Pymgate Lodge Hotel

After 15 hours squeezed into plane seats, that soft, supportive bed felt like a cloud, and the pillows were comfortable too. The triple room was clean and simply laid out, though the bedside table ended up at the foot of the single bed because the bathroom doorway sat between the beds. The bathroom light switch was just above the bed, so I used that instead of a bedside switch. There was a large TV, and the shower was fine once it finally warmed up. I didn't use the lounge. It's a tiny, quiet, reasonably priced B&B very near Manchester airport Jet Parks Ringway Car park, handy for an overnight stop after a late flight. I booked too late for breakfast. They let guests bring food into the conservatory and even provide a microwave, crockery and cutlery. The front door lock was too worn to work with the out of hours key, but the proprietor was fine with me calling at midnight to let me in. The place was cosy and clean, though a little dated. I'm no spring chicken, so I felt at home, and was grateful to be able to book at extremely short notice and arrive at such an unsociable hour.

It was easy to relax here from the minute I arrived. The hotel felt cosy and comfortable, and the staff were genuinely friendly, welcoming and always glad to help. I had a lovely stay.

The hosts made me feel really welcome, and the full English was top tier. It's a great little hotel. The room was small, but it had what I needed, and I'd happily stay again if I needed to. Parking can be a bit hit and miss when it's busy, especially with a larger car.

For somewhere near the airport at a reasonable price, this is a good option. But where you stay seems to make a real difference: the house and one of the outside constructions could give you very different experiences. Our room was freezing when we arrived, and the heating kept switching off, so it took ages to warm up and we were shivering. It had warmed up by the time we got back from dinner, thankfully, though I was worried it wouldn't. There are plenty of parking spaces, but getting parked can be quite tight when it's full.