Holiday Inn Gloucester/Cheltenham

Recently my family and I spent the August Bank Holiday staying half board at the Holiday Inn Gloucester and Cheltenham. We needed a break, and the combination of half-board dining, gym and pool facilities, and a well-connected location made it an appealing choice for a three night stay.

We were originally booked at a different Holiday Inn we had previously visited, but about a week before our trip, we discovered its pool had closed. We consequently switched our reservation to this different location.

First Impressions

Driving up, the exterior looks more like a motel than a traditional hotel and is well kept. More a business hotel so no gardens and front facing area is mainly a car park. The interior reception is well presented and we checked in smoothly. The staff on reception were always very helpful.

Rooms and Amenities

The hotel is clean and fairly modern, and it does what you expect it to. It serves a purpose without excelling in any particular area. We stayed in a family room where the sofa bed pulled out for our daughter, and a thoughtful touch included complimentary beers, crisps, and chocolate left in the room (maybe as half board each day?). The room itself was pleasantly quiet at night. Though we did get woken up by a dog that was staying in a room opposite one morning. As a hotel that caters for pets, it would make sense that rooms housing dogs should be in their own wing of the hotel. Many of the dogs were quite noisy that were staying at the hotel.

The swimming pool and leisure facilities were good, but because they are open to local members rather than hotel guests exclusively, the pool often felt crowded. My daughter used the gym and commented that it was very clean and machines wiped down regularly.

Dining Experience

While the staff were always pleasant, they stopped short of being genuinely welcoming (except a couple of exceptions). The biggest shortcoming was the restaurant menu felt uninspired in both design and selection. It lacked the exciting choices I have experienced at other competitor hotels. However the food was generally good quality but some portion sizes could be larger. As half board, we were able to select a starter, main and dessert for every evening meal.

Breakfast, was a distinct highlight. The quality and quantity of food available was excellent. Decent sausages and hash browns and massive cooked and continental sections as well as drink stations. Bread wise for toast, as well as lots of pre sliced bread, there was also fresh bread to cut and toast.

Hidden Costs

The hotel adds on service charges for food service and a daily £5 parking fees. Both charges seem a little unnecessary and would make sense to just increase the room charges to at least include the car parking

Verdict

This property likely suits business travelers and conference attendees, it is not a destination hotel but ideal as a base or for business. It’s good if you plan to spend a lot of time in the local area out and about exploring.

A positive for the venue is the location near Gloucester and Cheltenham which we visited.