Premier Inn Nottingham West

The meal came to about £35 and was served promptly, so I thought it was well worth it. I started with crunchy spicy prawns, then had hoisin ribs, which were delicious and perfectly cooked, with corn and chips. The portion was generous enough that adding onion rings was a bit too much, and I had to leave some. It was a friendly place, and the tables were nicely spaced.

The breakfast was a disaster for an extra £20: there was nobody around, no bacon or eggs, and the beans, mushrooms and hash browns were cold. When we asked the only staff member there, we got a sharp reply that the missing items had to be cooked. Dinner had been chaotic too, and although the food wasn't bad, the restaurant was clearly understaffed. We waited about 20 minutes to pay with our tired three-year-old granddaughter. We went to reception to ask for the meal to be added to the bill, but were marched back to the restaurant to pay, which left us annoyed. Staff didn't feel welcoming. On the plus side, the location by the tram station was ideal, parking at the hotel was free, and our family room was spotless and suited our needs perfectly. If all you need is a bed, it may do.

Two weeks after my stay, Horizon Parking sent me a £57 charge, saying I'd parked illegally. I'd given reception my number plate and filled out their form, so it seems the hotel didn't enter it into the system. I appealed, but Horizon rejected it because I'd deleted my booking email after checkout. Now I have to send my bank statement to show I stayed. Premier Inn customer service wouldn't contact the parking company when I called twice, and told me to handle it myself. That's very unhelpful and disappointing. I paid £131 for one night without breakfast, had no Wi-Fi in the room, and my mobile signal barely worked either. After all that, I won't stay here again.

It's handy for a Nottingham visit or an M1 stopover, with the Phoenix Park tram terminus right beside it for getting into the city centre. The M1 and a petrol station are also close, and there's parking, a small children's play area and outdoor tables. The site is a very large, extended Premier Inn with a Beefeater restaurant and bar. It used to be busy and good value, but prices have crept up, and some of the decor in the restaurant, bar and outdoor area looks faded.