Holiday Inn Bolton

4.2/5 based on 3199 reviews
Latest Reviews
Very tired chain offering. Room (mine was on the 4th floor) small, even by UK standards, large cracks in the walls around the window and the AC extremely noisy.Good location but that's about it. Underground car park is extremely cramped. Buffet breakfast okay but hte eggs were about to hatch due to being under the lamps so long! Internet connection an expensive extra.
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I stayed here for work and thought the location was fantastic. The fact it had a gym and swimming pool was a plus for me too. I only use the gym, which is tiny - but good enough for a decent workout.

My biggest issue was the fact my room was dirty - I found hairs on the bathroom floor, what looked like blood on the shower curtain and my remote was sticky with something. The beds are also the most uncomfy I have stayed in as well (I travel alot!)

The food was ok - a bit over cooked and tasted like it was a microwave dinner. I couldn't fault the resturant staff - very pleasant and attentive. The reception staff were also nice enough!

Overall, I would probably stay here again as its in a perfect location for work and has a gym - but those are the only 2 reasons I would!
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I have stayed in this hotel a couple of times and attended 2 weddings here. Friends have been married there on recommendation and were more than pleased with the whole experience. On dealings with Mrs Jones (wedding & events co-ordinator) they have been very happy with her helpfulness, professional guidance and suggestions as well as the personal care an attention to detail that she applies to their 'big day' along with the other members of staff.
Friends who got married here were extremely pleased with their package and found it exceptional value and have since made recommendations to other couples to use this hotel as their wedding venue.

I found reception staff to be very helpful and professional too (they can be a bit miserable at some hotels)

I did not eat in the hotel apart from the wedding catering which I found to be so much better than average. The interior chapel was stunning and quite unique to any other hotel venue I've been to. I was pleasantly surprised with the whole event. I understand that some rooms may be over-looked in most hotels as far as attention to detail with cleaning etc but I didn't experience this and I was very pleased with the standard & size of room for the price.

The only slight downsides are the car park is on the smallish side but I had no trouble finding a space. The bar was slightly above average pub prices but that's expected at hotel venues anyway. All in all, my experiences here have been very good.
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Stayed for four nights while on a short break. I found the hotel clean and the staff very helpful. My room was of a good size - the only downside was poor TV reception in the room.

The hotel has two car parks, one at the side and one under the hotel - neither are huge but i managed to get a space each night. There was no free internet access in public areas which was disappointing.

I ate in the hotel on two occasions for dinner - the food was decent but no better, for two courses and drink it worked out at about £20.

For those looking to go a bit further the hotel is 10 mins from the M61 or about 10 minutes walk to the train station where the are frequent trains to Manchester (20 mins away)
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Just returned from the Holiday Inn at Bolton centre. To be honest, coming from this part of the world myself, my expectations were not high and having read the reviews for the Packhorse, this was the only real choice for me.

We were greeted by a friendly and helpful receptionist who even changed our room from the fourth to the second floor as I dont like using lifts! most of the staff were helpful and facilities are good however, it is let down by a few basics. Dont expect liquors at the bar or even cream with the coffee (run out) also, no olive oil or balsamic vinegar to go with the bread basket even though this is presented as the main point of it (bread with dipping oils) for those of you who like brown sauce at breakfast this was also nowhere to be seen (strange, I thought all northerners loved HP sauce!)

Room service was answered courteously and helpfully and was expected to be 10 mins
However, they had run out of tomatoe soup (can you see a theme happening here!) and in the event it took 30 mins with no apologies on arrival.

Even with all of this, I would still say this is a good hotel that with a little extra work could be very good but perhaps if it had been my holiday hotel rather than just somewhere to stay for 2 nights, I may have got a little more fed up.
tripadvisor.co.uk
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Just returned from the Holiday Inn at Bolton centre. To be honest, coming from this part of the world myself, my expectations were not high and having read the reviews for the Packhorse, this was the only real choice for me.

We were greeted by a friendly and helpful receptionist who even changed our room from the fourth to the second floor as I dont like using lifts! most of the staff were helpful and facilities are good however, it is let down by a few basics. Dont expect liquors at the bar or even cream with the coffee (run out) also, no olive oil or balsamic vinegar to go with the bread basket even though this is presented as the main point of it (bread with dipping oils) for those of you who like brown sauce at breakfast this was also nowhere to be seen (strange, I thought all northerners loved HP sauce!)

