I don't usually comment on 'Holiday Inn' hotels as they're all pretty much the same wherever you go. However, there seems to be a bit of confusion with reviews in Norwich.There are TWO in the area and the opinions appear to be jumbled together giving a confusing overall picture.

I have stayed recently at the IPSWICH ROAD hotel and found it to be just fine. Some criticisms made just don’t seem applicable to anything I experienced, so I wouldn’t want the place downgraded unfairly.
Staff are friendly, smart and respectful. Rooms are clean and well equipped and all other facilities are fine. Meals are good with breakfasts catering for all hot and cold tastes. Cereals, fresh fruit, Danish pastries, black puddin’….it’s all there.
So what’s to moan about? Tariff? Does ANYONE pay the full rate these days? Why? Two miles from town? No problem – it’s a good base for the area and a peaceful nights rest.

I must agree with any complaints about the bar prices though. Over a fiver for a glass of house wine is pushing it a bit but my £3.15 pint of lager wasn’t too bad….and there WAS a huge plasma TV in the bar to amuse any sporty types. (For serious drinkers who feel ripped off - you’ll be pleased to hear there’s a great pub just a few metres down the road called the ‘Marsh Harrier’…... It's one of those 'M&B' establishments with an 'Inn keeper's lodge' food menu. Friendly,clean and cheap.

It's obvious some folk choose the wrong hotel for their needs when visiting East Anglia but THIS Holiday Inn will suit most.

Stayed here for a weekend away recently. Checked the revews on Trip Advisor beforehand but wasn't prepared for the hotel not to be within a twenty minute walk to town. The hotel is situated within a residential area with a Tescos nearby, other than that nothing much else except a dreary looking pub (more of this later).

The previous reviewer has posted his review against the wrong Holiday Inn, the one next to the football stadium is in the centre of town. The hotel here looks like a motel, with standard rooms, clean and tidy, comfortable enough bed, good enough for a weekend away if you dont pay too much. The breakfast was very good, hot and plentiful and the staff were very helpful.

Unfortunately we didnt book dinner either night so cant comment on the evening meals. Surprisingly we would have had to wait over an hour for a table (where did all these people come from, they certainly weren't staying at the hotel) so on the first night we chose to drive out and eat elsewhere. For our second night, we decided to walk to the only pub nearby, the Marsh Harriers, and have dinner there. The staff here were rude and snotty, and the food - standard pub grub - was poor so I'd say book a table at the hotel instead of eating at the pub!

I couldnt recommend this hotel- nothing really wrong with it, just in a really bad location- for us visitors to Norwich that is, and apart from one dodgy pub nothing is close by to look at. If ever I go to Norwich again I'll book a hotel in the city centre, where there looked to be plenty going on

Good hotel overall. Normal sized rooms for a 'travel' hotel in the UK. Good lesiure centre in the hotel (Spirit chain - usual stuff). Good quality restaurant food. Useful free parking - easy to find the hotel. Reasoanbly handy for a bus or drive into Norwich centre.

The odd thing - our stay included evening meals (this was from the set meal or the specials- ok choices). At the end of the meal we were presented with a bill for the full cost of the meal, plus drinks -PLUS a 10% discretionary service charge on top for everything.

When I queried this with the head waiter, he said that it was discretionary. When I crossed it off the bill he said 'was the service that bad?' I complained about this to the reception - they were moderately helpful.

I continued to cross off the service charge and tipped when I chose to do so.

I think that this arrangement is fundamentally unfair - in that I was charged approx £10 per evening meal service charge - when I had already paid for the meal. I shall be in touch with the company (having never experienced this at a Holiday Inn before)

Motel style, looking rather basic, dated and tired and giving the general impression of being run down. Our room was also tired looking but was clean and comfortable, although the bathroom was very cramped and basic. The room was very quiet though, with very effective black out curtains. The AC could only belch out cold air ,but fortunately we were blessed with good weather.A plus point was being able to open the window a little way on a secure setting.

Huge rip off in the lounge /bar - unbelievable that a pot of tea for two cost £5.50 plus obligatory service charge of 10%!! It was overbrewed with 4 teabags and quite unpleasant. We only drank it as we had driven for 3 hours and were in dire need of refreshment.The lounge/bar menu showed hugely overpriced sandwiches and a very poor range of light snacks after 6pm.

Breakfast - standard Holiday Inn fare, but a pretty poor range on the Monday morning, but significantly better on Tuesday. Very nicely cooked though - and the tea was good!

Ate in the restaurant the second night with no high expectations, but were very pleasantly surprised and had an excellent meal. Very fresh ingredients, well presented and tasted lovely.

Comparing our stay here with a recent experience in the more basic Express by Holiday Inn, there is little to justify the big difference in price - and nothing to justify the cost of that pot of tea!!!