Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG

Bicester 51.88209000, -1.15049000 , Bicester Gateway Business Park (Show on Map)


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Summary of reviewsHoliday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, stands out for its stellar location, making it a prime choice for visitors to Bicester Village and surrounding attractions. The hotel’s proximity to shopping centers, restaurants, main roads, motorways and convenient transport hubs like the Bicester Village train station is repeatedly praised. Additionally, guests appreciate the practical and easy access to nearby locales such as Oxford and the Cotswolds.

Cleanliness and modernity are frequently highlighted with guests commending the spotlessly clean environment and the stylish, contemporary design of the rooms. Comfortable beds, spacious layouts, modern facilities including air conditioning and attentiveness to space-efficient amenities such as USB ports at headboards all contribute to a positive guest experience. Despite occasional minor maintenance issues and noise from busy roads, the overall sentiment leans towards a clean, comfortable and peaceful stay.

The breakfast offerings receive mixed reviews; however, many guests appreciate the good selection of hot and cold options, including a full English breakfast and delicious croissants. Friendly and efficient breakfast staff also enhance the dining experience. On the downside, there are calls for more vegetarian and vegan options and better management during peak times to handle food quantity and cleanliness.

Dinner at the hotel is described as generally good value with tasty and quick meals, including popular items like fish and chips and pizza. Nevertheless, the evening menu is considered limited with some instances of long waits, high prices and lower quality food.

The hotel staff receives overwhelming praise with many guests highlighting their friendly, helpful and welcoming nature. Exceptional service from staff members like Tammy and Ozzy is frequently noted, along with efficient, warm and accommodating reception staff who contribute significantly to the positive guest experience.

WiFi at the hotel has mixed reviews. Many guests find it reliable and stable, but others, particularly those staying on the third floor, report poor connectivity. The hotel staff, however, is commended for being helpful with connectivity issues.

Parking is ample, clean and generally well-maintained, though the £5 daily fee is a recurring point of disappointment for many. The presence of electric vehicle (EV) chargers is appreciated, though issues with functionality and slow charging speeds are noted.

Family guests find the hotel clean, comfortable and practical for their needs, although rooms can feel compact for larger families. Despite some limitations in space and children's amenities, the family-friendly atmosphere with staff providing cots, kids' packs and reading corners is well-received.

In summary, Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, delivers a generally positive experience emphasized by its convenient location, cleanliness, modern facilities and commendable staff service. Minor areas for improvement include breakfast variety, evening menu selections, parking fees and some spatial constraints for families. Overall, it provides a satisfactory and value-for-money stay.
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Hotel Taking Steps Towards Sustainability
As an IHG hotel, this property is likely to participate in the IHG Green Engage system, which measures and manages their environmental impact. IHG focuses on reducing energy, water, and waste.

Hotel with Parking
Located in Bicester Gateway Business Park, this hotel provides free parking for guests. The hotel's location makes it easy to access and convenient for travelers.

EV charging stations  


Accessible Hotel
This hotel features 'Double Room, Accessible' options with walk-in showers and roll-in showers. It includes grab bars, tall toilets, adequate clear turning space in bathrooms, and showers with built-in transfer shower seats. Handrails are present in the bathrooms. The hotel offers accessible parking and lift access to upper floors.

Hotel with EV Charging Stations
The Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG features electric vehicle charging points in its car park. The presence of these chargers is appreciated by guests.

Family Friendly Hotel

Dog Friendly Hotel

Business Hotel

4-Star Hotel

Room Types
Standard Room with Free Hot Breakfast A standard twin or double room will be allocated to you on arrival at the hotel's discretion. Your room and bedding preference is purely a request and not guaranteed.

Standard Double Room with Sofa Bed and Free Hot Breakfast Offering free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer. The double room has carpeted floors, a seating area with a flat-screen TV, a tea and coffee maker, a sofa, as well as heating. The unit has 2 beds.

Standard Double Room with Free Hot Breakfast Featuring free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer. The double room features a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, a carpeted floor, heating, as well as a flat-screen TV. The unit has 1 bed.

Double Room with Free Hot Breakfast - Accessible Offering free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a walk-in shower and a hairdryer. This wheelchair accessible double room features a tea and coffee maker, a seating area with a flat-screen TV and a roll-in shower. The unit offers 1 bed.

Standard Twin Room with Free Hot Breakfast Providing free toiletries, this twin room includes a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer. The twin room provides a tea and coffee maker, a seating area, a carpeted floor, heating and a flat-screen TV. The unit offers 2 beds.

