Innkeeper's Lodge Birmingham - NEC , Coleshill

A lovely, snug hotel. The rooms are nice, the bed is comfy and the shower is great. Room service does a good job too. There’s a pub downstairs with a carvery and other food, and plenty of parking at the back.

The carvery food was fresh and lovely, and I really enjoyed it. The carver was welcoming and friendly when he came out, though there was a short wait before he appeared. I’m only giving three stars because of the service around the bar. When we arrived there were no bar staff in sight. A man who’d been sitting with customers came behind the bar to serve us, and I felt like an inconvenience. After the meal we saw a woman behind the bar sneeze over the mugs, the counter near where you put your reg in, and the surrounding area. She covered just one sneeze, and seemed to have snot on her hand. Then she wiped that hand under the bar, where hot drinks are prepared. We didn’t stay overnight, so I can’t comment on the rooms.

We’d come back, and the carvery alone was the best we’ve had in a long time. The rooms were clean, a decent size, and had en suites. It’s great value too, especially through booking.com, where the app gives you a small discount. Breakfast was all you can eat, with proper sausages and none of the snotty eggs or dried beans we’ve had elsewhere. It put Toby and plenty of others to shame. You don’t need to be staying at the pub to eat there. It’s a great spot, just a stone’s throw from NEC, and there’s a good sized car park at the rear. The restaurant serves evening meals such as pizza and carvery, and the bar has plenty of drinks including cocktails, plus daily deals. The only downside was the number of messages and texts from the pub’s owners and booking.com about checking in and out, booking dinner, and asking if we were happy. It felt like a bit much, especially for a wet Sunday night in October when we didn’t need a table. Still, that’s a small price for an inexpensive stay. Maybe next time we’ll try the pizzas.

The room was clean, the bed comfortable and the cleaning staff were great, bringing us whatever we needed. Breakfast was good and self service. It was enough to set us up for the day, though apple or orange juice would be a nice addition. We were given all the details we needed when we arrived, including breakfast hours, how to find the room and how to get back in if we returned after closing. I’d recommend the place if you’re in the area.