Ramada, Colchester West

My wife and I stayed one night at the Ramada at West Colchester following a friend’s birthday party, held in the hotel. We booked through Laterooms.com and got a reasonable price, but did note that breakfast was charged at an extra rate.

The hotel is in a good location for access into Colchester, Dedham Vale (constable Country) and onto the A12, but being so close to the A12, traffic noise may be a problem.

There is adequate parking, but we didn’t notice if there were any security cameras installed to cover the car park.

The greeting at reception was very warm and it has to be said that the staff were extremely courteous and professional at all times.

The room we were given was on the ground floor and the window faced the A12 and there was a small gap between the window and the frame that allowed the traffic noise to be clearly heard. Ear plugs??

The room was tired and quite dated. Not quite 1970s style, but certainly in need of modernisation. There was a flat screen TV on the wall, but we could only get BBC1, ITV and Channel 4. OK, if you are likely to venture out, but if you’re stuck in your room..? The kettle didn’t work, either, so no chance of the complimentary cuppa!

The bathroom was very small and really drab! The shower was in the bath and operated from the mixer tap, with the plunger style swap from taps to shower. The water supply was quite noisy and there was a loud humming sound every time the WC was flushed. Probably annoying for the neighbours, although theirs was noisy too!

The walls are quite thin and the corridors echo people talking, so late night conversations can be annoying! Ear plugs??

The bed was old, soft and a little lumpy. There were plenty of pillows, but no blackout curtain, so not the best night's sleep. The room was warm enough, but WHY do hotel chains assume that we all know how their heating systems work? There is a heater, but you can't turn it on or off. Aha! There is a separate wall-mounted thermostat that controls it! Imagine that!

The breakfast was excellent. Freshly cooked and piping hot full English, all available using the buffet system. Plenty of choice, too, with cereals, fruits, juices, pastries and toast available. The only complaint is that the table wasn’t cleared between courses, so a bit of a balancing act needed for plates and bowls!

The hotel is probably only good for a night's stay; not sure about staying there much longer than that.

Remember, the staff were excellent!