Breakfast is where the hotel truly flexes its muscles. The buffet is a glorious all-you-can-eat arena where you can build a breakfast tower of sausage, bacon, eggs, and beans that would make a medieval king weep with envy. The staff refill the fried eggs faster than you can say “extra toast,” and the coffee machine sounds like a jet engine but produces a surprisingly decent cappuccino. Pro tip: grab the hash browns early, because there’s a silent war over them at 8:15 AM.
Premier Inn Colchester Cowdray Avenue (A133) Hotel - Reviews, Photos
The Colchester Connection
Here’s a weird bit: Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town, and the Premier Inn sits on land that was probably a Roman chariot pit stop 2,000 years ago. I like to think a centurion once complained about the same lumpy mattress. He didn’t, but it’s a fun mental image. The hotel even has a courtyard garden where you can sit and pretend you’re in a Roman villa, until a delivery lorry from the adjacent Starbucks ruins the illusion.
What about the staff? They’re the secret sauce. The receptionist will greet you with a smile so genuine you’ll suspect she’s an android programmed for peak hospitality. When I asked for extra pillows, the guy called me “champ” and delivered them in under three minutes. That’s legendary efficiency—faster than my Wi-Fi speed, and that’s saying something, because the Wi-Fi here actually works. No, really. You can stream a whole season of a trashy reality show without buffering. That’s the kind of miracle we don’t deserve.
Let’s talk about noise—or the lack thereof. Despite being on a main road, the double-glazing is so good you could sleep through a brass band parade. The only sound is the occasional distant whoosh of a lorry, which sounds like a gentle ocean wave if you squint your ears. And the blackout curtains are so effective you’ll lose all sense of time. I accidentally slept until 11 AM and thought I’d time-travelled.
PREMIER INN COLCHESTER COWDRAY AVENUE (A133) HOTEL - Updated Reviews
Now, a playful warning: the room safe is tiny. It can fit a passport and a single shoe, but don’t expect to stash a large ham in there. Also, the shower pressure is the kind that makes you feel like you’re fighting a very polite waterfall. It’s just right—not a trickle, not a fire hose. You’ll emerge clean, refreshed, and possibly a little emotional about it.
