We stayed at the Essex Inn for 3 nights. The location was good for us - as we enjoy walking, and liked being opposite the park.
The hotel is rather tired, but it was clean and the staff were very friendly (one of the few hotels we stayed in on this trip where it appeared that you were remembered when you returned each day!). As the weather was coolish, we didn't have any problems with the heating/cooling system which have been highlighted by other guests. Our only gripe was with the lifts, which were incredibly slow! We couldn't get the free WiFi to work, but this wasn't a show stopper.... probably just some teething problems as judging from the website this is a fairly new offer.
A bonus was the coin operated laundry facility, which really helped us out - and a very popular service among all guests judging by the number of people wanting to use it (though having one of the two washing machines and one of the two driers out of action wasn't helpful!).
The Brasserie in the hotel (recently opened) was great for a drink, and we also had a very good evening meal there. The staff were very attentive, and keen to please. The chef certainly knows their stuff! We would happily recommend it to anyone.
We had breakfast at nearby Yolk, following the recommendations on TripAdvisor. It lived up to expectations - not the cheapest, but excellent quality, and you can also always tell it is a good breakfast venue by the fact that the local "law enforcement community" use it!
hotel reviews