Holiday Inn Express London - Watford Junction by IHG

The room was nice, it was clean and the beds was comfortable, you can hear the trains so it can get noisy, but I knew that and expected it to be noisy (so I didn't mind). The breakfast was nice. The only downfall and the reason why I gave it 4 stars was for parking. There isnt enough for the hotel, maybe 10 spaces for 100 rooms. So prepare yourself that parking is limited and parking around the back is usually taken up by people not using the hotel. Staff was lovely and helped out with anything needed. Overall hotel was perfect but parking is very limited

Great staff, breakfast is your average hotel chain buffet breakfast. Great location for Harry Potter shuttle bus and for train into London but can be noisy. Small car park but we found a space no problem, did notice that it was full later on in the evening. You need to register your car inside at reception and pay a fee. Rooms were a good size but ours smelt like someone had been eating takeaway in it when we arrived. Opened the window and trains make a lot of noise (fine when windows are closed). Air conditioning was exceptionally noisy and didn’t seem to do much. I tried to phone down to reception to ask if they have fans, however the rooms all have a phone (we had 2 rooms) but they don’t actually do anything! No dial tone, so not sure what the point is. Went downstairs to get fans for both rooms as it was really warm. Staff were happy to provide, one fan didn’t work so had to go all the way back down again (7th floor) to change it. Shampoo, body wash and hand soap were provided. Bathroom was clean but shower is not very powerful. Room had a double bed, sofa bed, table and chair, TV, hairdryer, iron & ironing board and shelves and hanging space for clothes. Watford Junction train station and Harry Potter shuttle are about a 5 minute walk away. Centre of Watford is about a 15 minute walk with lots of shops and restaurants. Overall the hotel is in a good location for transport links but the rooms, especially the air con, could do with some updating.

Nice hotel, Great Breakfast and breakfast staff really friendly and food was hot and delicious. Room ok, standard with tea & coffee supplied. Clean and fresh. Very handy for Warner Brothers Studio tours. Only 15 minutes away. Car parking was horrendous. No disabled spaces and only about 30 spaces, very tight to get in and out. Council parking is available a few minutes away, but when you need disabled spaces, you need it for a reason. Ideal for business trips.

Car park spaces were barely wide enough for a small car and guests were expected to pay £12 for the privilege of parking there. (The station car park a short walk away is a far better option) Even though the room was pre paid the hotel wanted a credit card as a Garrentee against damage because the hotel was booked through Hotels. Com. (I refused )

Hotel spotlessly clean and comfortable. Staff very attentive and very good breakfast. Parking limited and bays very tight

It was waaay too hot. However the front desk was kind enough to lend us some fans which helped. The ladies at the front desk were always kind and friendly. The gentleman, who appeared to be the assistant manager… was not friendly. He reprimanded a staff member who was kind enough to give us a bucket of ice, as the lobby was always very hot. He did this within earshot of us, which was very inappropriate, and I’m sure discouraged her from being nice and helping a guest. The lobby doors were propped open all day, which made it hotter there. The alarm in one of the elevators was going off throughout our whole stay, and our room phone was broken - which we only found out when we tried to use it, then to be told it was a known issue. My wife was offended and annoyed by the fact that the ladies cleaning up in the breakfast area were dressed in ‘80s airline outfits, including pantyhose. Why does a modem hotel feel it needs to force women into this type of attire in this day and age? The throw pillows in the lobby were also very worn and stained, and should be removed. And a final minor note - the sign in the rooms said ask for things you forgot - but apparently conditioner was not on that list. On a positive note - the ladies at the front desk were always kind and generous, and breakfast was quite good. The general room and breakfast area decor was quite nice.

Parking is very awkward and with the station close by it is pretty noisy at night!

Very friendly and helpful staff. Good sized room, very comfortable bed. Excellent buffet breakfast. The car park is very small and the charge of £7 to park there is my only criticism

Good location for catching a train from Watford Junction or need somewhere to stay near. Room was quite spacious but a little outdated. The car park at the back is very tight and has no CCTV, also charge you £7 per night for that privilege! Food is nice, breakfast as expected for a Holliday Inn Express.

Our room was located on the 7th floor and there were 2 lifts - 1 was broken and the other very temperamental so we had to walk with our luggage up 7 flights of stairs - we mentioned the lift a staff member who barely even spoke back. The room was okay but the bed was terrible, it was like a bouncy castle and it sloped towards the middle which made sleeping terrible. The breakfast staff were lovely.

