Travelodge Colchester Feering

The staff were the saving grace here. Check-in was quick and friendly, parking was free, and when I complained about the cold, a lovely employee came to try to help. She didn’t control the heater settings, though, and the electric heaters can only be set to a limited temperature. Even with the doors, windows and curtains shut, our room was absolutely freezing. You can hear people in the next room coughing. The rooms were clean enough, but the bathroom felt like a hospital and had an odd handle that neither shut nor turned. The halls felt more like storage space, and you use actual keys for the doors. I wouldn’t stay again. If you’re just passing through and need a bed for the night, it’ll do. I paid £73, which wasn’t worth it at all. I’ve paid £50 for quick stays that were much cleaner and more up to date.

Cara gave me a warm welcome and quickly sorted out the problems I had. My room was clean, and when I asked for extra towels and pillows, she brought them over promptly. Thanks, Cara.

Cara at reception was really friendly and made me feel at ease. She was glad to answer my questions and help with anything I needed.

The location of my room made all the difference. I picked one at the far end of the hotel, away from the road, and it was so quiet it felt like the countryside. We barely heard traffic and saw a family of rabbits outside the window each morning. I’d booked at the last minute for a week and felt nervous after reading some reviews, but the manageress welcomed us and explained how to request fresh towels or extra tea and coffee by hanging the sign before 11am. We could also ask reception to keep people out of the room, and they did. The fan didn’t work, but I was given a new one straight away. When I couldn’t connect a second device to the Wi-Fi I’d paid for, reception called Virgin and got it fixed quickly. The shower took a minute or two to get hot, then was as warm as we wanted. It’s a little dated, but still lovely. Nearby food options are handy too: the petrol station has everything from razors to milkshakes, the Subway manager makes great salads and foot-long sandwiches, and Greggs next door is good for bacon baps, fruit pots, pasta pots and value meal deals. We were happy to drive for meals, and found lots of good pubs, an American diner and other places within 15 minutes. Chelmsford has a modern pedestrian centre for eating and shopping, while Colchester has historic, winding little streets and food from around the world. It’s good value for money. My only real gripes were dusty shelves I had to clean before unpacking and a kettle that wasn’t as clean as it should’ve been. Nothing major, and I think the manageress would have sorted it if I’d mentioned it.