Holiday Inn Washington, Durham Suite

Rooms are generally what you expect from an older holiday inn. Comfortable enough but a bit run down. My issue was with the restaurant. Not sure if all sites have now followed suit, but the prices of the food was extortionate. £8-9 for starters. Very poor quality fish and chips £18.95!!! On arrival I was informed that there is a new payment system and if I chose to eat in house I’d have to pay when I ordered. This in itself didn’t seem a huge problem, although a little unwelcoming. How many places to you pay for food before you see and eat it. Anyway, I thought given the prices perhaps the quality was going to be better than normal. I ordered Bengali prawn starter, fish and chips, and a Guinness. When my drink was bought over I was asked if I was paying by card, I was. The card machine was bought to me and held out for me to pay with contactless (at no stage was a bill produced to me). I paid and thought nothing more. I then asked for a VAT receipt and was asked to write my email address and it would be sent. (It never was) The food came out and was very poor. Over cooked, rock hard prawns with a bit of spiced mayo. £8.50 Over cooked/re cooked chips and horrible wrinkly batter fish. £18.95 (picture attached to review!) And a pint of Guinness. It’s then I noticed my credit card receipt showed I’d paid £37.90! When leaving I queried the price of a pint of Guinness, I was told £7. I then said why have I paid nearly £38. I was then told a 10% service charge had been added (without any knowledge or bill showing this!!!!). I was told it was on the back of the menu in small print. I’m also assuming this is suppose to be discretionary… I had to wait till checkout next morning to request the VAT receipt I never got. This was then produced. It didn’t show 10% service charge added, which means the waitress has added this on the card machine without my knowledge! This is disgraceful! This is not how to conduct a reputable business! Safe to say I don’t plan eating here again, and I advise others to avoid it also. If the restaurant has been outsourced/leased, which I believe it may have been. Then holiday inn need to address these prices and the standard they are serving to people. The food was by far the worst I’ve had in a holiday inn, and I was charged reputable restaurant high street prices for my troubles!

Not recommended. Awful place. My room was freezing, rang reception twice to ask if they had a spare heater. 4 hours later a heater was eventually delivered. The wall was damaged in the room, the bath had been painted at some time in the past and the paint was chipping off! Decidedly grotty! The evening staff in the restaurant just couldn't be bothered. Seemed too busy hanging round the bar, chatting to each other The bar prices are absolutely astronomical. Food in the restaurant was average at best. The hot breakfast food is left slowly cremating under hot lights. The breakfast cereal is left out, uncovered all day and night, absolutely disgusting! However the reception staff were delightful and very apologetic. All in all an old tired hotel in dire need of a refurb. Handy for the A1 though!