Travelodge Chelmsford Hotel.
Brand new, opened late 2008 so you can still see the salt coming out of the bricks. (OK, I didn't know what that was either but my clever boyfriend pointed it out.) The point is, it's new so it seems a few kinks need ironing out.
Generally, a fine place to stay for the price which was £29 per room per night but it is very basic. The room had a double bed, a small table, a TV, hanging space for clothes and an ensuite bathroom. There was no hairdryer, no trouser press, not even any little bottles of shampoo (but there was a small bar of soap). Even the 'continental' breakfast was an extra fiver per person. But, you know, it was OK.
After we'd found it.
Strangely, the address of the hotel online is shown as Army & Navy, 128-136 Parkway, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 7PU. After driving the full length of Parkway in both directions and thinking we must be mad not to find this huge building, I gave them a call to find out where the hell they were. It was completely unlike me to be so organised as to take down the number of a place and not lose it, but lady luck was with us that day. So I called the number, thinking it was a direct line to the hotel but in fact it was a central number to a call centre. After hearing a computerised spiel about something that wasn't at all relevant to me, I got through to a human being and told her that we couldn't find the place. I told her that we were on Parkway and had driven up and down it and couldn't find it. Her reply was "Oh, no, it's not actually on Parkway, that's just the address. It's actually on Yeomanry Way." Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't an address traditionally where something is?! I've since gone back to the website and checked. Yes, the address is given as Parkway. It's only if you click on the 'directions' tab on the website that it gives you the name of the road it's ACTUALLY on. But no post code or anything which may make it hard to find for sat-nav users. I find that baffling.
Anyway, so we made it there in the end and found the car park which turns out to be pay and display. For £20 per night. Mmm. My mood isn't getting any better. You have to get a special code at reception so I went up to find a weary reception clerk who explained that shortly before the hotel opened, the council announced that the car park would have to be pay and display. Travelodge has rights to 'subsidised' spaces of £7 per night (much better than the advertised £20, but still), could I please put down my car registration etc on this list, and call this number to pay over the phone.
True enough, this information is given on the website but again, I didn't think to look at the Parking and Facilities tab as I've never been asked to pay to park in the grounds of a hotel before, even at a budget hotel.
So, in the end, £29 per night, plus £5 each for breakfast, £7 for parking plus 2 lengthy phonecalls (the car parking service even charged a compulsory 20p service charge!) actually came to at least £46.20. It's not going to break the bank, but I do wish it was all a bit more upfront.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS GOOGLE MAPS PICTURE SHOWS THE 'ADDRESS' OF THE HOTEL, NOT WHERE IT ACTUALLY IS (WHICH IS ON YEOMANRY WAY) read more