Lovely stay at this hotel. Very easy and pleasant check in, staff very polite. Absolutely ideal location, close to railway station and Harry Potter shuttle bus stop. Our room was spotlessly clean, beds and pillows very comfortable. Superb breakfast with great chose. Close to railway line but the windows kept out the noise.

Really enjoyable stay at this very clean hotel, met by Aaron whose smile put us at ease immediately, he gave us a great introduction to the hotel and in moments we were on our way to our room. Daniyal was equally as helpful in the evening and most pleasant. The room was modern and very clean. This morning breakfast was near perfect (this type of hotel doesnt do fresh poached eggs) - everything was cooked well, hot, fresh and plentiful in terms of choice. The ever smiling Celia never stopped in the dining room and was so helpful for anything that was needed; the said dining room was spotless too. In short, very impressed, the team were delightful, they all worked hard but most importantly, they worked together. Highly recommended to stay here, great if you are going to Harry Potter World (equally brilliant).

Not sure who or how this hotel is rated as excellent. The hotel looks modern until you look at the detail. eg dirty carpets, tired in places reception area, carpets in the room worn out and dirty. There is grime in the lifts, doors chipped etc. Bathroom was nice clean and modern! Breakfast was included and decent. I think the hotel probably attracts a certain type of person and also is not really cleaned and maintained. In my opinion this hotel and brand is over priced for a Holiday Inn. Id rather pay half the price and go stay at a 3 star hotel.

The receptionists ( 2 gentlemen) were very friendly and welcoming, we were allowed into rooms an hour and a half early, which was an added bonus, room was as expected, clean, tidy and suited our needs. The breakfast was really good, and the lady who was clearing the tables was excellent

Nice, very convenient hotel. Excellent breakfast spread. Let down a little by the housekeeping - no soap in the dispenser and no glasses.

Over night stay for a Harry Potter visit. We were put on 4th floor, can could hear the noise from train/tube station, once this stopped we noticed the aircon unit was very load when it kicked in, which was hourly! We couldn’t turn this off due to the switch on control been broken, so didn’t sleep as when it kicked in, noise was so loud. The next morning as we started to get ready, we saw a bed bug on the pillow of the sofa bed that had been set up! Then noticed another on the main bed pillow we had slept in! We couldn’t get out of the room fast enough. Staff were nice and when we raised the issues they gave a full refund, but this experience ruined our whole day, due to fact we couldn’t stop itching and just wanted to get home.

Hairs, not of my own, were found through the place. Even around the toilet from the last person. Was very off putting

Check in was smooth. Booked a single room got a free upgrade. Room was lovely, very clean.

Great staff, clean and convenient. Easy access to London.

The common areas and the staff were all excellent, but the rooms were very dirty, especially in the carpets on the hallways. There was a lot of street noise, even though we were on the top floor. The area around the hotel was extremely unsafe almost looking like a back alley.

The hotel itself was excellent, unfortunately the room was like a sauna, the air conditioning didn't work. When i spoke to reception I was advised the air con was centralised which didn't sound right, because the hotel itself was very cool. After complaining a second time the receptionist came to the hotel and confirmed the room was like a sauna, his solution was an extra fan which just blew warm air. Shocking service and clearly advertising rooms as air conditioned is not quite right, as its apparently centralised access the hotel... They never offered a solution apology or refund

Great staff, breakfast is your average hotel chain buffet breakfast. Great location for Harry Potter shuttle bus and for train into London but can be noisy. Small car park but we found a space no problem, did notice that it was full later on in the evening. You need to register your car inside at reception and pay a fee. Rooms were a good size but ours smelt like someone had been eating takeaway in it when we arrived. Opened the window and trains make a lot of noise (fine when windows are closed). Air conditioning was exceptionally noisy and didn’t seem to do much. I tried to phone down to reception to ask if they have fans, however the rooms all have a phone (we had 2 rooms) but they don’t actually do anything! No dial tone, so not sure what the point is. Went downstairs to get fans for both rooms as it was really warm. Staff were happy to provide, one fan didn’t work so had to go all the way back down again (7th floor) to change it. Shampoo, body wash and hand soap were provided. Bathroom was clean but shower is not very powerful. Room had a double bed, sofa bed, table and chair, TV, hairdryer, iron & ironing board and shelves and hanging space for clothes. Watford Junction train station and Harry Potter shuttle are about a 5 minute walk away. Centre of Watford is about a 15 minute walk with lots of shops and restaurants. Overall the hotel is in a good location for transport links but the rooms, especially the air con, could do with some updating.