Guest Reviews
Location
'Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG' receives outstanding praise from guests primarily due to its stellar location. Visitors find it an excellent base for visiting Bicester Village with many highlighting its proximity—often just a 10-15 minute walk or a very short drive away. Its convenience is amplified by easy access to main roads and motorways, offering simple navigation for travelers. The hotel is also praised for being close to other local amenities such as shopping centers, restaurants and garden centers, making it a practical choice for a wide range of needs including shopping trips and work-related stays.

Cleanliness and modern facilities are frequently commended with guests appreciating the comfortable rooms and spacious parking. The practicality of the location extends to easy bus services into Oxford and nearby attractions like the Cotswolds, Woodstock and Blenheim Palace. Guests also appreciate the convenience of nearby transport hubs like the Bicester Village train station, providing additional travel options.

Despite being situated on a busy road, the hotel maintains a quiet ambiance, which alongside its modern design, friendly staff and abundant amenities, ensures a comfortable stay. Many travelers found the location ideal for their visits, citing it as a key reason for their choice, alongside the hotel's reasonable pricing and overall cleanliness.

Breakfast
The breakfast experience at Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, has garnered mixed reviews from guests. On the positive side, many guests appreciated the good selection of hot and cold options, which included full English and continental breakfast items. Some highlighted the variety as excellent, mentioning delicious croissants and plentiful choices that were regularly replenished. The breakfast buffet was often described as very good, tasty and offering great value for money, especially since it was included in the room rate. Guests also noted that the breakfast team was friendly and efficient.

However, there were notable criticisms regarding the limited options, particularly for vegetarians and vegans. While some guests found the continental side satisfactory, others felt the hot food selection was lacking, often mentioning the absence of items like mushrooms, tomatoes and hash browns. Issues with food quality were reported, such as powdery eggs, stale croissants and undercooked or cold hot items. On busier mornings, the breakfast area could become chaotic with insufficient staff to maintain the buffet, resulting in food running out and tables left uncleared. Guests also expressed dissatisfaction with the breakfast ending too early at 9:30 am, making it difficult for late risers.

Overall, while the hotel’s breakfast offering has its commendable points, improvements in variety, particularly for dietary restrictions and better management during peak times could enhance the guest experience significantly.

Dinner
Guests at the Holiday Inn Express in Bicester have mixed feelings about dining at the hotel. Positively noted were the tasty and quick meals, including a particular fondness for the fish and chips and pizza. Evening meals were frequently described as good value, tasty and with a nice relaxed atmosphere. The inclusion of vegetarian options and the readiness of food even at late hours added to the dining experience.

However, many guests found the evening menu to be limited with some describing the food as average or poor. There were mentions of long waits for food, expensive prices and instances of basic or microwaved frozen food quality. Furthermore, the lack of healthy or varied choices, coupled with occasional issues such as rude staff and slow service, did not go unnoticed. Some guests even encountered issues like food waste and flies. Despite some positive commentary on specific dishes and the dining environment, others felt the offerings fell short, both in selection and overall quality.

Rooms
Holiday Inn Express in Bicester, an IHG Hotel, offers a mix of modernity and comfort, evident in its well-designed, spacious and clean rooms. Reviewers frequently highlight the spotlessly clean environment and the stylish, contemporary layout that creates a welcoming atmosphere for guests. Rooms are equipped with comfortable beds and plush bedding, ensuring a good night's sleep. Many guests appreciate the spaciousness of the rooms with some noting the effective use of space and practical amenities like USB ports at headboards.

The hotel's relatively new state contributes to its pristine condition and it features appealing modern facilities including air conditioning and superior bathroom fixtures. The large windows in the rooms provide lovely views and ample natural light, enhancing the overall ambiance.

Although there are notable positives, a few recurring issues have been mentioned. Noise from nearby main roads and other rooms' flushes can be bothersome, despite the presence of sound-resistant windows. Some guests found certain rooms small for families and noted the lack of closet space or room for movement. Several reviews mentioned minor maintenance issues such as broken door frames and cleanliness under beds and a few guests noted unpleasant odors in some bathrooms.

The hotel’s location near busy roads is seen as both advantageous and a source of traffic noise. Additionally, while the hotel does not offer room service, the breakfast is generally considered above average with great toiletries enhancing the guest experience. The setup of some rooms might be too small for larger families, yet they are consistently described as modern, clean and comfortable, providing a satisfactory stay for most guests. Despite minor inconveniences, the overall sentiment leans towards a positive and value-for-money stay.

