Premier Inn Ashby De La Zouch

Nothing special, but it was OK. The bed was comfortable; the shower barely trickled, and being right beside the motorway made it a bit noisy. It's a Premier Inn, so pretty much what you'd expect.

I've now stayed here twice while breaking up the long trip from East Yorkshire to visit family in Somerset. Both visits were comfortable and enjoyable, just what I needed on the way to the south west. The staff have been friendly, helpful and professional both times, and clearly work hard to make guests feel welcome. The rooms are comfortable and what you'd expect from a Premier Inn. On my August visit, the hot weather made the room warm for sleeping, though there was a fan to help. It's just off the A42, a handy place to stop, and the busy road didn't cause any noise problems inside.

The room was reasonably standard and good enough for an overnight stop near the A45, but the breakfast was a waste of the extra money. We were first into the restaurant and heard a lot about food being cooked to order. When it arrived, it was lukewarm, nearly cold. My wife only ate the scrambled egg. I chose the continental option, which you'd think would be hard to get wrong, but the Danish pastries were like chewing an old boot and were inedible. The coffee was weak, and there was effectively no tea selection. We complained to reception and were told they couldn't control the food because it was a separate operation. Booking the room was easy enough, and the room itself was generally reasonable. But after that breakfast, I doubt we'll eat at a Premier Inn again.

Staff were friendly, and the breakfast was great. It wasn't as smooth as at a hotel with its own kitchen and self-service, though, and the coffee machine was out of order. It was quiet despite being next to the motorway.