LENNY HENRY AND ME

The receptionist at the Premier Inn seemed genuinely pleased to see me when I arrived at her desk early on the wet evening of Saturday 24th April, accompanied by a holdall which was ridiculously large for a weekend sojourn. My effects were rattling about in it like a pea in a pod, as I set off down a corridor in search of room 17, which I found at the other side of the third fire door from the reception area. The room was spacious, the bed even more so. I dumped my luggage, and set off to find the eating facility, as I had survived the boat trip on four packets of crisps and a couple of cartons of Ribena, and I was more than ready for a meal.

This hotel is remarkable in that it has no eatery contained within it - all meals are served next door in the Cocket Hat bar and restaurant, which seems to be run as a separate entity. I stood my nephew a meal there as a reward for his pains in providing me with free transport from the ferry. Very nice it was too. After we had eaten, I retired to my room, and my nephew, who is studying for a university degree, went back to whatever students do an Friday evenings.

I saw no sign of Lenny Henry at this branch of the Premier Inn. I did, however, have a Frank Spencer moment, when I went to take a shower next morning. The showerhead came off in my hand, leaving a hole in the wall, when I attempted to direct its flow to different parts of my body. Fortunately, the water was not turned on at the time, and I was able to stick the thing back on. Miraculously it still worked.

I enjoyed my Premier Inn experience, and would definitely stay there again. The room was spacious, with all the facilities I needed, and the bed was much too large for a chap on his own. I found myself reminiscing about happy times past, when hotel experiences were something shared with the woman I loved.....

In fact, the only fly in the ointment was my fellow residents, most of whom seemed to return from a celebration of some kind or another at 2am on the Sunday morning, and carried on carousing for some time afterwards. The walls between the rooms seemed paper-thin. I could practically understand every word which one particular guest was uttering!

So, the Premier Inn gets several stars from me. For someone who isn't in the high income bracket, it ticks all the boxes for comfort and service, and I'd recommend it to my friends. And they aren't paying me to write this!