Beds
The beds at Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, have received predominantly positive feedback from guests. Most reviews highlight that the beds are comfortable with phrases such as "very comfortable beds," and "super comfy beds" frequently mentioned. Guests appreciated the spaciousness of the beds, noting them as "large and comfortable" and "well-sized." The clean and fresh bedding also added to the positive sleeping experience for many.

However, there were some negative comments. Several guests found the sofa beds to be uncomfortable, describing them as "very uncomfortable." Additionally, there were mixed reviews about the pillows with some guests finding them too hard or comparing them to rocks.

While a few guests mentioned hard mattresses and beds that were not comfortable, these comments were less frequent compared to the numerous positive affirmations regarding bed comfort. Overall, the majority of guests had a good sleep experience, appreciating the clean and comfortable accommodations.

Cleanliness
Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, has garnered a reputation for maintaining high standards of cleanliness throughout its premises. Guests frequently describe the rooms as "spotlessly clean," "very clean," and "neat." The modern and recently renovated interiors are often praised for their fresh and tidy appearance. The communal areas and breakfast room are also highlighted for their cleanliness with several reviews emphasizing the overall well-kept state of the entire property.

While the general feedback is overwhelmingly positive, there are occasional mentions of minor issues. A few reviews cited dirty carpets and inadequate cleaning in some rooms. However, these incidents appear to be exceptions rather than the norm. The cleaning staff receives commendation for their diligence and the well-maintained condition of the hotel is frequently noted.

The spacious and comfortable rooms add to the positive experience with many guests appreciating the modern design and efficient layout. The clean and functional bathroom facilities also contribute to the hotel's favorable reviews. Despite some isolated critiques, the overall impression is that of a hotel that prioritizes cleanliness and guest comfort, making it a reliable choice for visitors to Bicester.

Staff
The reviews for the staff at Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, are overwhelmingly positive. Multiple guests consistently praised the friendly, helpful and welcoming nature of the staff. There were frequent mentions of exceptional service, especially highlighting individuals such as Tammy and Ozzy for their attentiveness and professionalism. The reception staff, in particular, were noted for being efficient, warm and accommodating.

Guests emphasized the consistent friendliness across all interactions with many singling out the team's ability to create a welcoming atmosphere. Several reviews highlighted the staff's readiness to assist, noting that nothing was too much trouble for them. The team's politeness, professionalism and approachability were recurrent themes, contributing significantly to the overall positive experience of staying at the hotel.

Though there were a few isolated comments about staff being unhelpful or rude, these were rare and seemed to be exceptions to the general trend of excellent service. Overall, the staff at this hotel are not only committed to ensuring a pleasant stay for their guests but also excel in delivering a high standard of hospitality.

Wi-Fi
Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, offers a mixed experience when it comes to WiFi service. On the positive side, guests can enjoy free WiFi available throughout the hotel with many noting good to excellent connectivity. The WiFi service is often described as reliable and stable, making it suitable for various needs such as browsing and streaming.

However, there are some inconsistencies. Several guests have experienced poor WiFi, particularly on the third floor where the signal is described as non-existent at times. Additionally, there have been issues with connection stability with certain reviews citing trouble connecting and maintaining a good signal. Despite these drawbacks, the hotel staff is noted for their helpfulness in providing log-in details and assisting guests with WiFi usage, contributing to a generally positive experience for those who did manage to connect successfully.

Parking
The reviews of the Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, present a mixed but generally positive impression of the parking situation. Guests consistently noted the availability of ample parking spaces, describing it as plentiful, clean and well-maintained. The convenience and ease of parking were highlighted as strong points with many users finding the process straightforward and the car park easy to access.

However, a common point of criticism was the parking fee with many expressing disappointment that parking was not included in the room rate. The £5 daily charge was mentioned frequently and while some found it reasonable, others felt it should be complimentary, especially when compared to other hotels that offer free parking. Additionally, certain guests found the payment process via machines or apps confusing and noted that the machines were sometimes poorly lit or out of order.

For electric vehicle users, the hotel provides EV chargers, although a few guests encountered issues with functionality. Despite the extra charges, the overall sentiment was that the parking offered good value, especially given the cleanliness and modernity of the facilities. Overall, while the parking situation has points that could be improved, guests appreciated the ample and easily accessible parking spaces available on-site.

EV charging stations
The Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, features electric vehicle (EV) charging points in its car park, which guests have found convenient and practical. The presence of EV chargers is appreciated by many, highlighting the hotel's commitment to supporting eco-friendly transportation. However, there have been mixed experiences regarding their functionality. Some guests have noted that not all chargers were operational during their stay with instances where only 2 out of 4 chargers were working and some remained out of service for extended periods. Additionally, there have been reports of slow charging speeds and high charges for using the EV stations. Despite these challenges, the mere availability of EV charging facilities is seen as a positive attribute by eco-conscious guests.

