A budget-friendly keep on the Thomas Ingoldsby in Canterbury proved that Wetherspoon inns provide distinctive worth, with rooms from £55 and pints for simply £1.89
The lodge had quite a bit to supply (Picture: undefined)
Whether or not you like it or despise it, Wetherspoons stays a quintessentially British institution.
The pub big operates roughly 800 venues nationwide and generated £2 billion in income final yr. From its distinctive venue-specific Nineteen Seventies-style carpeting to its remarkably reasonably priced drinks, from its forthright chief govt Tim Martin to its knack for reworking magnificent Victorian buildings into widespread watering holes, the chain has grow to be deeply embedded in British tradition.
Nonetheless, what many individuals could also be unaware of – and what got here as information to me – is that Wetherspoons does not simply function pubs, however has been working inns since 1998. The inaugural institution in Shrewsbury featured 22 visitor rooms alongside the normal pub services.
Subsequently, 54 further Wetherspoons Resorts have launched throughout the nation.
Deterred by Mr Martin’s forays into British politics and considerations in regards to the chain undermining impartial publicans via its substantial buying energy, my current visits to Wetherspoons had been restricted to airport emergencies and, once in a while, utilizing their services with out making a purchase order. Nonetheless, after Which?,named its lodge probably the most budget-friendly in Britain, I resolved to put aside earlier reservations and expertise it firsthand.
On a bitter Wednesday in November, I arrived on the Thomas Ingoldsby in Canterbury, chilly and saggy after an prolonged bicycle journey from Broadstairs. What adopted exceeded expectations and fully remodeled my notion of Wetherspoons.
The proposition is, fairly frankly, exceptional. Here is what I found:
View this put up on Instagram
The mattress was surprisingly comfortable (Picture: undefined)
Value
Value is undeniably a significant draw at Wetherspoon pubs, and this extends to their lodge choices as nicely. Within the Which? survey, it achieved a uncommon 4* ranking for worth for cash, matched solely by the general champion, Teaching Inn Group.
While Teaching instructions a median nightly fee of £128, Wetherspoon costs a mere £70. A double room on the Thomas Ingoldsby, out there for reserving subsequent Wednesday, prices simply £55.
I loved a £2.99 vegetarian breakfast the morning after sampling £1.89 pints of ale the earlier night. Each exceeded expectations.
Maybe I’ve spent too lengthy inside the M25, however these costs appeared remarkably cheap. In 2025, when even a easy outing seems to empty not less than £20 out of your pockets, the budget-conscious attraction of this expertise stood out as its most noteworthy function.
Ambiance
Previous to my lodge go to, my most up-to-date Wetherspoon expertise concerned wandering into the huge and considerably abandoned Coronet on Holloway Highway in London. The distinction in environment could not have been extra pronounced on this specific crisp Wednesday night in Canterbury.
East Kent’s ingesting crowd was out in appreciable numbers. College undergraduates, cheerful teams of pensioners, and solitary patrons absorbed in books while munching onion rings. Each stroll of life was represented.
The lodge lodging sits only a transient staircase away from the pub, permitting friends to simply make their approach upstairs at closing time or take pleasure in a deli wrap and chips while having a soak. A employees member knowledgeable me that last-minute room bookings are accommodated, although excessively intoxicated patrons could also be turned away.
I stayed in a £55 an evening Spoons lodge with £1.89 pints – one key factor blew me awayMilo Boyd Mirror journey (Picture: undefined)
The room
The lodging itself was nearly flawless. Having stayed at quite a few price range inns through the years, this ranked among the many most interesting.
The potential pitfalls of lower-priced institutions usually embrace dilapidated furnishings, an unclean environment and indicators of bedbugs. The perfect situation entails an area the place all the pieces seems well-maintained, moderately fashionable, spotless and thoughtfully organized.
The Ingoldsby ticked all these bins, while providing double rooms spacious sufficient for an impromptu late-night gathering (although such actions are presumably neither inspired nor permitted).
The lodging additionally featured a considerable desk full with a generously provided tea station, a substantial tv and a vista of Canterbury Cathedral that few inns within the metropolis might rival. Simply two of the Ingoldsby’s rooms boast that outlook.
These located on the alternative facet of the institution not solely miss the view of the Anglican headquarters, but in addition expertise some disruption from morning lorry exercise, based on employees. If out there, room 110 is the prime selection.
Following an prolonged, chilly day biking via Kent, it was pleasant to seek out the thermostat may very well be adjusted proper as much as 25 C, and truly achieved that temperature. It felt like a correct getaway.
You may take a pint as much as your room (Picture: undefined)
What’s included
Regrettably, the Spoons lodge does not provide an all-inclusive association. One can solely think about the chaos that may ensue after numerous bottles of Hooch and triple-cooked chips. Nonetheless, what’s really supplied is much from insufficient. Satisfactory Wi-Fi, a choice of biscuit packets, clear towels, two complimentary water bottles and enough tea, espresso and sizzling chocolate sachets to final till the 11am checkout.
Breakfast is not a part of the bundle, however given how reasonably priced it’s, there appeared little purpose to grouse.
Remaining ideas
A mate’s astute father as soon as remarked that Spoons represents the closest factor to a real social establishment Britain has remaining. With nightclubs shutting down and members’ golf equipment folding, there are more and more fewer venues the place folks can collect.
Spoons could be amongst the ultimate genuine third areas left within the UK, attracting folks from each stroll of life and background. And now that it is providing lodging of this high quality at such aggressive costs, its attraction turns into much more plain.
Leave a Reply