Holiday Inn Express Cambridge West Cambourne by IHG

The hotel felt fairly new, with friendly, helpful staff, a nice atmosphere and plenty of parking. There’s lots of room in the lobby, and you need a keycard to use the lifts, which adds security. The rooms are good quality for the price, and I enjoyed my stay. Cambourne itself wasn’t such a good base for me: food choices are limited and prices seemed like Cambridge city centre, or close to it, without the city-centre appeal. Deliveroo and Uber Eats come from Cambridge too, so they’re expensive. I paid almost £20 for pretty average fish and chips from a nearby takeaway, and they forgot the sauces. I didn’t try the hotel restaurant because the menu looked limited, though I heard the food was good.

I picked the Holiday Inn for the price, as it was £100 cheaper than the Belfry Hotel where I was working the following day. It seems almost brand new and has plenty of free parking. Abbie gave us a lovely welcome and explained the hotel’s benefits, including free use of the gym up the road. The room was lovely, with a big bed, plenty of sockets, and an iron and board. They also say they’ll provide forgotten essentials like toothpaste for free. I slept well. There’s a free breakfast too, though I didn’t try it.

Nikki at the front desk gave impressive service, answering questions at reception and also managing a busy breakfast. The place was clean, convenient and comfortable, just what I expect from this hotel brand, and there were lots of parking spaces. Breakfast was good, though it was exactly the same every day, and they ran out of a few things towards the end of service.

The manager who checked us in was friendly and welcoming, and an early check-in was available, which really helped. The hotel is lovely, modern and new, and the air conditioning worked quietly and well. We had a wonderful stay from the start, no complaints, and I’d return if I needed to.