Ibis Styles Barnsley Hotel

Breakfast had a good mix of hot and cold options, and the coffee was nice. The reception team were polite and helpful, and both the room and bathroom were clean. The room was well equipped and the bathroom well maintained.

The early check-in was much appreciated, and that's what earned the stars from me. The hotel is affordable, the displays and presentation were nice, and a noon checkout is handy. But the breakfast buffet didn't feel worth the price, so I'd go to the nearby Toby instead. The indoor bar and restaurant were always closed during our experience. There was no bathtub, and no proper table, just a small wobbly thing. The TV would be better placed in front of the bed rather than far off to the left.

The hotel is clean and the staff are great, but after five nights I wouldn't book again. On our first morning there was no heating or hot water. Reception said the timer was out and would be sorted, and both were working again when we returned later. At 3:30am the next night, the fire alarm woke us. I know that wasn't the hotel's fault, but it wasn't pleasant and left us tired the next day. Later, we found our room door unsecured after the cleaners had been in. Nothing valuable was missing, but it was worrying to think others could have got into our private room. The toilet also needed several flushes to clear the paper. Reception couldn't help because there was no maintenance staff on site over the weekend. We didn't try breakfast, but did have a drink at the bar and the lemonade was flat.

Whenever we come to see family, we stay at the Ibis in Barnsley. Every visit has been lovely. The rooms are comfortable and clean, the amenities are fantastic, and the staff are consistently friendly, kind and helpful. We don't even look at other places now.