Last updated: 3 September 2023
For anyone looking to discover one of England’s great cathedral cities, streets full of Instagram-worthy half-timbered houses, a 700-year old wall-mounted table alongside tales of King Arthur, ruins dating back to the Romans, and a stunning cathedral then Winchester should make the list for your next city break.
Holiday Inn Winchester
The Hotel
Situated on the edge of the stunning South Downs, Holiday Inn Winchester is the ideal location for families looking to explore the Winchester Planetarium which is just next door, or Peppa Pig World, 18 miles away.
For those guests without kids in tow, or those on a city break, the hotel is located a 5-minute drive from Winchester city making it a good choice for those looking to explore either location or the nearby towns and villages across the South Downs. The hotel was first built in 2010 and received £2.5 million refurbishment in 2019.
The Rooms
The Holiday Inn Winchester has 131 rooms over 3 floors, with room configurations of double, twin, family, accessible all available as well as Executive rooms and a Bridal suite.
The Executive room features a comfy king size bed with a wall-mounted Samsung Smart TV with a variety of standard channels plus the ability for guests to mirror and/or cast content straight from their personal digital device to the TV.
The colour scheme is a predominantly calming neutral palette; featuring deep charcoal, cream, with a wenge-style timber headboard, with matching side tables, and a curved desk. The iconic Holiday Inn lime green is featured in the desk chair, and more subtly in the fabric of the armchair under the window.
A large fixed-pane window with views of the green hills to the east of the property is equipped with a white mesh curtain to defuse the light, and a well designed block-out curtain which helps ensure a solid night’s sleep.
Air conditioning anywhere is quite a treat in the British summertime so I was delighted by the individually controlled cool air which was set to a crisp 18° upon arrival. It is possible to adjust it to high 20s though it’s not advisable to increase it beyond 24° for health and environmental sustainability.
On the whole, the rooms are very quiet with no noise between rooms, just some ambient noise coming from the hallway as doors open/close.
Power to charge personal devices is via two AC power points on one side of the bed, plus an additional two USB(A) sockets on the same side. Great for solo travellers with lots of tech, though it would be more helpful to have sockets on both sides of the bed for couples.
As you would expect in any English hotel, a tea and coffee-making facility is available in each room. I would have liked to see products related to Winchester or Hampsire, rather than stock standard Twinings, and granular Nespresso which can be improved significantly by the addition of a Nespresso machine, especially in the Executive rooms.
In a refreshing change from some other hotel stays, the in-room lighting options in the Holiday Inn Winchester are many. Delicate reading lamps on each side of the bed give a subtle illumination, perfect as you’re winding down for the night, as well as side lamps on both bedsides. Extra points must be awarded here for the night light in the loo, though a switch to turn it off or at least the ability to dim it a little would be a bonus.
The ensuite has a shower over bath configuration. A comfortable rainfall showerhead with good pressure and a straightforward and functional design means you can have a simple shower without feeling like you need an engineering degree to get hot water working.
A conscious decision to reduce single use plastics, amenities provided in the form of sustainable bulk wall mounted dispensers. Australian-owned SOAK brand uses a unique superfood ingredient in each of their skin and hair care products including Purple Kale, Maca Root, Parsley Stem, Chia Seed.
A nice touch is the addition of white waffle robes but a distinct lack of the usual accompanying slippers seemed an odd omission.
Working from the hotel?
For those who work from the road, an Executive room is a good choice, equipped with a curved desk and a fixed-height desk chair. The desk has 3 powerpoints and 2 ethernet points and a reading lamp for additional light.
The desk is comfortable and spacious, though the fixed height chair may be troublesome for any guests outside average height.
The WiFi is fast and reliable and for those who need to know:
WiFi speed at Holiday Inn Winchester:
- Download: 55.47 Mbps
- Upload: 33.34 Mbps
The in-room digital safe comfortably accommodates a 15-inch laptop with plenty of room to spare for valuables, confidential documents and the like.
Lobby
The large open plan lobby feels spacious with high ceilings, a large glass wall and contemporary lighting. It is the centerpoint of the building with wings spanning out from both sides.
Designers have clearly considered and designed purposeful spaces. A long co-working desk sits to one side of the foyer, equipped with power points to charge electronic devices and additional lights, while bookcases divide the foyer into smaller nooks and cosy spaces containing colourful sofas and frequent pops of colour and geometric patterns.
Situated behind the long lobby bar is a more discrete area with bright blue booths. Lit by the oversize glass windows of the entryway, this lovely space works well for a cuppa with a book, or even as a space to get some work done.
Dining – Odyssey Restaurant, Bar & Pizzeria
The hotel’s restaurant, Odyssey, has a broad open-plan layout with a well-spaced mix of white marble and dark timber tables, lit by either charcoal lampshades with a copper centres, or glass drop lamp shades.
The open kitchen to give guests a window into the world of cookery, and to see the chefs expertly preparing meals, with the full bar menu available from 11am to 11pm.
The background music played through the dining area was subtle and ambient, enabling pleasant and engaging conversation between diners.
Looking to save some pennies?
At the time of writing, specials offered were two dine for £39.99, 2 for 1 pizza for mid-week stays, and a weekend steak night special.
