HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS LONDON - S

I stayed at the Holiday Inn Stansted for convenience, expecting a clean, comfortable place to sleep, which it was. The room was adequate and the bed comfortable. Unfortunately, the restaurant experience was extremely poor and significantly below expectation. I ordered the £25 10oz ribeye steak, requested medium rare. It arrived blue-rare, with a raw, bloody centre. While I have no issue with rare steak, this was not what was ordered. The rest of the plate was equally disappointing: no discernible seasoning, a tomato simply halved and barely warmed, a dry mushroom with no seasoning, and a small portion of average chips. For the price, the quality was unacceptable. I did not complain at the time, remained polite, ate what I could, and paid in full. I then ordered nachos. The dish arrived missing advertised toppings and pulled pork. More seriously, the serving bowl was dangerously hot, causing burns to my hands when I attempted to eat. I immediately had to request ice from the bar. There was no warning that the dishware was hot. I asked for the missing toppings to be added, but by that point my hands were in too much pain to continue. I requested a refund and refused the dish, as it was simply re-served in the same bowl with toppings added on top. The staff member was aware I was in discomfort, yet the issue was not properly addressed. This occurred on a quiet Monday evening, so the lack of care in preparation and service was particularly disappointing. The front-of-house staff were polite and I do not hold them personally responsible. However, the hotel does have a responsibility for the safety, accuracy, and standard of food served under its name. In hindsight, I regret not eating elsewhere. Even basic takeaway would have offered better value and consistency. While the rooms are fine, I would strongly advise other guests to consider alternative dining options outside the hotel. I am also concerned about what breakfast quality will be like. For the price point and brand, I expected a significantly higher standard. I will be booking at a Premier Inn instead in future.

Nicola on reception was incredibly helpful in locating my lost bag, which had been left on one of the transfer buses. She remained calm and collected throughout, which, in what was quite a stressful moment, helped massively. I really appreciated her professionalism and support

I stayed here for 5 nights and honestly had no issues at all. Check-in was smooth, the staff were friendly, and the breakfast buffet was really good. The room was spacious and comfortable, and the air conditioning worked perfectly, which I really appreciated after travelling around Europe for two weeks. This was actually my last hotel before flying back home, and it ended my trip on such a good note. After travelling for two weeks and staying in different places, these five days were exactly what I needed, just a comfortable and relaxing stay before heading home. The hotel was also really convenient because it was close to the airport, and there’s a McDonald’s right across the road. Overall, I had a really great stay and the service was excellent. Thank you for making the last few days of my Europe trip so relaxing. I would definitely stay here again if I’m back in the area!