Stayed in family room - camp bed skew and uncomfortable. Noise from trains very loud all night. All of us didn’t sleep well. Good breakfast and good location for visit to Harry Potter World.

Room and shower were clean. Bed was comfortable. But we didn’t get to have a good night sleep because the aircon wasn’t working and it was warm. Temperature in the room was at 22 degrees constantly even when we set it to 5 degrees. We noticed it as soon as we checked in, and reported it to reception. We were advised that they will get it checked with their maintenance person. But when we came back that night the room was still at 22 degrees and wasn’t getting cold. Upon checkout 3 days later, we were told that the aircon/heating was actually controlled centrally and it doesn’t get cooler than 21 degrees. Not sure how they expect the guests to sleep in that temperature. We can’t keep the windows open either as the hotel is situated beside the train station.

The sofa bed was ridiculously uncomfortable. I kept waking up all night as a result and had a sore back in the morning.

No air conditioning in the room on one of the hottest days of the year

Rooms were cramped and the double sofa bed for the teenagers was very uncomfortable.

Parking is very awkward and with the station close by it is pretty noisy at night!

Staff friendly, breakfast really good and location excellent for transport links. The only downfall was the outside of the hotel is scruffy and the trains run right outside which is really noisy and the air con in the room is noisy so didn't get much sleep however the rooms are functionable and clean.

beds are less than ideal, not particularly comfortable. I appreciate that is a personal taste thing though. Hotel says it has Air con, It doesn't, the "air con" is controlled by the front desk and is basically a heater and they set the temp for the hotel. so your options here are 20 degrees or off that isn't air con to me. staff were fine, breakfast was fine. but none of this would be considered exceptional. car park is in a bit of a sketchy area, looks decidedly dodge, we were suprised tha car wasn't broken into - so that was a bonus. I would say you book this place out of absolute necessity and not out of choice.

Staff are amazing,went above and beyond to accommodate our large party.parked two card on site easily enough.very nice food on offer

From check in to check out my experience was very pleasant. Staff were extremely helpful and friendly. The room was clean and comfortable. I was surprised how nice the breakfast was considering it was included in the room price. Again staff were so nice and friendly whilst having breakfast. All in all I would recommend this hotel to anyone.

Excellent helpful check in from Hussan. There was a queue because not enough staff on the desks but Hussan handled everything cheerfully as best he could

The staff (all of them) are exceptional. They are polite, very efficient and extremely friendly. The hotel is very clean, and our room was lovely. This hotel is very close to Watford Junction and The Harry Potter Studios Tour shuttle bus. I’d say between a two to five minute walk. There is a fabulous shopping mall in the town centre, due to the weather we got a taxi both ways and it was only £5-£6 each way depending on the traffic. It’s easily walkable though. We dined in the restaurant in the evening and the food was piping hot and very tasty. I recommend this hotel very highly. Thank you for a perfect stay.

I had a fantastic stay at this Holiday Inn Express! The location of the hotel is really convenient as it’s located a (less than) 5 minute walk from Watford Junction station, and there were plenty of unique food options in/around the area. :) The bed was comfy and got a great night of sleep; was a little difficult to adjust the temp of the room but was all fine once I managed to figure that out. The staff in particular really enhanced my stay; they were all so friendly and accommodating and happy to help with absolutely anything I needed.

Best Customer Service Ever!! The staff was incredible, front desk, kitchen staff, chef and everyone in the place went above and beyond. This team set the bar for excellence!!

Power cut in the evening meaning that nobody could access their bedrooms! Everyone had to sleep downstairs in the restaurant/bar and power did not resume until following morning. No offers of compensation despite not having a room to sleep in!!

During our stay which was £462 for 1 night (2 rooms) the power went off. We had no electricity meaning we could not enter our rooms due to the electric key cards. We also had no hot water. The emergency lights also did not work which is a serious health and safety risk. We were then advised that a member of staff was trying to fix the power. They then allowed a drunken guest who was a 'sparky' take a look. It was a shambles from start to finish with us only getting into our rooms by force at 2:30am. We left by 8am still with no power but a promise from the staff member at reception of a full refund. We received a refund of £183 which is nowhere near a full refund. Would not recommend.

