Holiday Inn Express Leeds City Centre Armouries by IHG

Our first visit to Leeds to see family felt easy and welcoming thanks to the team at this IHG. Everyone working between Sunday the 15th and Tuesday the 17th helped make us comfortable, with kindness, attention to detail and a willingness to go the extra mile. A special thanks for the thoughtful colouring sheet, pencils and sticker. It was a small gesture, but kept our youngest relative happily occupied and meant a lot to us. We really appreciated the warm hospitality and look forward to coming back.

We were sent back into the rain this morning to look for parking, and it took around 20 minutes. This was after paying extra for breakfast, including for our guest, and after being told the first night that we could briefly stop on the private land to unload or grab a quick breakfast. The hotel then went back on what the colleague had told us. There isn't parking next to the hotel, just nearby private land guests apparently can't use, so expect to get wet on rainy days. The reception team manager came across as unprofessional and seemed to have “favourite” guests. Overall, the parking and inconsistent communication made this a disappointing experience.

The staff were especially welcoming and attentive, and tried to make up for the problems. Breakfast was included and more than adequate. If you're visiting the Royal Armouries, the location couldn't be much better. On a cold day, it's barely a minute away, so you can leave your jacket in your room. Other attractions mean a 15 minutes' walk further into the city centre. My room was comfortable and well appointed, but the limited floor space made it feel cramped. The HVAC settings couldn't get the room below 22 degrees. The Smart TV offered screencasting, but mine wasn't connected to the internet.

We stayed for two nights with family on a weekend in November. The location was quiet but still handy for getting around, and the staff and service were fantastic, always with a smile. Really good stay. My only small gripe was the WiFi, which wasn't great for our teenagers!