For families, the Kids Stay & Eat Free offer could be a considerable saving on the wallet. Conditions apply so speak to the hotel to find out more.
Breakfast
Breakfast is available from 6.30am with a self-serve hot buffet breakfast featuring all the usual suspects sausages, Cumberland sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, black pudding, baked beans, fried eggs, and hash browns.
The absence of placecards meant the specifics for each item on the buffet wasn’t visible. An oversight I suspect, and while it’s not an issue for this writer, dietary requirements for allergies and religious observance could be problematic for some diners.
Guests preferring a continental-style breakfast are in luck. Expect to see a range of packaged & portioned cereals, yoghurt, fruit, pastries, cold meats, and three types of apportioned Minstrel cheese.
A made-to-order menu lists ten items which guests can request from the kitchen. Poached eggs, eggs benny, and pancakes make the bespoke list, almost all of which is included in your breakfast rate. Only one, kippers, attracts a supplementary charge.
As I ordered, I dreamed of a stack of ethereally fluffy pancakes complete with crispy edges, served with a dollop of butter, maple syrup in a cute ceramic pitcher, and topped with some seasonal berries.
This dream was not realised with the delayed arrival of 2 lonely rubbery 3-inch diameter pikelets and some syrup. Uneaten, these were swiftly replaced by some poached eggs from the same menu, a round at the hot buffet along with some fruit, which to be honest was a heartier choice for breakfast.
Dinner
Holiday Inn Winchester has a standard all day menu with options to carry just about everyone from lunch through to dessert. Think cold and hot sandwiches, pizza, pasta, British classics such as fish & chips, steak & ale pie, burgers, and a grill menu.
Alongside the all day menu there are dedicated menus for Sunday lunch, afternoon tea, and children.
Tempted by many items on the menu, we shared a charcuterie board as a starter, with salmon, and a rib eye from the grill menu for mains. If you enjoy a good charcuterie board then you may be interested in the time we spent in Bologna, Italy!
The grilled salmon fillet came with new potatoes, and unexpectedly, a side of market vegetables accompanied the salmon as did a large tomato, and mushroom. The salmon was tender, and well seasoned, the vegetables well cooked and full of flavour.
The ribeye cooked to order, served alongside a grilled mushroom, tomato, and chunky chips served in a grey ceramic flower pot, all of which was devoured promptly.
Almost always I will opt for a cheese board over anything else on a pudding menu, but on this occasion I ordered a summertime British staple, an Eton mess. For the uninitiated, an Eton mess consists of a crunchy meringue, whipped cream and berries. Purists would probably insist Eton mess should only contain strawberries, but to my delight the Eton mess at Holiday Inn Winchester came with other British summer berries: raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
To our Antipodean readers an Eton mess might sound a lot like a pavlova, and you’re right! They’re very similar except the Eton mess typically comes in an individual serving, usually a glass, in a ‘messed up’ form.
Holiday Inn Winchester Gym
Located on the lower ground, the gym is one of the better equipped hotel gyms I’ve seen in a while.
Equipped with Matrix branded machines, several cardio machines including treadmill, cross trainer, bike, many of which have touchscreen technology offering intuitive operation. There are also free weights, TRX suspension straps, yoga mats, exercise and medicine balls, resistance equipment. Plenty to keep most guests occupied for an hour or two.
The gym is free for hotel guests to use, however do check the opening hours and access with reception upon check in.
Ana Spa Holiday Inn Winchester
Created as a part of the 2019 refurbishment of the hotel, the Ana Spa is the Holiday Inn Winchester’s beauty and day spa relaxation centre. From full spa days to facials, massages, mani/pedi, there is even a dedicated menu for men, and expecting mums, the offering is extensive.
The Ana Spa Winchester thermal wet spa features a Himalayan salt sauna, steam room, sensory shower, Kneipp foot spa, and a hydrotherapy cool. Hotel guests can use these facilities for a fee either by the hour, or half day (4-hours).
Both the Ana Spa and the gym have access to pleasant changing rooms. Combination-lock lockers, cubicle showers, and a dedicated space for hair drying – hair dryers included.
Meeting Rooms
Benefiting from its purpose-built design, the Holiday Inn Winchester has eight meeting rooms which can accommodate up to 250 delegates. Each with built-in PA systems, projectors and dedicated staff.
The glass-walled South Downs suite shown above is a good choice for meetings, holding up to 20 people boardroom-style.
The Essentials
Address: Holiday Inn Telegraph Way Winchester SO21 1HZ
Getting to/from Holiday Inn Winchester
Parking
Parking is a breeze. Ample spaces are situated just outside the hotel. It’s easily accessible, step-free to the front of the hotel (~100m)
Overnight parking is free for hotel guests though you will need to register your vehicle information at reception.
Transport nearby
- Winchester train station: 3 miles
- Southampton port: 15 miles
The nearest train station is Winchester.
Direct trains to Winchester from London Waterloo are available on South Western Railways in just under an hour. Be sure you’re booking a direct train for the quickest journey.
You can walk from the station to the hotel. Save your legs for exploring Winchester on foot and take the bus:
Winchester train station to Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium by bus
The 64 bus runs from Winchester train station to Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium and stops right outside the Holiday Inn Winchester at “No Mans Land, Science Centre” stop. Check the timetable for bus times.
