. Meanwhile, the reputation of this once-convenient Newport hotel seems increasingly at risk, as would-be visitors turn to other options, wary of the unpredictability documented in recent months.