Premier Inn Clacton-On-Sea (North/Colchester Rd)

The garden view made for a quiet night, with no outside noise, and I’m pretty sure I spotted hens out there too. We had a family room for one night, with a double bed and two singles. The beds and pillows were comfortable, and the room stayed cosy with a good heater. They’d also provided a fan, which was useful overnight. The room was very clean and well kept, and the tea and coffee supplies came in handy. There were extra teabags, coffee, milk and sugar in the foyer if needed. For what we paid, it was fantastic, and the soft towels and great hot shower were a plus. The shower was overhead only, with no handheld head, so washing my young daughter was a bit awkward, but we managed. The bathroom could use some touching up: there was rust and a little mould, and some obvious wear and patch-up work. We skipped breakfast, but had a decent dinner at the restaurant next door, so breakfast would probably be good too. It gave us the cosy, clean space and good night's rest we needed. We'll definitely stay again.

The room was clean and well kept, with a hairdryer, TV, and kettle with tea and coffee. I was in town for work and stayed in a double for the night. At the front desk they greeted me warmly and gave me my key card. I booked dinner at the restaurant next door, which was a simple affair. The food was excellent, and hotel guests got a discount. A great experience all round.

The staff were pleasant enough, but a few things brought the stay down to average. There was a dead spider on the windowsill, so the cleaning could have been better. The USB socket by the bed was loose and didn't work properly. I reported it and was told someone would come fix it, but nobody did. The heating wouldn't turn down either. When we mentioned it, we were told to switch it off at the socket. My husband had forgotten his key card and got a replacement without being asked his name. With the recent media coverage, it was disappointing that no checks were made.

The bathrooms could use a little TLC, as there was some mould that should be easy enough to clear with mould and mildew spray. We stayed three nights, and the staff were really friendly and helpful. Leila and Sarah were particularly helpful.