CLOSE ENOUGH FOR A GOOD THRILLING RIDE

A visit to Glasgow on a Friday, resulted in me having to travel to Stafford on the Sunday night, at the same time as many of my fellow Ciao’ers were recovering from the trials and tribulations of Alton Towers and I having to cancel 2 days of my weeks leave.

Needing to be at Staffordshire University at 9.30 in the morning meant an early Monday morning start was out of the question and I needed somewhere to stay. Not being familiar with the region, not having had a chance to ask for recommendations I turned to my trust friends Ciao and Dooyoo and eventually Google.

One hotel kept springing up all over the place, The Tillington Hall with a variety of Internet sites offering rates from £75 per night for a single room including Breakfast, just up to my subsistence rates and a little pricey for my liking, knowing the amount of travelling I was likely to be doing in the coming months to hammer my budget, but well it did have a swimming pool and it was rather short notice. Being a next day booking, in this instance I took the unusual step of calling the hotel directly and was offered a single room for £65 Bed and Breakfast, I was hooked and booked

LOCATION
Arriving some 24 hours later, tired from a 6 hour drive up a Sunday night traffic clogged M6, I was in desperate need of some relaxation – the hotel is situated on the A5103 in its own grounds, approximately ½ mile from the M6, Junction 14; lucky old me took the wrong road off the motorway as the directions I had were very misleading (you need to head for Stafford). It is around 10 miles from Alton Towers, 18 miles from Birmingham airport and about 2 miles from the centre of Stafford, so generally a good position, the only bad part being is that if you are driving you will need to face the M6 to get there. It is about a mile from Stafford train station.

SCORE - 9/10

CHECK-IN
Check in was by some ‘lovely’ foreign (French I think) lady who seemed more interesting in talking on her mobile phone than assisting me, but finally I was checked in and directed to my room – which required use of the lift as I had luggage, work and laptop in tow. The lift was rather cranky to say the least, and if it had not been for the amount of luggage I had with me, I would most definitely have used the stairs.

SCORE - 5/10

THE LEISURE SUITE
Well I had to have some relaxation and of course assess the facilities for this benefit of my fellow Ciao members; I just had to try it out. These facilities are aimed at members, but are complementary for residents; towels are provided, as are locker keys for nice big sizeable lockers to store your stuff in, although you will need a 50p, which you get back when you leave.

The swimming pool wasn’t huge, but big enough to have a good swim and very, very warm, almost bath temperature, there was also a Jacuzzi with jets strong enough to tempt even the doubters amongst you, (even hotter), a Sauna, (too hot for my liking and situated in the ladies changing rooms so sorry lads you can’t partake) – for the really energetic, there is also full gym facilities. I was very fortunate to have the pool and Jacuzzi to myself for most of the time I was there, although I should imagine it wouldn’t be too pleasant if full. The changing area had very hot power-showers and firmly nailed down hairdryer.

Surprisingly, and this was something I have never come across before, notices were sited everywhere warning people not to spend longer than about 5 minutes in the Jacuzzi, the jets were controlled by the attendant.

The pool area also has a lounge area with reclining seats and tables and chairs where you can sit and read or just watch the kids, although times when the little blighters are allowed in is restricted.

The leisure area also has a bar with a pool table and TV and is open from 7am to 10pm daily.

SCORE – 10/10

FOOD
What follows a good swim? Food of course – I sampled a cracking burger and a few local lagers in the bar for around £10, certainly can’t complain at that, although restaurant prices were substantially higher (and outside my subsistence levels) and from what I remember did not offer a la carte. Service in the bar was relatively pleasant if a little slow.

FOOD – 7/10
SERVICE - 4/10

BREKKIE
Heaven personified, although when it was discovered I was a single lady travelling alone, I was shunted into a seat around the corner out of site – the usual fayre of fresh fruits, cereals, pastries, sausage, bacon, black pudding, beans, mushrooms, eggs in every shape and form, toast and tea and coffee.

SCORE - 10/10

THE ROOM
None of your Jury’s hotel non-existent sound proofing here – the walls were solid and the window’s wooden and the weather lousy – in fact I would go as far as to say they were cold. Very old fashioned decor with the usual tea/coffee making facilities, TV and Sky sports. There was, unusually, an iron in situ, a hairdryer, a small seating area and the usual extortionate telephone fees for internet and calls – haven’t they realised yet that most people have mobiles these days?

The bathroom was small, but adequately stocked with the usual freebies, although it took me some time to actually find them, again the décor was quite dated.

They do also have executive rooms that offer a range of additional items such as complimentary dressing gowns (ugh), a free newspaper, mineral water and fresh fruit – not really enough to justify what I suspect would be a substantial additional charge for what is already not a cheap hotel (a couple of weeks ago I stayed in a 4* hotel for ridiculously cheap rate thanks to my fellow Ciao’ers recommendation of .laterooms.com. The hotel offers both smoking and non-smoking rooms.

SCORE - 8/10

PRICE – 4/10 - £65 per night bed and breakfast – although usual rates start from £85 according to the website.

BOOKING PROCESS
Over the Internet at Best Western’s website – or at virtually every other hotel website you can imagine, or of course as I did, direct with the hotel on (01785) 253531 – I must confess this is the first time when there have been Internet facilities available that I have actually managed to get a room cheaper with the hotel.

The Tillington Hall Hotel
Eccleshall Rd
Stafford
ST16 1JJ

Would I stay there again? You bet I would.

OVERALL RATING – 9/10