I was staying in Hull for a weekend visiting friends and decided to stay in a hotel. I was aware that the new St Stephen's Shopping Centre complex also included this hotel by Holiday Inn. Initially I shopped around for the best room rates but found that the cheapest rates were found via the Holiday Inn website. I paid £55 for the Saturday night and £69 for the Sunday night which was a lot cheaper than the £70+ I was quoted when consulting sites such as LateRooms. The online reservation process was quick and easy. I also signed up for their Priority Club scheme which awards points each time you stay in one of the Holiday Inn Group hotels which can then be used towards a free night in the hotel (although bear in mind you need literally thousands of points to do this.)
For me, the biggest advantage of staying in this hotel over some of the others in the city was the location as it is just next door to the bus and rail interchange and a five minute walk from the nearby shopping centres, Princes Quay and the Prospect Centre.
Check in was from 2pm onwards. I arrived shortly before 3pm and made my way to the hotel. Although there is a big banner on the side of the hotel which you see immediately as you leave the interchange advertising the hotel it isn't as clear where the actual enterance is. After a few minutes we managed to locate a side door just off Ferensway into the hotel. From there signs instructed guests that reception could be found on the first floor which was accessible by a lift. Once at the reception desk I showed the receptionist my booking confirmation which had been sent by email and she quickly checked me in. I was asked if I had stayed at a Holiday Inn hotel previously, to which I answered I hadn't and she explained to me how to use the keycard to use the guest lifts (my room was on the fifth floor), gain access to my room and also to turn the lights and electricity on in my room. I was also asked if I required any extra keycards as my friend who wasn't staying was with me.
Upon arriving in my room I was pleasantly surprised at how it lived up to my expectations as I had seen some photographs on the internet of the type of room to expect. The room was large, light and airy. I was pleased to discover the view from my window looked out across the city and I was able to see landmarks such as The KC Stadium and the River Humber. The ensuite bathroom was compact (but in my opinion a perfectly acceptable size) and had a modern feel to it. The main part of the room contained a clothes rail, shelves, kettle & complimentary tea and coffee tray, sofa bed, desk, chair, flatscreen TV, a good supply of fresh towels and, of course a double bed. Everything was very clean and new looking. The room also had its own air conditioning, which is what brought the most comfort to my stay as someone who sleeps better in a cool room, rather than a stuffy overheated one which has been a problem I've had in the past when staying at hotels.
During my stay I returned to the hotel late on the Saturday evening and did wonder if I'd be able to get back into the hotel easily. I swiftly gained access by using my keycard on the slot by the door, meaning I didn't have to bother anyone to let me in.
It is worth mentioning there is also a bar and restaurant within the hotel as well as the offer of free WIFI to all rooms, but as I did not use any of these facilities I am not able to comment on their quality, but they are probably the kind of facilities which would be useful to anyone staying at the hotel whilst on a business trip.
My checking out process was as swift and easy as the check in process had been, and as through all of my stay I found that all staff I had encountered were friendly, polite and only too willing to help with any problems.
Overall I really enjoyed my stay here and would go as far as to say it has been one of the most comfortable and enjoyable stays I've had in any hotel and I would definitely stay here again.
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