Sleep Inn & Conference Centre Darlington

...is no longer called ‘The Sleep Inn’. It has (I’m assuming) changed hands and is now called ‘The Aston Hotel’.

I have stayed at this hotel on many occasions, my most recent trip there was at the beginning of May 2007, where I stayed for 4 nights.

Every time I return to this hotel the standard never slips. I searched for a long time trying to find a cheaper hotel/deal in the same area, and this was consistently the cheapest ...
...size, and you could probably sleep 4 people in them! They are also really comfy beds– perfect! The rooms are all tastefully decorated, and if you look at the pictures on the website they really do look like that, I was very surprised on my first visit!
The bathroom is something that The Aston takes great pride in. They are not huge, the sink is not actually in the bathroom, but I quite liked this, it was next to the bedroom but with a small ... more

Before I start this review I would like to point out that this hotel is no longer called ‘The Sleep Inn’. It has (I’m assuming) changed hands and is now called ‘The Aston Hotel’.

I have stayed at this hotel on many occasions, my most recent trip there was at the beginning of May 2007, where I stayed for 4 nights.

Every time I return to this hotel the standard never slips. I searched for a long time trying to find a cheaper hotel/deal in the same area, and this was consistently the cheapest for what you get.

The Location: “The hotel is two minutes drive from the A1(M), ten minutes from Darlington Station on the East Coast main line and 15 minutes from Durham Tees Valley International airport. Middlesbrough, Durham, Sunderland, Newcastle and Gateshead are within 40 minutes by road, and York within an hour”

The hotel is right off the motorway, so it was very handy as you can get anywhere very quickly. I would like to add that I could not hear the motorway throughout all of my trips at night.

There is a petrol station and a McDonalds on the same site as the hotel, but they are not next door and in my opinion were not an issue at all.

The Hotel:

The Aston is part of a chain, with 4 hotels dotted around the north of England and Scotland. The entire hotel is furnished to a high standard, everywhere is carpeted and is always spotlessly clean. The reception is on your right as you walk through the automatic sliding doors, and there are always people on reception to help and swiftly check you in and out. The restaurant and bar are on your left through some more doors and bedrooms and conference rooms are on the right past reception. The hotel also has free parking for 120 cars.

The Restaurant and Bar (Brassier and Bar 59):

We ate most nights in the restaurant at the Aston, and breakfast was included in all our stays so I got very used to how it all worked. As you go though the doors towards the restaurant there is a small area where there are leaflets and there are some (also spotlessly clean) toilets available. Past some more doors and you reach the well stocked bar on your right as well as a TV which shows important sporting events and the news Sofas and armchairs on your left for relaxing with a drink. All is up to a very high standard.
If you continue past the bar you come to the restaurant. In the morning breakfast is served in a buffet style (I will come to the food later) and at night you are quickly seated and waiters bring your food to you.
The restaurant always has people in it, as does the bar, but first thing in the morning is busiest as a lot of pilots and business men stay here so have to get up early, and you also get the best selection of breakfast the earlier you get up.

The Rooms:

I have stayed in both the executive and standard rooms. The difference between them is that the executive has about three feet of more space so you get sofa and chairs in the room instead of just 2 chairs. I think it is worth getting an executive, as if I remember correctly it isn’t an awful lot more money. But if money is an issue and you are staying there alone then there is nothing working with the standard rooms and they are in no way cramped.
The rooms are in fact huge! They are bigger than any hotel I have ever stayed in, the beds are king size, and you could probably sleep 4 people in them! They are also really comfy beds– perfect! The rooms are all tastefully decorated, and if you look at the pictures on the website they really do look like that, I was very surprised on my first visit!
The bathroom is something that The Aston takes great pride in. They are not huge, the sink is not actually in the bathroom, but I quite liked this, it was next to the bedroom but with a small wall separating it from the rest of the room (it sounds awful but its really not!). The hotel has amazing big power showers, the showers are very roomy and are much nicer than mine at home!

The rooms don’t have a fridge/mini bar in them, but have satellite TV, coffee and tea making facilities and a huge desk with phone and pads of paper and pens. The rooms all have FREE WIFI! I think this is an excellent feature and one which all hotels should have. This makes the hotel perfect for business as well as leisure.

There is plenty of space in the rooms for clothes, and I once spent 12 hours alone in the room (my partner was out on business and I cant drive) and I didn’t feel at all ‘cooped in’ the rooms are just so big (that time I was in the standard room as well!).

The view from our room was never of the motorway (none of the rooms overlooks it) and was of close by hills which were covered with dozens of horses, so really very pleasant.

The Food:

I like to try and have room service if I arrived late at night to a hotel, and the room service in The Aston was outstanding. The food was delivered to our room within 15 minutes of us ordering and was all very hot with a good selection and far more than I could physically eat!
The restaurant was also very good, at breakfast you had the choice of:

Bacon
Sausages
Baked Beans
Black Pudding
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Fried eggs
Scrambled Eggs
Hash Browns
Toast
A selection of cereals
Fruit
Cheese
A selection of juices

There was always a ready supply, and on the occasions where the food was running low the chefs would cook up fresh batches for us. Overall the breakfast was always really good and the floor staff would always bring us over tea/coffee and toast straight away. The food was always hot and we never had to queue.

On the occasions where we ate dinner in the restaurant we were always very pleased. The food (I suspect it is all pre cooked and re heated to order) was always on the table within 10 minutes or less from ordering and was always of a very high standard. One night I had lamb and my partner had chicken both of which we thoroughly enjoyed and you are always given bread at your table. They offer a range of three course meals, and the menu changes frequently (the desserts are defiantly worth a try!)

Overall every time I have stayed at the Aston I have never failed to be impressed, the conference rooms also look really good and were always being used.

Please ask if you would like any more information (I think I may have written rather a lot!!) 

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