Room service was answered courteously and helpfully and was expected to be 10 mins
However, they had run out of tomatoe soup (can you see a theme happening here!) and in the event it took 30 mins with no apologies on arrival.

Even with all of this, I would still say this is a good hotel that with a little extra work could be very good but perhaps if it had been my holiday hotel rather than just somewhere to stay for 2 nights, I may have got a little more fed up.
tripadvisor.co.uk
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The Holiday Inn in central Bolton was suprisingly good!. I drove to the hotel and found they had free secure underground parking - I nice start. At reception I was quickly checked in, the staff were friendly and explained the hotel amenities etc ( it has very nice onsite pool and gym etc).

The room had a decent bed, mini bar and tea and coffee faciltities, TV and aircon. It was clean, and the furniture was in good condition.

The general appearance of the hotel was good, with a decent bar / lounge area and restaurant. I only partook of the breakfast - which was very good.

Overall its a good dependable 4 star hotel.
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Holiday Inns' are the hotel/motel equivilent of a McDonalds, in that no matter where you are in the world, at least you know what you'll be getting.

They are without doubt overpriced (my room for one night was sixty-eight pounds), which I dare say is down to them being used by a large number of business travellers on expense accounts. However as a 'leisure traveller' they are considerably more expensive than other chains such as Travelodge and Days Inn etcetera.

That said, the standard of rooms and facilities compared with a Travelodge equivilent is much higher, though that doesn't say much to be honest!

One thing I MUST applaude Holiday Inn's for, is that they still offer guests smoking AND non-smoking rooms. I am sick to the back teeth of being advised by websites that "Non-Smoking Rooms Are Available", only to find out that this isn't an option, but in fact mandatory. Grrrr!

While I'm on the smoking versus non-smoking issue, the other thing that gets right up my nose about a lot of hotels in the UK these days, are large red signs in the rooms saying (and I quote); "It is illegal to smoke on the premises. Fine up to one hundred pounds."

It is NOT illegal to smoke in hotel rooms in the UK, and don't let any member of staff tell you otherwise. The most recent UK non-smoking law states that it is an offence for people; "to smoke in an enclosed public area". However given that you are paying the hotel (any hotel) for the privilege of it NOT being a public area for the time you rent it, the non-smoking laws DO NOT APPLY. Hotel policy is something very different to a law. And as such, no hotel in the British Isles has the right to deduct any additional costs from your credit card for having lit a cigarette in your room.

Anyway moan over, back to the Holiday Inn on Higher Bridge Street in Bolton. It's basically just a run-of-the-mill chain hotel. Clean and comfortable but nothing special either way. Value wise, you'll always find a better deal at a Days Inn chain hotel in my experience. Some of which also still offer smoking rooms. All that said, I still say if you can get a good rate for your planned stay, the De Vere Whites Hotel at the Reebok Stadium (see my review) is probably, though not definitely, the nicest hotel to stay at in Bolton.
tripadvisor.co.uk
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When I booked this deal by tlephone, to the Holiday Inn in Bolton I was amazed at the bargain I got for the two rooms I booked. I did not expect the hotel to be four star standard after reading many reviews on this website, however I was surprised at how good our stay actually was, taking into account the lovely spa pool/swimming pool and sauna which is available for guests use, free of charge. The check-in was very smooth, the receptionist didn't demand ID when I informed her of the party name. Every member of staff which we encountered were polite and pleasant. The rooms were extremely comfortable even if the view from window was of a roof and nighclub in the street. One downside which I would like to draw attention to, is the very small underground car-park and the very small over-spill car-park outside. I am sure not every guest brings their car, however I would worry had we not been able to grab the last space on saturday, where else there would have been to park our car?
The hotel beds were very comfortable and we all managed to get a decent nights sleep except that the previously mentioned night-club proved to be a bit annoying for my friend who's double room overlooked it, as he had to lean out of the window during the wee hour of sunday morning to ask a very drunk, loud woman spoiling for a fight, to knock it on the head as he was trying to get some sleep.
We read the room service menu, and agreed it seemed very over-priced so didn't bother eating in the hotel. The restaurant near reception looked very nice though as we passed through.
I can understand if other guests have paid the top rate to stay in this hotel that they would feel a little cheated, as it was not absolute luxury compared to other hotels carrying 4 stars that I have stayed in, however we all had a great time, and would definitely book again if the tarriff was the same again.
tripadvisor.co.uk
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Had a 2 night stay at the Holiday Inn. It was good value for money. Check in was good....Reception staff very friendly, My room was nice all you needed, however the bathroom was a bit tired ( Tiles) and nightmare it had one of those old fashioned hairdyers !!!

