Holiday Inn Haydock M6 Jct23 by IHG

Breakfast was good value as part of the stay, with plenty of choice and dairy-free options. Our late checkout request was also handled smoothly. The room was clean and nice, and being near the M6 was handy. The sofa bed wasn't comfortable for adults, though it could work for children.

There was plenty of free parking, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The room was tidy, with tea and coffee, and the clean bathroom had spare towels. It's a large hotel beside the M6 and Haydock Racecourse. For this price, it offers good value and has pretty much what you'd want from a hotel.

We didn't sleep well because doors kept banging through the night as people came in drunk. The hotel has a huge car park, but only three disabled spaces, and they weren't especially close to reception. The decor was neat but tired, nothing special, though it wasn't a dump. We paid for breakfast and couldn't fault the food or restaurant service. The restaurant prices are high, but there are takeaways about five minutes away by car. We didn't try the pool or gym. We'd booked a premium room with a double bed for one night away from the daily routine, but were told on arrival it was a standard premium room with two single beds. After some discussion, a helpful young woman found us a double. She explained that the premium difference was a fridge with complimentary treats, and said she could bring the treats in a bag if we didn't mind no fridge. That wasn't explained on the website, which made it seem all the rooms were the same. It's okay if you're going to the races or need a stopover, but I wouldn't return. It wasn't the worst stay, nor the best, which was a shame after the good reviews that led us to book.

The hotel itself is nice, with friendly staff, a big free car park, a gym, pool and spa. Breakfast was fine too. The restaurant is the problem: its menu has been very limited for months, and the dishes they do offer are poorly cooked and don't taste good. It's overpriced, and the bar prices are hugely inflated. I'd eat at the nice pub ten minutes' walk away instead.