Holiday Inn Express Tamworth

The shower floor felt slimy and dangerously slippery, and there was orange mould along the bottom of the curtain. The bed was very small. Breakfast was the worst part: just scrambled eggs, which were very dry. When I asked for poached or fried eggs, I was bluntly told no. The bacon was overcooked and sat cold in grease, and nothing was replenished during the more than 30 minutes I was there. The only fresh fruit was small watermelon slices, alongside tinned two-fruit. Coffee came from a tap and was so weak it tasted like dirty dishwater. I wouldn’t recommend this if you want a decent breakfast.

Great for the people arriving by boat who get all their phones paid for, free food, and free accommodation. It’s not good for us taxpayers, and it feels extremely unfair to people struggling to live and get by. I’d avoid this hotel once it’s open to the public again and boycott it. Letting them stay here is an absolute joke and makes Tamworth a horrible place to be.

The staff are friendly and very helpful, the rooms are clean, and the showers are amazing. I’ve pretty much lived here for three months. The food menu changed, and there’s a lot less choice now, though meals come out in about a third of the time they used to take. Sometimes nobody is at the bar or reception, so you can be left waiting. The room fan, called air con, doesn’t manage the temperature very well. It kicks in whenever it feels like it and is really noisy, so it could use an upgrade. The beds have wheels, and mine moved around when I sat up. They need brakes or something. There’s lots to do within walking distance in the evenings.

The breakfast buffet was good, with the usual choices, and everything seemed freshly cooked. There was plenty of tea and coffee from the machine, and it tasted better than coffee at some shops I’ve been to. The hotel is nicely placed, about a ten-minute walk from town. My room was clean, with a very comfortable bed and an excellent spacious shower, though there wasn’t a bath. Would I stay again? Most definitely.