Holiday Inn Colchester by IHG

Reviews

• DR

  Dean Reeves

  Jun 19, 2026
  3.0
  Good location in terms of travel stop but not close to any local amenities or entertainment. Public areas are very clean and provide good access with any mobility issues. No lift at this hotel. Restaurant was very busy in morning and there are a few steps to navigate for most tables. Room was clean and comfortable without any sense of luxury. Bathroom facilities good. Staff friendly and responsive.
• HM

  Hilda C M

  Jun 16, 2026
  1.0
  ★☆☆☆☆ **Poor Communication, Poor Customer Service, and Lack of Customer Focus** We booked a birthday celebration at Holiday Inn Colchester and made it clear during the planning process that having a DJ was an important part of the event. Unfortunately, after months of planning, we were informed that the hotel could not accommodate a DJ because another event at the venue would be using one on the same date. Our main concern is not simply the decision itself, but the way the situation was handled. Had we been informed when we first raised the DJ requirement that this would not be possible, we would have cancelled the booking within the hotel's 28-day cancellation period and made alternative arrangements elsewhere. Instead, we continued planning the event on the understanding that our request was being considered. By the time the hotel's position became clear, we were outside the cancellation period and placed at a financial disadvantage. To add to our disappointment, one of the alternatives suggested in writing was that we could connect a speaker in our function room and dance to the music from the wedding DJ in the other room during our birthday celebration. We found this suggestion completely inappropriate and not a reasonable substitute for the entertainment we had planned and discussed. It demonstrated a lack of understanding of the nature of our event and the experience we were trying to create for our guests. Throughout the complaints process, the responses repeatedly focused on contractual terms, cancellation charges, and the hotel's financial position rather than acknowledging the practical impact on our event and our family. Although the hotel acknowledged that a DJ was important to our celebration, they maintained that because entertainment was not specifically included in the contract, they were entitled to retain our £450 deposit. The hotel described waiving the remaining cancellation charges as a "gesture of goodwill". However, we do not view this as goodwill. We believe that had the hotel communicated its position clearly and promptly when the issue was first raised, this situation could have been avoided altogether. What disappointed us most was the lack of a genuinely client-centred approach. Rather than seeking a fair resolution, the focus appeared to remain on enforcing contractual terms. We felt that our concerns were not properly considered, and our complaint was responded to by repeating the same contractual position rather than addressing the key issue we raised. This event was arranged to celebrate my sister's birthday, and the handling of this matter caused significant disappointment, stress, and disruption to our plans. Based on our experience, I would strongly advise anyone booking an event at this venue to ensure that every important requirement is confirmed explicitly and in writing before committing to a booking, regardless of any discussions that may take place during the planning process.
• MC

  Michael Corcoran

  Jun 15, 2026
  4.0
  Me and my partner stayed here yesterday and it was good hotel the pool was nice and clean the sauna was lovely. The premium room was alright it needs a newer model of tv better shower the pressure was poor. The mini bar in the room was free but very limited with 5 items i would recommend putting extra cans of water in the mini fridge to make it look packed. Inaddition the restaurant was amazing the battered fish was the best i had in years. The staff was so friendly and polite there was no delays when i needed help. One more thing the breakfast was alright the bacon needs to be cooked abit more.
• LM

  Louise Moy

  Jun 9, 2026
  5.0
  Brilliant hotel with excellent staff. The staff couldn't do enough for us. From the lovely man on reception (who even came to find us in the bar to give us our room key as our room wasn't quite ready when we arrived!) to the restaurant and bar staff, everyone was polite, helpful and happy! Our room and ensuite were a good size, clean and bright. Even though it was close to a main road, the hotel was peaceful and we had very little road noise. The breakfast was amazing, lots of choice and lovely croissants!! Great location for Colchester, just a short drive to the centre. We would definitely stay again!!
• CM

  Claudio Moreira

  May 30, 2026
  1.0
  I stayed at this hotel between 15–17 May, and it was without question one of the worst hotel experience I've ever had. The problems started the moment we arrived. After giving my name for the reservation, reception asked me to show them how much I had paid because they apparently had "two different prices" on their system. Why that was my problem to solve is beyond me. I'd never experienced a hotel asking a guest to verify their own booking price because they couldn't work out their own records. It only got worse from there. My wife, baby and I were allocated a room on the second floor. We were travelling with a pram and had specifically requested a cot months in advance when making the booking. When I asked where the lift was, I was told there wasn't one. The receptionist casually remarked that they "usually put families on the first floor." Clearly not this time. So we were left hauling a baby, a pram and luggage up the stairs because nobody had the foresight to think that a family with an infant might benefit from being on a lower floor. The following day, we returned to find our room keys no longer worked. When we went to reception, we were told we weren't staying in room 202 but in room 204. We were absolutely staying in room 202. Our keys had worked perfectly the day before and all of our belongings were inside. Instead of simply admitting a mistake, staff effectively treated us like suspicious intruders and made me accompany them to the room and prove it was ours by describing what was inside. It was embarrassing, insulting and completely unacceptable. Unsurprisingly, every single one of our belongings was exactly where we said it would be. Just when I thought the experience couldn't get any worse, two weeks later I received a parking charge notice for parking in the hotel's own guest car park. During check-in I had entered my registration number not once but twice – once on the paperwork and once on the tablet at reception. The hotel had all the information they needed. Their failure to process it correctly resulted in me receiving a parking charge at home. When I called to complain, they eventually cancelled it, but then had the audacity to tell me that I should "be more careful next time." That level of arrogance after their own mistake is staggering like he was doing me favour?! The only positive thing I can say is that the restaurant staff were genuinely lovely, friendly and professional throughout our stay. Unfortunately, they were the exception rather than the rule and were let down by the hotel's overall management and reception team. This hotel appears incapable of managing even the most basic aspects of hospitality. They couldn't handle a reservation correctly, couldn't allocate an appropriate room to a family with a baby, couldn't keep track of which room guests were staying in, and couldn't process a vehicle registration properly. At every stage, their mistakes became the guest's problem. The entire stay felt disorganised, amateurish and utterly devoid of customer service from those responsible for running the hotel. Not once did anyone at reception take proper responsibility for the repeated errors. Instead, we were left to deal with the consequences of their incompetence.

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