Family
Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, emerges as a viable option for families seeking accommodation while visiting the area. The hotel provides specific family-oriented amenities such as cots for toddlers and a reading corner that engages young children. Many families found the rooms clean and suitable for their needs, frequently noting the comfort and practicality of the accommodations.

Though the family rooms are described as compact, they are equipped with a sofa bed and a travel cot, accommodating a family of four adequately. The hotel is praised for its friendly and helpful staff with particular commendation for Tamasin, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere. Additional touches like colouring packs for kids add to the family-friendly vibe.

However, some reviews point out that room space can be an issue with several remarks about the rooms being too small for larger families and not offering enough space for children to move around. There were also mentions of limited children's breakfast options and amenities, indicating that while the hotel strives to be family-friendly, there is room for improvement in these areas.

The hotel's location and overall clean environment enhance its appeal for family stays despite some spatial limitations. Families enjoyed their stays and often wished to return, making it a solid, if not flawless, choice for family trips to Bicester.

4 Star
Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, offers a modern and well-connected accommodation option, perfectly positioned for convenient access to Bicester’s shopping areas. Although some guests feel it does not entirely meet the expectations of a four-star rating, many reviewers emphasize the high standard achieved in this fairly new and well-maintained hotel.

Guests appreciate its clean, comfortable and well-laid-out rooms with many highlighting the luxurious and modern furnishings as a standout feature. The hotel consistently receives praise for its cleanliness with numerous mentions of the hotel looking fresh, new and bright.

The breakfast quality has been noted as being on par with a four-star experience and overall, the facilities and services have been described as excellent and indicative of a four-star standard. The staff receive consistent accolades for their friendliness and helpfulness, contributing to the positive experience.

While some reviews suggest it functions more as a high-value budget hotel rather than a true four-star establishment, the majority agree that it offers great value for money. The excellent location, modern amenities and cleanliness make it a top choice among budget-conscious travelers looking for a reliable and comfortable stay in Bicester.

Business
Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, offers functional and practical amenities suited for business travelers. While some guests noted limited business facilities and minimal food options at breakfast, the hotel provides essential services such as meeting rooms, a business center and high-speed internet access. For those avoiding early morning meetings, breakfast choices are somewhat restrained, but the complimentary coffee and tea station is appreciated. The hotel's clean environment and good noise insulation are favorable for a restful stay. Despite a few issues, such as SMS receipts not being business-friendly and occasional staff shortages, the venue offers rooms equipped with necessary business facilities, making it a viable option. Its location near an industrial area is convenient for corporate visits. Overall, this hotel is ideal for business travel with good value for money, although it might not be suitable for leisure stays.

Luxury
Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG has earned praise for its superior comfort and great value. Guests have consistently found the hotel to be clean and comfortable, highlighting its all-modern amenities and stylish rooms. The beautifully designed interiors and opulent decor contribute to a chic and upscale vibe, creating a luxury ambiance in common areas. The high-end furnishing and premium toiletries add to the sophisticated experience, while gourmet breakfast options and exceptional guest service further enhance the feeling of being in a high-end establishment.

However, some reviews suggest that while the hotel is modern and very clean, it does not fully meet a 4-star standard and feels more like a budget option despite its pricing. The luxury touches are evident, yet there seems to be a discrepancy between the cost and the overall luxuriousness perceived by some guests. Despite this, the overarching sentiment is one of satisfaction with the combination of modern style, cleanliness and comfort.

Dog Friendly
Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG, receives high praise for its dog-friendly policies and amenities. Guests appreciate that dogs are warmly welcomed with some receiving welcoming packages and complimentary treats. The hotel offers well-behaved dogs access to designated areas including the restaurant and some rooms are specifically designed to be dog-friendly. Guests found it delightful to bring their dogs along, highlighting that they were treated like family members by the staff.

However, there are a few points for improvement. Guests have mentioned that there is a fee to bring a dog, which some found disappointing. Additionally, there were instances of dogs barking in the rooms, which could be disruptive. While dogs are allowed to be left unattended in rooms, there are no specific amenities for dogs, which could enhance the experience further. Overall, though, the friendliness and accommodating nature of the staff towards dogs were significant positives, making the hotel a favorable option for pet owners.


No, Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG doesn't have any pool.

No, a spa isn't available at Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG.

Yes, Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG welcomes dogs.

Yes, parking facilities are available at Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG.

No, Holiday Inn Express - Bicester by IHG doesn't have a gym.

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