Holiday Inn Darlington - A1 Scotch Corner

Friendly staff - convenient location - great facilities!

My experience from entrance to reception was excellent, making me feel instantly at ease. It was clear that all staff members were dedicated and proud of their work, consistently going out of their way to assist guests. The breakfasts were truly wonderful and delicious! I especially want to commend Steve, the breakfast chef, whose outstanding cooking was matched only by his incredibly cheerful smile.

We use IHG a lot. Many different types pf hptel and prices, but invariably reliable and friendly. This one was anything but… 1. Booked a room with minibar because we have meds which need to stay chilled. Room had no minibar. 2. When we complained, receptionist didn’t seem bothered. Said there were no rooms available with a minibar. 3. When pushed a second time and hard, she conceded there “might” be a room with a minibar, wandered off and miraculously found a room in 2 minutes. 4. Called reception at 10.30pm to check bar closing time. Answer “11 o’clock, but you might want to come sooner because they might shut the till earlier.” 5. Wife called reception following morning to check pool was open. It was, so she went there to find it blocked to hotel guests because of an Aquafit class. She joined in as her only option to get in the water! 6. Showers in the pool area were cold. Another customer was heard complaining about them still not being fixed. Bit of a shocker for IHG.

Stopped here to use the Tesla chargers. Comfortable spacious bar area with Starbucks Coffee shop. Good well serviced toilets. Literally a ‘stones throw’ off the A1 so hugely convenient.

Food is dreadful, only stay if staying the night and do not want to eat. Positives; - Fast charging Tesla charging points outside - rooms are fine and as expected for Holiday Inn - right off the A1 and A66 - Christine who served us was lovely and very helpful Negatives; - Food is dreadful. I am not someone that expects/wants Michelin star quality but this was awful food. DO NOT EAT HERE! Awful quality ingredients and shockingly cooked. Clear that the hotel just wants to get food out as cheap as possible without any care as to how it tastes (£17 for a frozen pizza base, tomato sauce, bad cheese and pepperoni). I cannot stress how shocking the food was at this hotel. The garlic bread was a frozen pizza base with garlic paste on top. It was inedible and I am shocked this was served. Conclusion; Only stay here if not eating, which is tricky as there are not many alternative eating establishments. If I was needing to come again, I walk stay at the hotel and then walk to the service station nearby and get a Greggs Sausage roll!

I recently met a friend at the Holiday Inn Scotch Corner with the intention of going in for a coffee, as I have done many times in the past. Due to the unusually hot weather, we decided to sit in the car briefly to catch up instead. We were parked for just short of 15 minutes in what we assumed was a welcoming hotel car park, especially as I’ve used it before without issue. A few days later, I was shocked to receive a £100 Parking Charge Notice from ParkingEye, who manage the site. Despite not leaving the car or using a parking space for an extended time, and despite our genuine intent to be customers, I’m now being penalised for what I thought was a reasonable and brief stop. There was no clear signage warning that even a short visit would incur a fine, since receiving the fine I have looked on Google maps and notice there is a parking sign as you come into the car part, off a major and very busy roundabout. It has left a very negative impression. Sadly, this experience means I’m unlikely to return, and I would urge others to think twice before visiting unless they’re absolutely certain of the parking terms. This kind of enforcement feels more like a trap than hospitality.