Premier Inn Durham - Newton Aycliffe

The kids had a great time at the park by the dining place next door, and breakfast there was freshly served and really good. We broke up a long Saturday drive with the children here and got a friendly welcome, clean facilities and a great location. Water, biscuits and lovely little kits for the kids made the journey much nicer. The room was spacious and clean, as was the bathroom, and it had bedside light switches and a plug with USB charging. This is the best Premier Inn we've stayed in. I had emailed ahead to ask for rooms next to each other. We were next door but one, connected through a door, and I worried that might disturb other guests. Apart from that, it was a great stopover.

That Easter hunt in the room was such a kind surprise for the kids. They loved it, and you don't see little touches like that much any more. We stayed on the Thursday before Good Friday for a night on our way to Northumberland. The room was quiet and spacious, there was plenty of parking, and the place was clean. It's a smaller Premier Inn, with easy access to the A1, and we'd stay again. The pub next door is okay for value, just don't expect too much. Breakfast there was dreadful, though, so I wouldn't bother with it.

The shower had good pressure and kept its temperature, and check-in was easy with pleasant staff. I ate at the Greene King pub next door, where service was good and prices reasonable. My burger combo sizzler was good value, and I'd stay here again for work in the area. The room itself was spacious and comfortable, though this newer style had a coffee table and two lounge chairs instead of a work desk, which isn't great if you need to work overnight. There wasn't any tea, coffee or milk in the room, but reception had extra supplies.

We booked at the last minute while passing through on Easter Sunday. Even arriving late with the children, we found a perfectly clean, spacious room waiting for us, complete with Easter treats, a card and a little egg hunt. Such a thoughtful surprise, and something we hadn't experienced at a Premier Inn before. Thanks especially to whoever arranged it. We'll definitely be back on our planned trip later.