Ibis Wellingborough Hotel

I stayed again last night after a visit in February that was fine. This time I was disappointed. The room stayed really hot overnight, the mattress felt hard and I slept badly. The shower was boiling hot and stayed that way even when I turned the temperature dial.

The hotel was ideally placed for the crematorium, which was why I came, and I’d stay here again when I’m in the area. My room was comfortable and clean, and had what I needed. The staff were great, helpful and happy to answer questions. The bar was totally empty when I got there and didn’t feel welcoming, with no sofas or proper place to relax. Breakfast was nice enough, though the choice seemed smaller than at other places I’ve stayed.

Clean and functional, as usual. We ate breakfast at the pub across the road, and the food was fine. The eating area was very basic, and the breakfast staff member seemed in a foul mood. I put a pancake in the toaster to warm it up without spotting the little “no pancakes” sign. She banged the machine and growled “no pancakes” through her mask. Wow. I joked that I thought she was going to call me a right-wing racist. Next time we visit family, we’ll go across the road to the Priory pub.

You more or less know what to expect at a Travelodge. The room was clean and quiet, and breakfast was good. My only gripe was the pillows were incredibly thin. I found two more in the morning that I could have used, though!