When we first arrived we could not fault the place.. but we went for dinner on the last night at the hotel restaurant and waited over an hour for food then when it came it was cold and items were missing,was told didnt have certain items on that night yet saw another customer with the item. Then ordered desert and waited another 40 mins for the desert to arrive. With an autistic child and it being her birthday was really dissapointing. The room was really cold and no clear instructions on how to turn the heating up,only the air con instructions. The extra guest bed was very uncomfortable and hard. Dissapointing overall.

Staff were very helpful and friendly throughout my two night stay. Would definitely use this hotel again

Great location beside the train station. Solid breakfast buffet, nice clean hotel!

The front desk was very friendly. Super convenient location if you’re doing the Harry Potter Tour

Great hotel for visiting Warner Bros The making of Harry Potter. Close to Watford Station and Bus pick up for getting to the studios. Hotel staff friendly, rooms basic but clean and comfortable. Breakfast was included and great selection of hot/cold options. Baggage storage for whilst we were out and about. Great stay. Please note, the dark street to get to the hotel from the station. Our Train was delayed and hotel have 24/7 reception but the street from station to hotel was very dark and quiet at 1am. But I was travelling with friend, probably wouldn't have walked down it alone.

The staff (all of them) are exceptional. They are polite, very efficient and extremely friendly. The hotel is very clean, and our room was lovely. This hotel is very close to Watford Junction and The Harry Potter Studios Tour shuttle bus. I’d say between a two to five minute walk. There is a fabulous shopping mall in the town centre, due to the weather we got a taxi both ways and it was only £5-£6 each way depending on the traffic. It’s easily walkable though. We dined in the restaurant in the evening and the food was piping hot and very tasty. I recommend this hotel very highly. Thank you for a perfect stay.

Booked one night for a layover before London to hit Warner Bros Studio Tour Perfect location. Clean friendly great breakfast close to Watford Junction rail station for free bus to Studios and train in to London

Excellent stay. Used as a base for Wembley concert and trip to London West End. Great location to get to everywhere we needed to go and Watford itself has plenty to do. Hotel was perfect for what we needed, staff were excellent and complementary breakfast was very good.

Great location for train

Parking is very awkward and with the station close by it is pretty noisy at night!

Great location for the train station and WB Harry Potter studios shuttle bus

The common areas and the staff were all excellent, but the rooms were very dirty, especially in the carpets on the hallways. There was a lot of street noise, even though we were on the top floor. The area around the hotel was extremely unsafe almost looking like a back alley.

Lovely stay at this hotel. Very easy and pleasant check in, staff very polite. Absolutely ideal location, close to railway station and Harry Potter shuttle bus stop. Our room was spotlessly clean, beds and pillows very comfortable. Superb breakfast with great chose. Close to railway line but the windows kept out the noise.

The receptionists ( 2 gentlemen) were very friendly and welcoming, we were allowed into rooms an hour and a half early, which was an added bonus, room was as expected, clean, tidy and suited our needs. The breakfast was really good, and the lady who was clearing the tables was excellent

The hotel was clean, the staff were friendly, the room was comfortable and had everything we needed for a short stay. It was definitely value for money. The only thing that caught my attention was there was no vegetarian options for the cooked breakfast apart from scambled eggs and beans. I expected mushrooms and/or vegetarian/vegan sausages and bacon.

Clean and modern hotel. Staff friendly. Bed was pretty uncomfortable and breakfast was awful. I’m a bit of a coffee snob, but the coffee was particularly gross.

It’s was fine for one night to stop after Harry Potter studios. But no hot food Sunday nights and the fittings were falling off the walls/ doors. Modern decor. Nice staff. Limited breakfast.

Excellent stay. Used as a base for Wembley concert and trip to London West End. Great location to get to everywhere we needed to go and Watford itself has plenty to do. Hotel was perfect for what we needed, staff were excellent and complementary breakfast was very good.

Everything was good and we had a comfortable stay. Breakfast choice was decent and tasted good.

Great experience. Clean room and supply. Especially a shot out to the awesome included breakfast!

When we first arrived we could not fault the place.. but we went for dinner on the last night at the hotel restaurant and waited over an hour for food then when it came it was cold and items were missing,was told didnt have certain items on that night yet saw another customer with the item. Then ordered desert and waited another 40 mins for the desert to arrive. With an autistic child and it being her birthday was really dissapointing. The room was really cold and no clear instructions on how to turn the heating up,only the air con instructions. The extra guest bed was very uncomfortable and hard. Dissapointing overall.

The bathroom was bright and stylish. Extra towels were provided fir our stay and trash bins were emptied. The temperature was plesant and our room was well lighted. The breakfast was wonderful and offered a great variety.