Travelodge Chelmsford

Thankfully, I was only there for one night. The hotel is on a very busy road, so I'd suggest asking for a back room away from the road and roundabout. There's an Aldi and B&M opposite, though most other things are quite a walk away. I wouldn't recommend booking a long stay. I had to wait at reception because nobody was there, and when the receptionist arrived, she wasn't friendly. She handed over my room card with barely a word and gave no directions to the room or amenities. The room was spacious but not very clean: the cups and spoons had residue on them, one towel had makeup on it, there were tea or coffee stains on the bathroom floor, and the shower curtain was mouldy at the bottom. The bed was exceptionally creaky. Then a staff member burst into my room without knocking while having a very inappropriate personal phone conversation. She didn't explain why she'd come in and only apologised afterwards. Obviously she hadn't realised the room was occupied and wanted to use it for her call, but that isn't the point.

My stay at Travelodge Chelmsford was fantastic, and that's entirely down to how the staff dealt with an unexpected WiFi access problem. Jayne, Debbie, Esme and Nektaria all helped resolve it. They listened carefully, asked the right questions and took time to understand what was going on instead of brushing me off with a stock response. I felt heard and supported, not rushed. They stayed calm and patient, thought through different possibilities and adjusted as they learned more, until they found a solution. I was impressed by their commitment and out-of-the-box reasoning. This was real problem-solving, not just routine service. What could have been frustrating left me feeling positive about the hotel because of the people. They clearly care about customer satisfaction and follow through instead of stopping at the easy answer. Travelodge Chelmsford is lucky to have a team like this. I'll absolutely be back.

The room was basic but comfortable. We paid extra for early check-in, but it wasn't ready, which was inconvenient. They refunded the additional fee. Next time I'm in Chelmsford, I'd probably stay somewhere else.

We weren't disappointed with this Travel Lodge. The rooms were clean and the bed was very comfortable. There wasn't a hairdryer in the bedroom, but I just had to ask at reception and they gave me one. The reception staff were friendly and helpful.