Holiday Inn Basingstoke by IHG

The rooms are clean, the beds are comfy, and the cleaners are so friendly. Bar staff are lovely too. And to the guy in a suit at reception, I’m sorry I don’t know your name, but you make every one of our stays feel welcoming. You’re accommodating and polite.

I’d definitely stay again and recommend it. All the staff we met were welcoming and helpful, especially Isabelle on reception. The reception and breakfast area were very nice, with a good variety of food and drinks. The hotel was being refurbished during our overnight stay with two friends. One friend had an excellent fully refurbished room, while the room shared by my other friend and me was not refurbished, but still presentable and clean.

Breakfast was awful. The hot food looked horrible, with sausages more white than brown. Eight other guests and I went to McDonald’s instead. There was no hot water during my stay. When I ran a bath, it lasted about 10 seconds. The room itself was lovely, but there were no sockets either side of the bed, so I couldn’t plug in my CPAP machine. I had to run my own extension lead across the room. When I plugged it into the wall with nothing connected, the lights dimmed, like a scene from Phasmophobia when the ghost is hunting. On arrival there were no staff available, just one team member covering both the check-in desk and the bar.

The curry menu is a real treat, and breakfast always comes with a smile and great-quality food. I’ve stayed at three other Basingstoke hotels, but this is now my first choice for price, food and service. I’ve only been here three times for business, yet the team already make it feel like home and welcome me every time. A little gem. Well done to everyone.