Holiday Inn Swindon Hotel

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This hotel was really very basic, on arrival we were given our room key but not any information about the arrangements for the evening meal (they were supposed to tell you what the menu was and you said what you wanted in advance, so when we turned up there was considerable confusion). The room was comfortable but unremarkable, the bathroom was very small and the hanger on the back of the door fell off, plus the sink just had a big gaping hole rather than the usual plug hole, so if your ring fell of when you're washing your hands then 'bye 'bye ring. We put our dirty towels in the bath to be replaced, but were only given one fresh one. The price of drinks at the bar was ludicrously overinflated - a pint and a glass of wine costing nearly £9! As we were on an organised holiday the meals were set meals, which basically meant you had 2 choices of starter, mains and dessert. To call them meals, though, would be a total misrepresentation - the first night we were served a small piece of overcooked and tough chicken, with some dried up veg and potatoes, and the second night the same type of dried up chicken and veg with some burnt (incinerated would be more accurate) potatoes which I sent back only to be promptly handed another dish of charcoaled spuds. The puddings tasted like some frozen value deserts from Netto (but not as tasty), oh and we had to wait about half an hour between courses. Breakfast was stated to commence at 7.30, however it was nearly 15 mins later when we were finally allowed to sit down, very annoying when you have a schedule to keep, and then I had to wait even longer as they'd run out of eggs and bacon. Breakfast was a buffet type affair, but so confusingly set out it caused a certain amount of conflict with people pushing in and not knowing where queues started and finished. I wasn't expecting 5 star cuisine and service, but this really was abysmal and I certainly have no intention of ever returning to the Holiday Inn, Swindon again if I can help it.