REVIEW | A WEEKEND AT HOLIDAY INN MAIDSTONE, SEVENOAKS

Jaz James
Aug 17, 2016
5 min read

So my family and I (mum, sister, three boisterous nephews) decided to take a few 'chill days' over the summer holidays whilst the kids were still off from school and checked into Holiday Inn Maidstone for the weekend. I'm very much family orientated and often jump at the chance to spend a little extra time with them at pretty much any chance I can get, and as they say; life is too short so make the most of it!

Checking In

My mum and I actually arrived at the hotel before the others and per usual, my nephews had no idea where they were going or who would be waiting for them on the other side when they arrive.. Something about jumping out and shouting “boo!” or “surprise!” and watching their little faces light up when they see me is always great.

My nephews were super excited and gob-smacked when they saw myself and my mum half hiding, half waving behind one of the pillars in the lobby area. They started jumping up and down and shouting “mummy, you tricked us... again!” - never gets old.

First impressions of the lobby: tidy, clean, spacious, well presented, well ventilated with the air-con. From the main entrance where they lobby is situated, you can access the bar, restaurant, health club / spa, conference and meeting rooms, the gardens and the steps to the first and second floor where the bedrooms are located. My only fault here is that unfortunately there are no lifts at this site – possibly because there are only two-three floors but when you are travelling in large groups or with children and luggage, lifts are always heavily appreciated. However, we were kindly assisted by a member of staff who helped with directing us to the room and with the luggage. Probably not a great idea to bring a buggy if you are travelling with kids unless you are able to carry your luggage, buggy and child up the stairs at the same time.

The Room

As my middle nephew Kai's birthday is coming up, my sister had arranged for some decorations to be put up in the room and at the breakfast table for the morning. It took him a while to realise that the 'Happy Birthday' banner on the room door was for him but he was ecstatic once he finally clocked on..

Upon entering, the room looked tidy and well lit and had been decorated with balloons, banners and chocolates and the hotel team and written a happy birthday card for Kai which I found quite sweet.

Our room consisted of two king size beds and a sofa bed which pulled out into two more single beds, accommodating six in total. We were also supplied with a safe, mini bar (which was empty), a work desk, iron, ironing board, free-view TV with movie channels (which unfortunately were not working for the entire duration of our stay) and wardrobes. Pretty much everything you would normally expect.

The bathroom was a little small in comparison to the bedroom/living area but looked fairly recently refurbished and consisted of a bath with shower attachment, electric towel rail, vanity wash basin, W/C, bin and complimentary toiletries such as shower gel, body lotion, shampoo, shower cap, cotton wool, cotton buds, etc.

The Bar

We only really visited the bar to order room service after a nice swim and sauna session down in the spa. There was quite a large selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic (hot or) cold drinks and some sweet and savoury snacks also. The seating in the bar area probably accommodated for about five or six groups of two and three – enough for a quick and quiet drink but if you are travelling in a large group, your best bet is to eat in the gardens or conservatory area where there's more seating.

The Restaurant

If you are not intending on leaving the hotel or will not have direct access to your own car, it is probably better to opt for full board which allows you to enjoy a pre-paid breakfast, lunch and dinner for the duration of your stay at a discounted price – full board options are marked on the menu with an (s). Be sure to let your waitress/waiter know this when ordering to avoid paying extra costs for something that is not part of the full board menu!

Typical English and continental breakfasts are available here and include toast, pancakes, meats, beans, cereals, croissants and a selection of jams, spreads, syrups etc. Lunch and dinner menus are the same and have both meat and vegetarian options as well as a good selection of hot and cold desserts. There's also a great kids menu for the little ones which they can draw and scribble on with provided crayons/pencils.

During our stay, my favourite dishes on the menu were probably the ribs which were beautifully succulent and gently fell off the bone, and the chocolate brownie and ice cream.

The Spa

Spa facilities here included free use of the gym, sauna, steam room, swimming pool and jacuzzi. Sadly for us, the jacuzzi was out of bounds so we didn't get to enjoy it's full benefits but the kids had a whale of a time in the pool with the floats provided. If you wish to use armbands or goggles, these are available at the spa reception for purchase.

Of course, I could never go to a spa hotel and not check myself in for a massage! Myself, my mum and sister each booked ourselves in for a massage with the friendly on-site beauty therapist who was multi-talented enough to offer a range of treatments including massages, nail treatments, waxing and threading! I chose a full body aromatherapy massage which did a world of wonders for my bad back and sore joints. (Quick pointer – the hotel offer HALF PRICE massage treatments during the whole of August so if you are looking visit or book a treatment, now would be the best time!)

The Gardens

The garden area is pretty nice for eating breakfast/dinner outside in the warmer months. Luckily we were blessed with great whether during our stay so were able to visit the gardens two or three times to eat breakfast, dinner and just to chill. It's pretty peaceful (or was until we arrived with three crazy boys) and quite a few people were sitting with a pint or coffee reading their tablets or local papers. There are a few tables and chairs with sun umbrellas attached – nice place to chill and unwind.