Breakfast was good, buffet syle and had a good choice and very relaxed for a solo traveller. Hotel has a pool, but didn't have time to use it. The bar area was quite lively and very nice decor.

Found it difficult to get taxis around Bolton...would recommend the hotel for a stopover.
tripadvisor.co.uk
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Quick and easy check in, large comfy room, attentive lounge staff. All in all a memorable stay. I will use this hotel again. Super location in the centre of Bolton.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Stayed for two nights whilst attending a wedding at the hotel. We got a complimentary upgrade on check-in and a free newspaper - Bonus. We were attending the wedding of a friend and when we heard that it was being held at a holiday inn I must admit I wasn't sure what to expect! Well... what a surprise to find that behind the corporate facade was hidden a beautiful converted church that had been modernised and maintained to a very high standard. The wedding itself was fantastic with great food and helpful staff. Breakfast the next day was spot on with a late check out offered on the sunday. We stayed on for lunch and it was good value at under a tenner. The hotel is not in the nicest part of town and you have to pop over the road to use the cashpoint at a nearby pub as they don't offer cashback, but that is the only negative. Didn't have time to use the leisure club but I'm sure if it was anything like the rest of the hotel it would've provided a real treat. Overall a very pleasant experience and I hope some of my other friends get hitched soon!
tripadvisor.co.uk
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We stayed at this hotel recently for 2 nights as we were attending my cousins wedding. What can I say, the function room where the wedding was held was AMAZING, a converted church called the Cloisters (think I got that right) this has to be the best wedding I have attended and an absolute ideal wedding venue.
We checked into the hotel late on the Friday evening and from start to finish thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The organisation at the wedding was excellent , all the staff were very warm and welcoming and the food was very nice. The bedroom was very comfortably and modern (think they had recently been refurbished) and the buffet breakfast both mornings was very tasty.

Had an excellent weekend at this hotel and have just made enquiries about holding my own wedding there next year.

Would recommend this hotel for an enjoyable stay and an excellent wedding venue!!
tripadvisor.co.uk
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Having read the reviews on Tripadvisor, I approached my stay at the Holiday Inn Bolton Centre with some trepidation. However, as with many things, if you expect the worst you can only be pleasantly surprised!

Whilst the street the hotel is on is not particularly attractive, it's only a short walk to the town centre where the offices I was working from are based. Check in was friendly and quick, especially given how busy the hotel was on my first night. A coach party had arrived (with little prior warning I believe) and taken the staff a little by surprise. The tour party had taken over the restaurant so I had to eat in the lounge that night, but that wasn't a problem. I ate in the restaurant on my second night when it was much quieter and whilst the food was ok, the service was very slow (although the staff were pleasant).

My twin room was a reasonable size and much of the furniture looked quite new but it's probably been a little while since the decor had been refurbished. The bed was comfortable and there was a choice of pillows too. I used the in-room wi-fi access and found it to be expensive (£12-15 for 24 hours) and also quite slow.

The hotel appears to be a large meeting and conference venue and therefore geared towards business travellers which suited my needs fine. I have stayed in better, but it certainly wasn't as bad as I had been expecting based on previous reviews!
tripadvisor.co.uk
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Stayed for the weekend which I really enjoyed good town centre location opposite main shops and able to park at hotel.

Room is maybe not the largest but I have stayed in much smaller but it was really clean with comfy bed and good bathroom (fantastic shower).

Pool and gym quite small but again clean and all staff were friendly.

Enjoyed breakfast hot and tasty could drink as much cappuccino as I wanted without paying more or waiting, were can you get that!

Overall good overnighter or short stay but you wouldn't holiday in Bolton!
tripadvisor.co.uk
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Me and two friends decided that we would like a Saturday night out in Bolton and thought the Holiday Inn was a great location. Very suprised to find that there was parking spaces available (However, not sure how I would have felt if there were none).

