Travelodge Bristol Central Mitchell Lane

You know the sort of place you’re getting with a Travelodge, and there were no major problems. This one is well located, fairly close to Bristol Temple Meads station, Queen Square and the docks. My room could have been cleaned better, though: there were long hairs left by previous guests or cleaners, and shaving hairs on the adapter socket.

Everything is within walking distance, which makes this a handy base for exploring Bristol. The catch is that stag and hen parties seem to like staying here, so a quiet night isn’t something to count on. The parking details Travelodge gives are inaccurate. There aren’t 50 spaces: the underground car park has 25, plus around 12 outdoor spaces that are easy to miss. If you’re staying over a weekend, on-street parking is free from 6pm Saturday until 8am Monday.

We got a great price for a friendly hotel in a good location that suited what we needed. Our room was clean and tidy, with enough space for four of us, two adults and two kids. Towels and extra pillows were provided. You can get an iron and hairdryer from reception, and they also store luggage before check-in and after check-out.

The corridor on my floor was dirty, and I was glad I was only there for one night. Staff seemed bored and did only what they had to, with little warmth. The area is noisy, and the windows clearly don’t have the quality glazing and tight seals a hotel here needs. Never again.