Holiday Inn Express Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays by IHG

Hotels
•
Holiday Inn Express
7.9 (7677 reviews)
The Plaza, Gunwharf Quays , Portsmouth , GB
+44 23 9289 4240

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Paid
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Heating
Family rooms
Pets allowed
Lift / Elevator
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Excellent/central location (near Gunwharf, shops, pubs, restaurants)
Friendly, helpful staff
Good/generous breakfast (hot, fresh, varied, self-serve)
Clean rooms reported frequently
Comfortable beds in many reviews
Great value for money
Easy/available parking mentioned
Cons:
Noise from bar/external music and thin walls
Occasional poor cleanliness incidents (stained towel, dirty cutlery, odd bathroom smell)
Some rooms dated or poor quality (decor, small storage, awkward bed setups)
Wi‑Fi not reaching every room / limited sockets
Limited menu for some food offerings
Lack of signage for parking and access
Missing amenities in rooms (no extractor fan, no bath option in some rooms)

Categories

Cleanliness
6
Mostly clean rooms reported but several notable issues (stained towel with obvious human excrement, dirty cutlery after dishwasher, odd bathroom smell) justify a below-average cleanliness score.
Service
8.5
Staff repeatedly described as very friendly, welcoming and helpful; multiple mentions of accommodating bookings and good reception service support a strong service rating.
Location
9
Consistently praised as excellent/central for Gunwharf, shops, pubs and restaurants; location is a key strength of the hotel.
Room Quality
7.2
Mixed: many rooms described as clean and comfy, but recurring notes of dated decor, thin walls/noise (bar music), some uncomfortable beds and awkward bed configurations lower the score.
Amenities
6.8
Several practical shortcomings reported (Wi‑Fi not reaching every room, poor parking signage, missing extractor fan, lack of sockets near bed, limited bathing options) reducing the amenities score.
Value for Money
8.5
Multiple reviewers call it great value for the price; breakfasts and central location contribute to a strong value perception.
Food and Beverage
8.5
Breakfast repeatedly praised as good/hot/fresh with good selection and self‑serve availability; a few negatives (limited menu, some comments that cooked breakfast was not nice) but overall positive.
Overall Experience
8.7
Overall positive stay for most guests with many saying they would stay again; strengths in location, staff and breakfast outweigh occasional noise, dated rooms and cleanliness lapses.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:16

Property Description

Modern Rooms with Stunning Views
Experience comfort and style at our hotel located in the vibrant Gunwharf Quays. Enjoy bright, modern rooms with views of the docks, equipped with amenities like TV, power showers, and tea/coffee facilities.

Conveniently Located Attractions
Explore designer shops, a cinema, bowling, and more just steps away from the hotel. Immerse yourself in the city's lively atmosphere with restaurants, pubs, and entertainment options within walking distance.

Relaxing Breakfast Lounge
Start your day right with a delicious continental breakfast in our cozy lounge. Fuel up before exploring Portsmouth's historic Dockyard, waterfront, and city center, all conveniently close to the hotel.

Book now for an unforgettable stay at our Holiday Inn Express in Portsmouth!

Important information:

If you expect to arrive outside reception opening hours, please inform Holiday Inn Express Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays in advance.

Pets are not allowed, but guide dogs are accepted.

Undercover private parking is available at the main Gunwharf Quays Car Park.

Up to 2 children under the age of 18 stay free when sharing a room with up to 2 adults if suitable accommodations is available.Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Airport code: SOU

Location

Property Accessibility

Public Area
  • Ramp: No
  • Entrance Leveled: No
  • Pet Friendly: No
Reception And Restaurant
  • Reception Hearing Accessible: No
  • Reception Wheelchair Accessible: No
  • Restaurant Wheelchair Accessible: No
Elevator
  • Elevator Audio Signals: No
  • Elevator Braille Numbers: Yes
  • Elevator Contrasting Buttons: No
  • Elevator Visual Signs: No
Show all accessibility features

Guest Reviews

7.9
Based on 7677 reviews
Cleanliness: 6
Service: 8.5
Location: 9
Room Quality: 7.2
Amenities: 6.8
Value for Money: 8.5
Food and Beverage: 8.5
Overall Experience: 8.7
S
Steen-Plomer • family_with_children • gb
10
2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
M
Marc • solo_traveller • gb
8
Will stay again
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Limited menu

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
C
Caroline • extended_group • gb
9
Pros:

Excellent location, great staff

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
A
Amrita • couple • gb
6
Wouldn’t stay again
Pros:

Local to shops

Cons:

One of the bath towels had a stain, which was obviously human excrement.

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
V
Vince • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Close walk to pubs and food

Cons:

Cooked Breakfast is not nice at all

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
A
Adrian • solo_traveller • gb
8
A comfortable stay in a central location for shops and the Historic Dockyard
Pros:

Really comfy bed, very friendly staff. Parking very easy.

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
L
Lloyd • family_with_children • gb
7
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Their Internet doesn't reach every room

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
H
Holly • family_with_children • gb
8
Lovely location and great staff.
Pros:

Staff very welcoming, room very clean. Self serve breakfast open for a very good time span
Good temperature room.

Cons:

Partner prefers the option of a bath.
Neighbours noisy, walls quite thin.
Odd smell in bathroom after flushing loo.

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
M
Melissa • extended_group • gb
9
Great location, mostly fine.
Pros:

The location is perfect. The room was clean and tidy. Lot of choice at breakfast and free tea/coffee at any time.

Cons:

Our room was opposite a bar and the music was blaring and very loud until it closed around 1am

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
E
Emma • family_with_children • gb
10
Pros:

Great location. Amazing staff. Fantastic breakfast.

2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
B
Bob&Chris • family_with_children • au
5
Pros:

Location was great

Cons:

Common areas run down, but room was in very good condition

2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
A
Anne • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Clean room, good breakfast, friendly and helpful staff.

Cons:

I requested 2 single beds. What we got was a small double bed and a sofa bed, which was inconveniently placed across the window wall making it very difficult to get to the window and curtains. Also , although the breakfast was very good, the cutlery was disgusting. Most of it had dried food left on , presumable not checked after removal from dishwasher.

2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
A
Andrei • family_with_children • ee
10
2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
S
Springdingo • family_with_children • gb
8
Good location, accessible room bed was uncomfortable.
Pros:

Good location and price.

Cons:

Apparently we'd booked an accessible room, the bed was uncomfortable, the beds have alwaysbeen good on other stays. We're staying again in a couple of weeks so the staff ensured that we are booked into a different room.

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
A
Anne • couple • gb
8
Will come back again
Pros:

Good location
Extremely comfortable bed
Nice breakfast
Lovely staff

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
N
Naomi • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Breakfast was very good, all hot breakfast food was hot and fresh - great value

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
J
Jennie • couple • gb
8
Pros:

Great location
Lovely and quiet in room, couldn’t hear other guests

Cons:

Lack of signage re. Parking and hoe to get to hotel once parked
Decor in room did not look finished, especially the paint work around heds

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • extended_group • gb
10
Pros:

Location was amazing!

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
B
Barry • couple • gb
10
Pros:

Great location for Gunwharf shopping and restaurants, great staff lovely breakfast can’t wait to book again

2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
S
Sophie • family_with_children • gb
10
Pros:

The room was clean and safe
Lovely breakfast selection

2026-10-25 • via Nuitee