I had a mixed experience at the Holiday Inn in Antrim, but overall it didn’t feel like good value for money.
The biggest issue was the lack of basic comfort and amenities. There’s virtually no soundproofing, so you can hear everything, which makes it hard to properly relax. The hair dryer is oddly designed - it’s tiny, fixed inside a cupboard, positioned quite low, and you have to keep the button pressed the entire time. On top of that, the cable isn’t long enough to comfortably use it above your head, which is just impractical.
The “double” bed is also misleading - it felt more like a three-quarter size, which isn’t ideal if you’re expecting a standard double.
Another downside is the lack of water. There’s none provided in the room, and even at breakfast there wasn’t any available, meaning you have to go across the road to Asda just to get something basic.
Breakfast itself was the most disappointing part. It was by far the worst hotel breakfast I’ve experienced. The selection was extremely limited - just toast and jam, plus a few trays of hot food for a basic English breakfast. The scrambled eggs were overly milky, and there were no other egg options, no ham, no cheese - very little choice overall. The coffee was also poor, to the point where the instant Nescafé in the room was actually better. We only tried breakfast once and chose to eat elsewhere for the rest of our stay. I’m not a picky eater, but there has to be something to choose from.
That said, it wasn’t all bad. The rooms themselves were fine, everything appeared clean, and the staff seemed pleasant.
However, considering the price, the overall experience just doesn’t justify the cost.