The Peel Aldergate

I’ve been arranging work meetings at The Peel for a few years, and the staff have always been accommodating. This time I stayed overnight and had a charming four poster bed. The room was comfortable, clean and had all the mod cons. I love this family run business, everyone is lovely and the accommodation and food are exceptional.

Breakfast was great, with pancakes and bacon, toast and a full English. The wait was a bit longer than I’d have liked, so that’s why it’s four stars, but the place was busy with regulars who love their brekkies, so it was no big deal. The staff made us feel right at home and welcomed our dog, even though he can be a bit of a barker. He got a sausage and some treats and polished them off in minutes. We stayed one night and had an amazing time. The room was really clean and had everything we needed, including wall air con, big fluffy bath towels and very comfy beds. The chocolate chip biscuits went down a treat with Yorkshire tea. We all slept well, Charlie pup included. Thanks again, folks. We’ll definitely be back.

We left dog tired and eager to get back to our own bed. For me, the test of a hotel is whether I want to leave or go home, and this stay was a shame. Tamworth isn’t exactly a lively town, though the nearby local tandoori was pretty good. There was a staffing crisis, so we couldn’t eat at the hotel apart from breakfast and had to find dinner in town. Breakfast was underwhelming for me: a basic sandwich with either sausage or bacon, and I had to cut the bacon sandwich myself. My wife chose eggs benedict, which was much better, well cooked and presented. Maybe it was just our room, but in hot August the bed was impossibly hard and uncomfortable, with a million-tog duvet fit for an Antarctic expedition. The air conditioning looked like it had once worked but was now a rusty relic on the wall, replaced by a cheap plug-in fan. You could plug in the fan or the bedside light, but not both. There weren’t many comforts in the small, cramped room, which looked out onto the rear car park. At least it was clean. On a road trip, I need comfort and food, and The Peel Aldergate provided neither.

The building’s been nicely converted, and our room was charming, large and had a well equipped ensuite. We arrived after reception had closed, but the information sent over WhatsApp worked seamlessly.