Shower is a separate plastic 'pod' with power shower, whilst the whb just outside the toilet door is positioned well to make good use of available space

Lifts and the café area are all able to be seen and supervised from the reception desk, which has clear sight lines to all the public areas. Signage, like that of competitor Travelodge (see an earlier Review in the archive) is well designed, simple clear and effective. Lighting both internal and external is well designed, giving good light overall and task light where needed.

Whilst bathroom design is again for shower room only, here it has been designed simply but effectively to give a separate albeit small toilet. The shower is a plastic pod, and space around the wash hand basin has been maximised by using the ‘corridor’ from the room door to the bed area as the location. Floor finishes are carefully controlled with use of hard sheet flooring alongside the carpeting.

Standard bedroom interior - rollover to see the corridor Different types of seating give flexibility for different times of the day as well as different sized groups. (Rollover)

Rooms are somewhat smaller than competitor rooms, but still capable of sleeping two or three adults for mum, dad and two kids by the simple device of having a bunk bed straddle across the main double bed. Otherwise the rooms are basic with a small desk come dressing table just big enough for a laptop, with the small TV above on a shelf. A task light for the desk is fitted under the TV shelf operates by a simple click switch. Rooms are air conditioned but the window is openable, and the curtains and sheers are effective in providing a reasonable degree of blackout.

The wardrobe is a simple hanging rail with a vestigial shelf acting as a bedside ‘table’, with switches for the angled bedhead light switched from an architrave switch on the end panel. Lighting is clever and simple and is the most striking feature of a quite basic room set. Although not setting any fashion standards the room is effective and functional, although rather spoilt for me by the rough wall finish, almost an Accor characteristic, and which has never seemed to me(I first saw it nearly 20 years ago in Angers) to be either functional (surely it is a dirt trap?) or friendly (the idea of scraping naked flesh against the wall makes me shudder) nor especially cheap, although I am sure it is quick to apply in construction terms. Certainly housekeepers do not like it any more than I and probably for the same reasons.