Hotel Hopping

We stayed in a GREAT hotel on Tuesday night, but we can't write about it yet because we're staying there again tonight.

Last night, however, we stayed at a Holiday Inn Express outside of Colchester, England. James had to go back in the town today and the other hotel didn't have a room available.

We've been using a website to book "late rooms", which means last minute discount rooms because we're on a severe dwindling budget until James picks up some new contract work...the hotel we are returning to tonight is a steal of a deal...the Holiday Inn...not so much.

The room at the Holiday Inn was about £50 (75% more than the hotel that had character), or if you wanted a room with free internet £57.

First off...we didn't get the room with free internet because a) we assumed our mobile service would work in the area so we could tether our laptop and b) internet for 24 hours there costs £7.99...so how is adding £7 to the price of a room "free internet"...yeah, we're not a moron. Nice "scam", Holiday Inn Express.

Turns out our mobile service didn't work inside the hotel...but if we stood outside in the humid chilly air, or went to the Shell station across the parking lot then sure, it worked great. We were not willing to spend £8 for internet (equal to just over $12 USD) because that's insane, plus we had a dinner of yogurt, peanut butter and celery to save money in the first place. It just wasn't logical to spend money for internet.

The sounds traveled from the parking lot to the second floor of the hotel, as well as the noise down the hall. And as any Holiday Inn...there were kids.

The lighting and electricity doesn't work unless you inserted the room key in a slot near the door, and they only give you one, which means if someone leaves the room, they leave the key. We probably could have asked for a second but we expect them to provide two when two people are checking into a room, particularly one where you need the key to watch tv, plug in a laptop, turn on the lights in the washroom, etc.

The room included free breakfast (as did the previous nights hotel) but this breakfast was mostly dreadful in comparison to the previous mornings. Sausages (clearly cheap "American-type"), instant eggs, super thin toast, a low-brand yogurt, the typical continental fare, plus. We didn't even bother finishing the coffee (that is a testament onto itself). Most everything about it seemed "American", which is to expect since it's an American chain, but we haven't experienced American things in a few months, since having been living there, so it seemed...deflating.

However, it was very clean and the customer service seems to be on top of things, we wrote a tweet about it sucking (#HolidayInn) and IHG (International Hotels Group @IHGCare, the company who manages Holiday Inn) picked it up and tweeted @ us.

All in all we resolved not to stay at a Holiday Inn again, unless absolutely necessary.

Tonight we return to the charming hotel from Tuesday night...and beyond that we have nothing booked.

James got a lead on a contract, we might be going to mainland Europe very soon...

Until then. Happy reading.