Ramada by Wyndham Chorley South

The room had everything I needed for a stopover: it was spacious, the windows opened, and there was a hair dryer, tea-making kit, TV, and a good hot shower with enough pressure for me. There’s a drinks bar in reception, and you can buy forgotten bathroom essentials, USB cables, and chargers there too. Breakfast was great, since it was self-service. We were heading south from Scotland and needed a place to stop because our dog gets stressed on long drives. At first the location looked ideal, but I realized on Google that it was on the northbound services. A quick call reassured me that we could leave the southbound services and cross over to the northbound side on a service road. Google Maps sends you to the next junction and back, which isn’t necessary. I’m not sure why it’s called Chorley South. On arrival, I took the dog for a walk in the hotel grounds, which have a huge green space. The reception staff were good, and although dogs aren’t allowed in the restaurant, they were happy for us to eat at a table in the large foyer. In many budget hotels, staff seem to cover multiple jobs, and here the receptionist was also a waitress. When our food was ready, she was busy checking people in, so it wasn’t as hot as it could have been. That’s my only gripe.

Michelle was super helpful at check-in, and the welcome from everyone was friendly from start to finish. We had dinner there and the food was great. The room was clean and tidy, just as we expected, with tea and coffee included. Getting some extra bits from reception was no problem. Thanks for a wonderful stay, guys. We’ll definitely be back.

The staff were amazing, and the beds were comfortable, but the food was horrible and expensive. They didn’t have what we wanted, and everything we did get was disappointing: the rare steak in the mixed grill was well done, the Hunters chicken portion was tiny and dry, and the gammon was very chewy. It might be worth the money if the portions were bigger and the cooking better. The pull-out bed was lumpy and very uncomfortable. The coffee machine didn’t work, and only one member of staff knew how to change the bag.

We were warmly welcomed with our dog, and there’s a lovely green area behind the hotel where she could walk safely and stretch her legs before we continued our journey. The service was superb, with friendly, helpful staff, and the beds were so comfortable I overslept. It was remarkably quiet considering it’s on the M6, and immensely good value. This stopover is in a different league from any other hotel I’ve stayed in, and that’s a lot. A really positive experience, and I’m very grateful.