One of the tallest people in the country spent the night in one of the UK’s smallest hotel rooms - and it went exactly as you’d expect.
From knees dangling off the bed to the occasional headbutt, the stay put the everyday quirks of being tall to the ultimate test.
Theo Turner, who stands at a towering 7ft, spent a night at the easyHotel in Shoreditch, London, where the bed is 6ft 2 inches long and the compact room measures 10 square metres – it was understandably, a tight fit.
It comes after research commissioned by the hotel brand revealed the top 20 hotel pet peeves, with uncleanliness, uncomfortable beds, and noisy rooms at the top of the list.
With other common complaints including slow or unreliable Wi-Fi, hidden or unexpected fees and unhelpful staff.
Theo, 30, from Middlesborough, who is just eight inches off being the UK’s tallest man, said: “Being seven foot tall has its pros and cons.
"But it's something that I've come to live with, and personally I love it – I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“When I’m travelling, I always have to pay for extra leg room on flights and trains and I duck everywhere I go.
"Finding a bed that fits my large stature can be difficult – so my go to is to starfish across the bed, otherwise my legs are hanging off the end.
"Hotel stays are always an adventure, but as long as I have a comfortable bed and can rest easy, I’m happy.”
A spokesperson for easyHotel, which commissioned the research, said: “We like to call our rooms ‘cosy’, but even we’ll admit this was a bit of a squeeze.
“But when you’re on an exciting city break, we know our guests value experience over expanse.
“You don’t want to spend your money on a huge room you’re not going to be in for most of the time.
"Instead, you want a hotel that provides a great night’s rest, and our quality four-star style mattresses deliver just that.
“And for our taller guests, we tested things out ourselves – and if someone who is 7ft tall can squeeze in and sleep well, there’s hope for the rest of you too.”
The study also revealed 14 per cent of travellers get wound up frustrated by hotels inconveniently located to their main destination.
But 63 per cent believe a hotel is just somewhere to lay your head, and as long as it delivers core comforts it doesn’t need to be fancy.
While 96 per cent didn't consider room size to be the most important feature when booking.
For 37 per cent, the single most important attribute is price per night, while 32 per cent want to be close to transport, and 25 per cent consider the comfort of the bed.
Price is also what will get most people to re-book a hotel (67 per cent), and 26 per cent are swayed by friendly staff.
Travellers are also far more likely to trust online reviews like TripAdvisor and Google (30 per cent) than recommendations from friends or family (nine per cent).
And 58 per cent are likely to stay at a hotel chain they’ve never used before, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
A spokesperson for easyHotel added: “When it comes to booking a hotel, people’s priorities are shifting.
“It’s less about how many square metres the room offers and more about convenience, comfort, and location.
“That’s why we focus on what matters most: great sleep in smartly designed compact rooms that enable us to offer great value prices and central locations.
“Whether it’s a boutique stay or a compact city-centre pad, travellers increasingly see hotels as a springboard to the real adventure – the city itself.”
TOP 20 HOTEL PET PEEVES:
1. Poor cleanliness
2. Uncomfortable bed
3. Noisy rooms
4. Slow or unreliable Wi-Fi
5. Poor air con or heating
6. Early check-out time
7. Limited or no parking
8. Hidden fees or unexpected charges
9. Unhelpful staff
10. No tea or coffee in the room
11. Late check-in time
12. Poor water pressure
13. Inconvenient location
14. Lack of space
15. Slow service at breakfast/lunch/dinner
16. Expensive room when you’re hardly there
17. Lack of storage
18. Certain food/drink options not available
19. No iron available
20. Inadequate or no desk space
