Holiday Inn Express Newcastle by IHG

Shops and restaurants are an easy walk from the hotel, and breakfast was a standard Western selection. I was impressed that they kept refilling food even near closing. The room felt very clean, almost at Japanese standards, with new carpet and modern facilities. The bed was comfortable and came with four pillows, and the TV supports Chromecast. Wi-Fi was super fast. Only issue was that the pillows didn’t seem very fresh and had a slight smell. Otherwise, a comfortable stay.

The room stayed cool despite the extreme heat outside, and coming back to air-conditioning and a refreshing shower was a relief. We had a fifth-floor room with a small couch, table and fridge, plus a well-designed bathroom. Its door works as a shower enclosure and also gives privacy around the toilet. No water leakage, excellent drainage and fantastic shower pressure. The bed was firm and comfortable, and we liked having one soft pillow and one firm one. Reception staff were friendly, helpful and efficient, from check-in to answering questions. We used IHG points for our two nights, with breakfast each morning. Breakfast did the job, with cereal, scrambled eggs, bacon, beans, toast and the basics. Buffet coffee wasn’t great, but there’s a proper coffee machine at reception for purchase, or a lovely café about 300 metres down the road. Parking cost $20 per day and was easy to pay for in the app. Clean, well-kept and thoughtfully laid out. We really enjoyed staying here and would happily return.

Breakfast came with the stay and had a surprisingly good range of options. The room was clean and comfortable, handy for an overnight visit. Check-in was easy, the staff were friendly and there was no hassle. Great value for money, and a solid Newcastle choice. I had a great stay.

The breakfast could use more variety. It was included, with some hot food, fresh fruit, toast, cereal and tea or coffee, but the selection felt a bit underwhelming. Still, we were pretty happy with our one-night stay. The room was clean, and staff were friendly and helpful. Comfortable overall.