Don Valley Hotel and Bar

For £75 for two days, it wasn’t bad, and the room itself was cosy, warm, secure, very clean, and had a massive shower. The woman who showed us in was polite and welcoming. Breakfast was the main letdown: it cost 21.80 for a small and large breakfast and two hot drinks, but the eggs were overcooked and not hot, and there were no mushrooms. We weren’t given complimentary tea or coffee in the room, even though there was a kettle and two cups, and nobody gave us the WiFi password, which would have been handy. Pints of Carling were listed at £4.50, but seemed to be £6+ and then £5+ the next day. It’s a nice setup, so it’s a shame I’m not sure we’ll come back.

The bar had loads of character, with quirky little signs, which was a welcome change from the usual hotel chains. It’s also really handy for Sheffield Arena. Service was fantastic, especially from Stuart, who was friendly, helpful, efficient, and professional.

The pub downstairs serves good food, and the staff were really friendly. I felt safe with several locked doors between the street and the room, and the vending machine came in handy after hours since there aren’t many shops nearby. The room was huge with good amenities for the price, though it was only mostly clean and I’d have expected at least some shower gel.

We never got to see the rooms, so I can’t give them a star rating. We booked and paid through hotels.com after reading good reviews, then got a welcome email suggesting we book direct next time and offering a free coffee voucher. Less than 24 hours before our stay, the booking was cancelled with no explanation. I tried booking again and spoke to a man, but a couple of hours later received a text saying they couldn’t take it. My repeated requests to explain the cancellation were ignored, so I still don’t know whether the hotel or booking agent made the mistake.