The Innkeeper's Lodge brochure promises "more than just a good night's sleep" and that's what we've just found on our family weekend in London. As conoisseurs of budget hotels, we tend to choose whichever has an offer on that we can take advantage of, and this was the first time we'd tried ... Read review
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Advantages: Comfy and pleasant, also affordable. Disadvantages: Need more of them! (and some don't do evening meals for children.)
The Innkeeper's Lodge brochure promises "more than just a good night's sleep" and that's what we've just found on our family weekend in London. As conoisseurs of budget hotels, we tend to choose whichever has an offer on that we can take advantage of, and this was the first time we'd tried Innkeeper's Lodge.
The boys wanted to see London, and I (having worked there for a year) didn't want to stay in the centre. So I recced ... ...I came up with Walton-on-Thames Innkeeper's Lodge as being reasonably priced and over the road from the railway station. I booked it for Friday and Saturday at £49.95 per night (it went up to £79.95 on Sunday-Thursday so I thought we could get on our way back North on Sunday night and stay in a cheaper place off the M1.)
A week after I booked, they e-mailed me about their 2 for 1 offer. Pay for Friday and Saturday nights and get Sunday ... more
The Innkeeper's Lodge brochure promises "more than just a good night's sleep" and that's what we've just found on our family weekend in London. As conoisseurs of budget hotels, we tend to choose whichever has an offer on that we can take advantage of, and this was the first time we'd tried Innkeeper's Lodge.
The boys wanted to see London, and I (having worked there for a year) didn't want to stay in the centre. So I recced my budget hotel brochures for ones convenient for the capital without costing a fortune or being in the centre of the action. Finally I came up with Walton-on-Thames Innkeeper's Lodge as being reasonably priced and over the road from the railway station. I booked it for Friday and Saturday at £49.95 per night (it went up to £79.95 on Sunday-Thursday so I thought we could get on our way back North on Sunday night and stay in a cheaper place off the M1.)
A week after I booked, they e-mailed me about their 2 for 1 offer. Pay for Friday and Saturday nights and get Sunday night free. Oh that won't apply to ours, I thought, but I checked and it did. Damn, I thought, I've already booked, I bet they won't let me change it. I'll have to re-book. On the off chance I phoned the helpline and was told that was fine, received an amended e-mail confirmation and got 3 nights' B and B for 4 of us, half an hour's train journey out of London, for £99.90. Brilliant! Even with the train fare (just over £16 for the 4 of us, day return) it still seemed far cheaper and pleasanter than staying in the centre.
So we arrived on Friday teatime, to see a pleasant pub "The Ashley Park", with attached lodge, literally over the road from the station, with people sat outside enjoying a drink, an a secure car park round the back. After a bit of initial confusion when we pressed the intercom a couple of times and got no answer, then got someone who thought we were on the phone and didn't immediately twig that we were at the door, we were checked in efficiently by a friendly young woman who also gave us the lowdown on local child friendly places to eat. (I should explain that this was the only slight downside to the place; it was an Ember Inn which does not allow children under 14 but allows 14-18 year olds if eating with adults. our boys are 11 and 8 so we knew we'd have to look elsewhere, though they will let you have a meal in your room if you wish. It does make the inn a very nice place for a quiet drink!) Plus we found the recommended Chinese a 10 min walk away really good.
Our family room was a little on the small side with a sofa bed made up for the boys, but it was perfectly adequate for the time we spent in it. We had tea, coffee and several packets of nice biscuits, a TV with several Sky channels and apparently you could set it for a wake-up call if necessary, an electric fan (brilliant touch with the temp up to 26!) a hairdryer, a phone which took cards (and my husband managed to connect his laptop to the Internet to get a map using it) and comfy beds; the sofa bed felt really nice and the boys said it was better than their beds at home! The shower room was small but adequate and very clean; shower soap and handwash were provided and they had a sign inviting you to ask for any forgotten items from reception; toothbrushes, sanitary kits, combs, they had everything! The shower was easy to work and lovely with a powerful jet and predictable temperature, including a cut off so children couldn't turn it too hot. There were plenty of towels, not just one each, and they were white and fluffy, lovely to use.
A menu for the Inn was provided and looked very tempting although we didn't eat there in the evenings.
Breakfast was included (one up on most other places, especially the Travelodge where you can generally bank on paying at least another £20 on top of the room price for a Little Chef breakfast) and although it was a cold buffet not the usual fry-up it was more than adequate. The friendly staff took the room number then left us to get on with it. Well, the boys' eyes were nearly popping out! An industrial-sized toaster with lovely bakery sliced bread, freshly squeezed orange juice and also cranberry juice and water and a display of about 8 different cereals, plus butter, sunflower marg and jams, marmalade and honey met our eyes first. For the healthy minded there was tinned grapefruit, yogurt and fresh fruit and there were delicious warm croissants, plain or twice out of our 3 days there were ham and cheese one as well. Tea, hot chocolate and freshly brewed coffee were also on offer, and you could just go back as many times as you wished. Everything we tried was lovely and we were well impressed; if they can do it why not some of the other budget hotel chains? I couldn't imagine being able to have 3 nights in or near London for under £100 but the Innkeeper's Lodge did it for us!
You can find their website online or pick up a brochure in your nearest pub with a lodge. They are attached to various pubs, Vintage Inns (which are very child friendly), Harvester and Toby Carvery as well as Ember Inns which would be fine if you had no children with you. Each lodge is different as they're not built to a standard pattern but I like that! I liked the friendly atmosphere and genuine value for money, and our next London trip will most likely see us there again (if we can get in for all the review readers who may be haring off there for a bargain break!!)
