For One Night Stands Only (Travelodge Ayr)

Member Name: rosebud2001

Product:	Travelodge Ayr
Date:	29/05/09 (143 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free parking, located close to Prestwick Airport

Disadvantages: No catering facilities, not close to Ayr town centre at all

What's that I hear you say - another Travelodge review? Well, yes, I am afraid I am going to review another Travelodge.

I was going to resist but this one is significantly different from the London ones I have reviewed in the past and I think justifies a write-up.

I stayed at the Travelodge in Ayr a couple of weeks ago after our Stena HSS had docked back in Scotland following our day trip to Belfast.

The reason I chose to stay in Ayr was because I had done an 83 mile drive from my sister's house to Stranraer that morning and if anyone is familiar with the A77 road south of Ayr, they will know it requires concentration and care for a driver. The road is single lane, takes in some beautiful scenery, is full of sharp bends and is, quite frankly, not what I am used to.

I decided I couldn't face the entire return drive to Edinburgh once we got back to Stranraer and I also didn't want to put my sister out - she lives in a small flat - so I decided to book a hotel in Ayr, which is just over an hour's drive north of Stranraer.

The problem was I left it too late to book anything - all the hotels were fully booked - except for the Travelodge. My instant reaction to this was "why?" and looking at the map realised it must be the location.

The Ayr Travelodge is located on the outskirts of the town, but is visible from the A77 road, making it ideal for travellers wishing to rest their weary heads. Yes, it's not called Travelodge for nothing.

So I booked the room for the rather high Travelodge price of £60 for a family room - I say that as I tend to take advantage of sales the company has periodically so I do realise that £60 isn't exactly expensive for a hotel room.

We arrived in Ayr around 9.00 pm just as it was starting to get dark. After I had booked the room I realised that this Travelodge has no catering facilities so before we arrived at the hotel I went to a nearby Asda which is open 24 hours for some drinks and sustenance.

The Travelodge is located next to a small industrial estate and has a Frankie & Benny's restaurant next door. My past experiences of Frankie & Benny's have been appalling so this is why we chose to visit the 24 hour Asda before checking in.

Parking was tricky - it is free but the car park was very busy. We had to settle for a space a little distance away from the entrance but given it wasn't raining and none of us have mobility issues, this wasn't a problem. The hotel is a long, white, modern building which has three levels.

What struck me when I arrived at reception was how tiny it was. I am used to Travelodges having larger receptions with bar areas attached but this was very small and consisted of a small desk with a couple of chairs and the obligatory vending machines.

Check-in was quick but the receptionist could only give us one key card, claiming she was "running short". This wasn't a problem for us, but I have to say I was surprised at a company like Travelodge not ensuring there are plenty of key cards on their premises. You also need the key to access the reception area and not just your room.

Our room was on the ground floor but the hotel does have lifts. Obviously we had no cause to use them so I cannot tell you how reliable, or otherwise, they were.

I had booked a family room and was relieved to see it was fairly spacious. As is the norm in Travelodges, the sofa bed wasn't made up, and we were also lacking spare pillows. The room sleeps 4 - the sofa bed can take 2 children and there is a large double bed.

I popped back to reception to ask for spare pillows and was informed they would be brought to my room within the next 10 minutes, a promise which was kept.

The window was open, making the room rather chilly, so I quickly closed it. The heater was reasonably effective at warming the room but it is a basic electrical convector heater and it won't heat the room up quickly.

As it was already late we watched a bit of TV before hitting the hay. The TV only had the 5 basic channels and a handful of extra ones. Despite promising radio, none of the stations actually had a signal.

The beds were reasonably comfortable and given the fact we had been up early that morning we were all very tired and fell asleep relatively quickly.

We were up at around 8.00 am the next morning and all had a shower. Travelodge bathrooms aren't particularly luxurious but they do try to ensure they have good showers and the Ayr Travelodge was no exception. It gave a powerful spray of water and helped wake us up. My only gripe with the bathroom was the fact they didn't put enough toilet paper in there meaning we nearly ran out.

There are no hairdryers in the rooms but we were happy to let nature do the work for us.

Breakfast was available from reception but it was of the continental "make it yourself" variety. Comprising cereal, UHT milk, yoghurt and not much else we decided to pass. I cannot recall exactly how much this cost but it was no more than £5. It would also be quite difficult to eat this as it's designed to be eaten in your room and each room only has one chair to sit on.

So we found ourselves checking out at 9.00 am and heading back on to the A77, now mercifully dual carriageway, for the short drive back to East Kilbride, where we had breakfast at Morrisons and dropped my sister off before heading home to Edinburgh.

For a place to crash for the night this place was fine - it was quiet, comfortable and clean. It is also well located for people wanting a place to stay close to Prestwick Airport.

However if you had plans to go out in the centre of Ayr, the Travelodge is less than ideal - it is located far from the town centre and you would need a taxi to take you there and back.

The lack of a bar or restaurant is also a huge drawback. If you like Frankie & Benny's then you are covered for lunch or dinner, but not being able to sit down for a drink and a chat with my sister was annoying - doing it in the room isn't the same. If you come here you really have to have a car so you can head off elsewhere for something to eat at your leisure.

Like all Travelodges check in is at 3.00pm and check-out is at 12.00 pm. You can pay extra to check in early and out later. Pets are allowed in the hotel but you must contact the hotel directly for permission and pets are charged at £20 per pet per stay. It's also worth noting that all Travelodges operate a strict non-smoking policy.

So for somewhere purely to sleep for the night, this place is fine but if you are looking for even a slightly higher level of comfort this is not the place to go and I would recommend this hotel for the weary traveller staying one night only.

www.travelodge.co.uk

Highfield Drive
Ayr
KA8 9SH

Tel: 0871 984 6321
Fax: 01292 880357

Summary: Clean basic accommodation suited best to travellers seeking a bed for the night