Premier Inn Torquay Harbour

Breakfast was awful. It wasn't busy, but there were no eggs, the pastries were raw, and when fruit was available, it was dreadful. I'm glad I didn't book a meal deal, since dinner was cancelled at least one night and there was a long wait another time. The lift situation made our two-night stay worse. Staff would lock the only lift to move stock between floors without considering the guests. There are other Premier Inns. Stay at one of those. I always use Premier Inn across the UK, but I'll avoid this one from now on.

The bed and bathroom were in good condition, the air conditioning worked, and it was quiet most nights. The location is close to town, with a partial harbour view from the restaurant, and the car park has plenty of spaces. They even gave children a free Easter sweet or chocolate, which was a lovely gesture. We'd come back. The only issue was the pastries at breakfast. The kitchen ran out 45 minutes before it ended and turned people away, saying there were none left. Then, 15 minutes before closing, more pastries appeared.

Don't stay here. We paid £10 a night for parking on the machine when we arrived for two nights, but a week later two £85 fines came through for non-payment. Luckily we asked for an email receipt and have proof. We sent it to the parking fine company, but there's no way to email Premier Inn with it. I wouldn't stay here again, and now have to try to fight the fines. Parking is a nightmare, and the car park is a fair walk from the hotel. The room was so hot that we couldn't open the window. Walking from the car park meant going down a public staircase in a dodgy area, where we saw people taking drugs. It wasn't great with kids, and the whole experience was poor.

Torquay's centre is close, but the hotel sits away from the main roads, so it's peaceful. The rooms were good. The downside was the heat: the air conditioning switched off automatically after a couple of hours, leaving the room very hot.