Holiday Inn York by IHG

The hotel is outside the heart of York, which meant we could avoid the city's terrible traffic and road closures from all the construction. We found York beautiful, and walking in or taking the bus worked best. Buses stop outside the door and go to the centre, so you can avoid the city's high parking charges. We enjoyed our five-night stay, with plenty of parking and easy access by car to sights around York.

Our first room was dirty, but the staff apologised, moved us straight away and gave us a drinks voucher for the trouble. The second room was clean, though basic, very dated and overpriced for its quality. It felt like we were paying for the York location more than the room itself. Breakfast and lunch were decent, the bar was a nice place to spend time, and the WiFi was reliable. The staff service and public areas were great, but the rooms let the experience down. Renovating the bedrooms could make this a top-tier choice.

The room was dusty, dirty and nothing like the advertised photos. Even the air seemed full of dust. Within a few hours, my baby's mild cough turned into wheezing, and I had to take him to the hospital late at night. We were there for hours, and our plans were completely ruined. When we asked for the room to be cleaned, staff said someone would come, but nobody came back. They also refused to move us, even after I explained that we had a baby whose condition was getting worse because of the room. This was a nightmare and one of the worst hotel stays I've had. It isn't worth the money and definitely shouldn't have a 4-star rating. We checked out the next day after spending the night in the HOSPITAL.

The welcome was very cold and unfriendly, which stood out most to me. I travel a lot and regularly stay at Holiday Inn hotels, and this was clearly below the brand's usual standard. It's a very large hotel, and the room was spacious and comfortable with a very good bed. Breakfast was excellent, with nothing to complain about there. The decor, though, feels outdated, almost stuck in the 1970s, as I've noticed in many Holiday Inns.