City Lodge

The room was spacious, the beds were comfortable, the facilities were fine, and it stayed quiet at night. Our “view” was a blank wall, but there was still plenty of light, and that’s about what you expect in a city. There’s no restaurant, though that wasn’t an issue for us. A Witherspoon is a two-minute walk away and does good breakfast, lunch and dinner at fair prices. There are plenty of other lunch and dinner places nearby too. Parking is available across the street, paid and not expensive. You enter your number plate and pay for how long you stayed. It didn’t seem to accept foreign plates, so we parked for free :-) Yeovil itself isn’t especially attractive, with lots of demolition going on, but it’s a good base for exploring the surrounding area.

My second-year stay was a pleasant surprise. I got one of the rooms on the ground floor, away from the main building, more like a maisonette. It was a big open room with dated decor, but it was cool, and the mattress topper was so good I almost didn’t need it. That stay would’ve earned a higher rating on its own. The first year was awful, though. I was in the main building, above the sign, and the room was roasting even though it was cool outside. With the high street right there, opening the windows didn’t make for a decent night’s sleep. The sign gave the room a glow all night through the curtains. The bed was rubbish too: the pillow was incredibly light and soft, like teddy bear stuffing, and I could feel springs poking into different parts of my body. My whole party was complaining, so it wasn’t just me. That first stay was bad enough that I can’t bring myself to give two stars.

The bed linen was fresh and the bathroom was good, with a powerful shower. But the room stank. The smell was ground into the old, dirty carpet, and opening the windows didn’t shift it. This hotel badly needs renovating.

I’ve stayed in loads of hotels, and this bed is the comfiest I’ve ever slept in. I could happily stay sunk into it all day, with my feet sinking into the lovely clean carpet. The place felt homely, more like home than a business, and worth every penny. Bottled water, tea and coffee were provided, along with small shampoo and conditioner bottles. The carpet was lovely and clean too. There’s a kind fella at the desk, and I can’t think of a single complaint. Nothing seems wrong with the place, it’s really nice. You’ll sleep like a baby here. There are loads of takeaways as well. I’m looking forward to that shower!