Bay Eden Arms Hotel (Durham, United Kingdom)

What a treat it is to stay at a hotel with an in-house leisure centre. You can take a dip in the indoor pool and then make the rounds of the steam room, sauna and hot tub before you wander leisurely back to your room for a well-deserved cat nap.

The warm, friendly and knowledgeable staff at Bay Eden Arms Hotel welcomes you at check-in, which is available 24-7, and is there for you for the duration of your stay. They are happy to accommodate most any request, help you with recommendations for dining out and point you in the direction of the most popular local sites.

The price point here is quite reasonable, especially when you consider the number of amenities you get here, such as the leisure centre and in-house restaurant.

The Internet connection in the guest rooms at Bay Eden Arms Hotel can be slow and spotty which could be problematic if you are travelling on business, want to get an email out in a hurry or use your devices on demand. But if needs be, you can go to the public spaces where the Wi-Fi is spot-on.

Sometimes the food here is not what it should be, especially when it comes to the temperatures of the dishes. Often, they come to your table cold or really overcooked and lacking in the flavours you'd hoped for.

Sometimes the housekeeping staff is thorough and sometimes it really missed the mark. Carpets that need a good cleaning and dust in places long-neglected are the worst offenders.