Travelodge Durham

The room was spacious, but the bed sagged visibly in the middle. There were no sockets beside it, nowhere to put a suitcase, and the kettle needed descaling. My room was in the rear block, up a short, poorly lit hill. There are three separate accommodation blocks, and that one has card access with no staff watching over it, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a woman travelling alone. Check-in at 7pm was very slow, as the receptionist seemed unsure what she was doing. It’s basic but okay for a quick stay near a work event. The hotel sits on a small hill, about a 20-minute walk from the station. Walking there isn’t advisable because the route climbs uphill, partly follows the canal through a bushy, isolated stretch, and includes stairs. There’s a vending machine in reception, with snacks and drinks in the rooms. No restaurant or bar, and breakfast comes in a box to collect at reception at 8am. It’s not central. Shops and restaurants are about 10-15 minutes away on foot, so I’d eat before arriving or head into town. The area is very hilly, so comfortable shoes help. The town itself is small, pleasant, scenic, and has the essentials. Places to eat stay open fairly late during the week because it’s a university town. Bus access is limited, and there’s parking on site.

The lack of decent WiFi and bedside sockets is making the rooms feel dated. They’re very basic, though the ones I’ve stayed in have been kept up well. It’s a useful, fairly inexpensive hotel in the old railway sheds, and I’ve stayed many times. Getting into town means walking down a fairly steep hill, so plan for that when coming and going. The excellent Italian next door went downhill quickly and has sadly closed. I understand concerns about the upper terrace block after dark, though I think the area is safe. The manager seems to have changed, and staff don’t seem as motivated as they did on earlier visits.

Clean, comfortable rooms, around a 10-minute walk from the city centre. The staff are pleasant, and the main bonus is free parking on site. It does what it says on the tin.

I’ve stayed at Travelodge before, but this was the first time I didn’t feel the room was worth what I paid. The hotel is spread across several buildings, and since I didn’t pay to choose a room, I was put in the furthest building, well inside the site. Walking back there after dark felt a bit scary, so I had to come back earlier. The facilities were also somewhat old. Even with the discount for booking and paying in advance, it wasn’t cheap.