Donington Manor

One of the worst hotels I've ever stayed in. The shower was a trickle, you can't wash yourself properly. They don't even provide hand soap which is astonishing. There were poo marks in the toilet. Stayed multiple nights and they didn't even service the room.

This is a little gem of a hotel, next to the Skylink bus stop which is a 5 minute ride to East Midlands Airport. Set in a delightful village, with quiet rooms and ample parking. Very reasonable price, fantastic breakfast and fabulous hosts!

Here’s my hotel review: We booked a twin room, described as being located off a courtyard with its own independent entrance. On arrival, my adult son and I found the hotel itself to be pleasant and well-presented. Unfortunately, when we got to our room, it contained a double bed rather than the twin room we had booked. I spoke to reception and was told there were no twin rooms available. The manager couldn’t explain why we’d been allocated a double room, although there was apparently a twin room available for guests arriving later. When I pointed out that I was already there, I was told those guests had booked directly with the hotel, whereas I had booked through Hotels.com. Fair enough, but it does suggest there may be advantages to booking direct if you want the exact room you’ve reserved. To their credit, staff tried to resolve the issue by providing a Z-bed. Unfortunately, when my son lay on it, it became clear that several springs were missing, making it unusable. Rather than spend the weekend arguing, we did the very British thing, kept a stiff upper lip, and shared the double bed. In the end, it didn’t spoil what had been a trip we’d been looking forward to for over 12 months. At around £300 per night during Download Festival weekend, I was expecting a more premium experience than was delivered. That said, I appreciate that accommodation in the area commands a premium during major events, and the hotel itself was comfortable enough. Overall, the staff were polite and did try to help, but the room provided wasn’t what was booked, and the alternative solution wasn’t fit for purpose. A comfortable stay, but not one that fully justified the price.