The room was sufficent enough, bit of a squeeze, but we did have 3 people in a twin room so this was expected. The room was clean with a standard bathroom with the most amazing power shower!!

We decided to eat out but did have breakfast at the hotel and with hangovers, were very grateful for the late breakfast. Nothing amazing, but we were only paying a budget rate so was not expecting gourmet food.

Staff seemed very friendly and answered any questions we had on the area.

All in all, we will be staying again.. But I would agree, it would only be for a short stay.
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Things that went wrong -

1. Car Park full, struggled to find a space, not good when it is situated in the centre of Bolton
2. Room dirty, bugs, hair on floor, toilet seat and bedlinen not clean.
3. Over charged twice
4. Dinner would just about feed a mouse.

Good Bits -

1. Excellent Staff who quickly sorted out room and upgrade to Executive Room
2. Over charging sorted out

I made the wrong choice for a celebration as the first night was a
theamed night (Rock & Roll)

Breakfast okay, dinner was small and extra to pay for steaks, wine expensive.

I doubt if I would stay again.
tripadvisor.co.uk
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I stayed here for two nights on business. Having never stayed in a Holiday Inn for some years (i've often chosen other chains above them), i wasn't sure what to expect.

The room was perfect. Very clean and comfortable. Extra pillows and towels in drawers (and a choice of different pillow types at reception). The radiators were ajustable so the room was cosy throughout my stay. The only downside of the room was there was no bin in the bedroom, just a small one in the bathroom.

Breakfast quality is superb. All you can eat buffet with a huge selection of foods. The restaurant was practically empty on the Monday morning and everything ran smoothly. However, the Tuesday morning was VERY busy. There were plenty of tables but none had been cleaned after use so i had to find someone to clean one for me. As a lone diner, perhaps some type of system could be in operation as when i got up from the table for food and cane back, someone was in my space and i had to go hunting for another table. Perhaps 'table taken' signs could be used - handed out when you are waiting to be seated and then collected back when you leave the resaurant? even when busy and service slipped, the food stayed lovely though. the only downside was the milk provided for cereal was either long life or skimmed or something but tasted like the milk you get in hotels in Spain. It would be nice to see a variety of different milks.

the only other issues was internal doors slamming late at night.

oh, and remember to use your 'do not disturb' sign as the cleaners start about 7am!!

room service food is of a high standard. most was restaurant quality and very nicely presented.

use the swiming poool if you get a chance though..it's a lovely extra.

the staff are generally all very welcoming and i would certainly stay here again
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My boyfriend booked this hotel as we were going to a birthday do nearby, and got a cheap rate of £65. For this price it was very good value. The hotel is located in the town centre, next to the Ikon nightclub.
The reception staff were efficient and reasonably helpful. They let us have a late checkout at 12, and got us a smoking room as requested. The room did suffer from some noise as Ikon has an outside area and we were staying on a Saturday night, so I'd recommend asking for a room away from that side if this kind of thing would bother you.
The room itself was fine, a decent size, and very clean. Nothing amazing, no added luxuries, but up to the standards you'd expect from a Holiday Inn,and as I say, good for the price we got it for.
I wouldn't recommend this hotel for a romantic weekend away or anything, but it serves its purpose. And although I do have a soft spot for Bolton, don't expect much from the town centre - it tends towards big chain pubs and tacky shops and takeaways (the areas further out in the hills are much nicer).
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Our 2 day stay at this hotel was very comfortable indeed. Friends in the area had informed us that the hotel had recently opened after a major refurbishment following a fire. Everything seemed new or hardly used at all. The public areas were swish and highly polished and the staff most helpful, smiling and attentative.

The rooms were clean, tidy and tastefully decorated. The bathroom toiletries were of good quality and the bathroom had a very modern appearance. It’s good to have a decent magnified mirror in the bathroom.! Despite our room facing the front main road, there was no traffic noise and we had a sound sleep in a very comfortable bed.

Breakfast in particular was a lovely and welcome surprise – there was a lot of choice – buffet style with full English, Continental choice with pastries and cheeses, fresh fruit and yoghurts. Food could also be cooked to order.

