Holiday Inn Express Folkestone - Channel Tunnel by IHG

The front desk staff were kind and friendly, and breakfast was fantastic and included in the price. The room was clean, with really nice toiletries, a kettle and coffee. I travelled from CDG with my cat on the way to England and needed somewhere to stop so the cat could have a break. Really nice hotel, highly recommend!

The 24-hour Tesco with a petrol station next door was handy, and there was plenty of parking when we visited. Just wait until you check in before paying for parking, since you can get a discount code inside. The team were friendly and professional, the room was comfortable, and tea and coffee were provided. Breakfast is continental and starts at 4am. It's under a nine-minute drive from LeShuttle, so we set off feeling rested and ready for the trip.

The staff were polite and helpful throughout, and I appreciated that the manager quickly apologised and honoured the free parking in my booking after the receptionist initially said it was no longer valid. With my car full of belongings, parking directly outside reception felt reassuringly secure. The ground-floor room was spotless and convenient with my dog; it had tea and coffee facilities, and there’s a small restaurant on site for an evening meal without going far. The hotel is very handy for the Channel Tunnel Shuttle, especially for an early crossing. I left before official breakfast, but could take a couple of croissants and a takeaway coffee from the continental buffet. My dog woke and barked when people passed our room at night, so next time I’d ask for one at the far end of a corridor. I had a very positive stay and would recommend it to Shuttle travellers.

Avoid this cowboy outfit. I booked a date, but got no confirmation on the website or by email. When I checked my loyalty account, I discovered the room had been booked for a random date months later. My first call dropped while I was being transferred to a manager. On the second call they could change the date, but only for over 50% more and with a smaller bed. I’d been trying to get their mistake fixed from about a minute after booking. A complete rip-off, and I won’t use them again. Hotel bookings aren’t covered by distance selling regulations, otherwise I’d definitely have tried a credit card chargeback.