Holiday Inn Express Poole, a short walk from Poole railway station.
Location
The hotel sits within easy walking distance of Poole town centre, although the area immediately surrounding the property is dominated by car parks rather than scenery.
Poole Harbour is nearby, but at least from our ground-floor room there was no danger of accidentally discovering a waterfront view.
Arriving on foot from the railway station, one thing that struck me was how quiet the town felt. Even on a midweek evening approaching summer, the streets were unexpectedly subdued.
Check-In and First Impressions
We arrived shortly after 9pm. Unfortunately the kitchen had already closed for the evening, eliminating the possibility of a proper meal after arrival. The staff were nevertheless friendly and practical.
We received two complimentary drink vouchers, dropped our bags, found seats in the lobby area, and spent some time watching football on television while working through a combination of bar snacks and vending machine provisions. It wasn’t glamorous, but it solved the immediate problem.
The ground floor lobby, bar, and breakfast area.
The Room
We stayed in a room featuring a queen bed and sofa bed.
The queen-bed-and-sofa-bed configuration worked better for us than the twin room we had originally expected to use.
The bathroom had a walk-in shower and wall-mounted toiletries.
Service
One area where the hotel performed particularly well was flexibility. Despite having two separate reservations, the property allowed us to remain in the same room throughout the stay. The following day, when our key cards needed resetting, another member of staff handled the process quickly and also issued an additional complimentary drinks voucher. Interestingly, a 300-point IHG welcome bonus posted to my account as well.
That continues a pattern I have noticed at several IHG properties where the practical reality sometimes becomes “points and drinks” rather than a strict choice between the two.
The hotel also provided a noon checkout without any discussion or negotiation. I appreciated the gesture.
Food and Beverage
Breakfast is included, as expected. Day one I slightly overdid it with most of the usual components of a full English (pictured) and a self-constructed bacon sandwich.
Day two was more restrained, consisting mainly of fruit and yoghurt.
Day One’s more ambitious breakfast.
The breakfast offering itself was entirely standard Holiday Inn Express fare. Hot items included bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, beans, hash browns, and toast. Along with the usual uncooked items: Cereals, Fruit, Yogurt.
The weak point was the coffee, which was fairly bland, although the machine also produced hot chocolate. That unimpressive coffee remained available throughout breakfast service, allowing multiple refills and even takeaway cups back to the room. When you’re addicted to caffeine, mediocre coffee still gets a reload.
An Unexpected Value Play
One surprise came from the evening menu. Not feeling particularly hungry on the second night, we ordered:
One chicken panini
One children’s cheeseburger and fries
One children’s chicken goujons and fries
No children were actually staying with us.
What surprised me was the size of the children’s meals. I had expected something approaching fast-food kids’ portions. Instead, both arrived as substantial plates that would have been entirely reasonable meals for most adults.
Had I known in advance, I would never have even considered ordering the larger and more expensive adult burger from the menu. Guests looking for a lower-cost meal may find the children’s menu worth considering.
Noise
The property is surrounded by surface parking. Our ground-floor room experienced some early morning noise when another guest held a loud conversation near her car at approximately 5am.
I don’t view this as a specific criticism of the hotel. Hotels cannot control every inconsiderate guest. Those particularly sensitive to noise may nevertheless prefer a higher-floor room facing away from the nearest parking areas.
Value
The value proposition here depends heavily on when you stay. At sensible rates, Holiday Inn Express Poole does the job well: a convenient location, breakfast included and a predictable place to stay without paying for facilities you probably won’t use.
The complication is summer. Poole can become surprisingly expensive, and this hotel is not immune. Rates can climb to levels that are difficult to reconcile with what remains, fundamentally, a straightforward Holiday Inn Express.
That doesn’t make it a bad choice. It just makes the price more important than the brand might suggest. At the right rate, I’d have no hesitation staying here again. At peak summer pricing, I’d look much more carefully at the alternatives.