Our complaint would be the size of the room. We had booked an Executive room but this was very small compared to other hotels of a similar grading. It would have been a struggle if we had more than one full size suitcase. Not enough room for 2 people to be in the same part of the room at the same time. The bathroom was especially small – elbow room only. Perhaps this particular room is best suited to a single business traveller and not a couple. The mini bar was poorly stocked – no branded spirits and small choice of extras. Bottled water was complimentary when we arrived but not replaced after the first night. We don’t know if this is policy or only hotels abroad that replace water at no additional cost.

We were a little apprehensive after reading previous Trip Adviser reports of this hotel but overall, if we were in the area again, would most definitely stay at the Holiday Inn Bolton town centre. One of the better in the UK that we’ve stayed in.

A word of warning about the local taxis – they don’t seem to know where they are going and rely on You giving Them directions – not good when you’re in a suburb of Manchester that you’ve never visited and need taking back to one of the biggest hotels in the area - the Holiday Inn Bolton town centre – next to the biggest night club in the town (but no noise) – next to so and so…….. very bad. We wondered how they managed to get a licence, especially with the standard of driving too! Take a map with you.
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I have just spent the weekend at the Holiday Inn Bolton centre and its my third time here. I have to say that I have never had a bad experience whilst staying here and this time was no different. We were 4 adults and both rooms were really nice, clean spacious and the air con worked a treat.

the location is very central but also quiet so no disturbed sleep, the staff with whom we came into contact were also really nice and helpful even arranging a champagne bucket with ice and 4 glasses (for a small celebration in our room) even though we had bought the champagne elsewhere.

I visit Bolton quite regularly and when i do I will always choose this hotel.
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Found the place fairly easy, was worried about some of the reviews.
Breakfast was the best meal,superb!!, there is a good choice of traditional English, pastries,fruit and cerials.Don't have your evening meal there for the price you pay in the restaurant it is not worth it.The food is not brilliant either.
Rooms were clean and well furnished including TV, phone, hair dryer and air con....I wish you could leave it on though when you left the room. The lifts worked! and at no time did I feel threatened when walking around outside the Hotel. The other correspondant must have just had a bad experience that day!
Where the Hotel lost more marks was the incessent banging of interior doors after I had gone to bed!
I have given this Hotel a neutral mark but with a little price adjustment in the restaurant and some internal noise insulation I think anyone would be happy to stay at the Holiday Inn in Bolton Centre.
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Stayed here for one night, got a good rate off [--] much cheaper that anywhere else we found! Lovely room, had all the essentials and was clean. Plenty of space. Check in was fast. Cannot comment of the bar/restaurant in the hotel as we didn't stop in. The motivation club in the hotel was amazin! the pool is quite big and around the pool area is lovely and very clean. There is also a spa, and sauna which were both nice. The shower room by the pool is lovely and clean with all the essentials provided complimentary as are the towels. The situation of the hotel is ideal. It is pretty much next door to Ikon a club in bolton but dont let this put you off theres no noise nor rowdy people as the club is on the side closer to town which is the way the people walk to and from the club. The hotel is approx a 5 minute walk from the town centre where there is a good selection of places to eat and plenty of bars etc. Would recomend this hotel for a stay in Bolton.
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Stayed here on a number of occasions over the years, the main building was originally a church, then a carpet warehouse, then the Moat House, now the Holiday Inn Bolton (just the same but the rooms now have aircon) A bad fire here a few years ago (2 fatalities) stigmatised the place for a long time and as a result it was pretty good value. The rooms are good (but don't make any special requests - they're ignored) breakfasts are ok, the pool is so-so but the drinks are expensive. I've eaten in the restaurant a few times and it's nowt to shout about - there's not much better nearby unless you fancy a kebab or pizza. Location is the best in town, with the shopping center, bars, nightclub and casino across the street -along with 'Softys Hard Stuff' adult emporium! Parking is good too, in the underground car park. Shop around for the deals as the official website says it's the cheapest but 'Superbreak' is better.
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The Holiday Inn, Bolton - Cloisters Relaunch Event: A Grand Success
11/07/2024

On Saturday, 6th July, The Holiday Inn, Bolton proudly held their relaunch event for their beautiful Cloisters Suite, showcasing the room to guests. Read article