Holiday Inn Express Canterbury by IHG

Hotels
•
Holiday Inn Express
8.4 (2565 reviews)
A2, Upper Harbledown , Canterbury , GB
+44 1227 865000

listing image 1
Show all photos
Paid
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Business center
Heating
Terrace
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly, helpful staff (frequently mentioned)
Clean and tidy rooms (many guests noted spotless rooms)
Good breakfast options (several reviews praised breakfast)
Comfortable beds and blackout curtains
Excellent value/price for money
Convenient parking and easy to find
Cons:
Location near a dual carriageway/behind petrol station can be noisy or awkward
No lift (several mentions)
Occasional room issues: smells, dirty room or TV not working
Public areas could be better maintained
Limited breakfast choice and some food/restaurant price comments

Categories

Cleanliness
8
Mixed signals: several guests praised spotless and very clean rooms, but a few reports mentioned a dirty room, odd smells and a non-working TV—overall slightly above average but with occasional lapses.
Service
9.2
Consistently positive: numerous comments highlight friendly, helpful and attentive staff, though one mention of poor communication when entering a room and a staff member entering without informing guests.
Location
7.8
Mixed: convenient for motorway/nearby destinations and easy to find, but several guests noted it is off a dual carriageway, behind a petrol station and can be tricky/noisy to access or return to.
Room Quality
8.1
Generally good: comfortable beds, functional blackout curtains and decent room size; some reports of mattress age, brief shower temperature spikes, strange smells and isolated maintenance issues (TV, sofa bed).
Amenities
7.8
Adequate but limited: on-site parking (charged), restaurant and breakfast available, breakfast discount at petrol station; lacks a lift and public areas could be better maintained.
Value for Money
9.2
Very positive: multiple guests described excellent price and good value for a budget motel; several explicitly recommended for the price paid.
Food and Beverage
8.8
Strong overall: breakfast repeatedly described as good or excellent and the restaurant meals praised; a few minor comments about limited choices (e.g., mushrooms) and occasional price concerns.
Overall Experience
8.3
Generally favourable: many stayed happily, praising cleanliness, comfort and staff; best suited to short/business stays or budget travellers rather than a leisure destination.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:09

Property Description

Modern Amenities and Services
The hotel boasts a 24-hour front desk, free breakfasts, and a contemporary restaurant. Each colorful room features a private bathroom with a power shower, work desk, and entertainment options.

Delicious Dining Options
Guests can savor a hearty breakfast and a diverse evening menu at the on-site restaurant. The lounge bar offers a selection of afternoon teas, snacks, and coffees for a relaxing break.

Convenient Location
Perfectly located just outside historic Canterbury, the hotel is a short drive from the city center and the iconic Canterbury Cathedral. Situated on the A2 road, it offers easy access to explore the area.

Book now for a memorable stay at Holiday Inn Express Canterbury!

Important information:

Please note, for the room selected at check-In, bed selection is not guaranteed. For this room type, bed selection is based on availability upon arrival and is determined by the front desk.

Dinner inclusive package will includes breakfast and three course dinner from set menu or buffet in a designated hotel restaurant for one or two resident adults sharing a room. Children over 6yrs of age Supplement of £15.00 per child will be added.

Pet Policies / Terms and Conditions :
• Pets (only dogs) are permitted
• A £30 per stay ( max 3 days) per pet per room applies.
• Pets must not be left unattended in the rooms or public area.
Pet policy document will be available to sign at check-in.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: 12:00 PM
Airport code: LGW

Location

Guest Reviews

8.4
Based on 2565 reviews
Cleanliness: 8
Service: 9.2
Location: 7.8
Room Quality: 8.1
Amenities: 7.8
Value for Money: 9.2
Food and Beverage: 8.8
Overall Experience: 8.3
C
cordelia • family_with_children • gb
10
2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
E
Elie • couple • gb
8
Overall it was a good stay
Pros:

Staff were really helpful

Cons:

When we left the room to go out, a staff member went in to put the sofa bed back in. It would’ve been good to be informed first

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
S
Sophie • family_with_children • gb
7
2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
L
lynn • couple • gb
10
Brill
Pros:

The staff were amazing and super helpful

Cons:

Nothing

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
G
Grace • couple • gb
8
Pros:

Clean comfortable room with everything I needed. I'm very fussy about bedding but despite thinking the pillows felt lumpy, they were actually very comfortable! Friendly staff.

Cons:

Location was a shock, behind a petrol station off a dual carriageway but I was attending a funeral & this was where friends had booked so I just booked without looking. Have stayed in much nicer places for much less. Room had a strange smell, couldn't decide if it was stale cigarette smoke or freshly painted chalk paint, arrived very late so was too tired to request a room change but wasnt unbearable & did mention to staff when leaving. Shower was great except kept giving very short bursts of extra hot, not long enough to burn but again did mention to staff. Felt very corporate, fine if on business but wouldn't recommend for a leisure stay unless you're looking for somewhere to literally sleep & wash.

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
J
Jason • family_with_children • gb
1
Cons:

Dirty room.. tv not working.. poor communication from staff

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
J
Jérémy • family_with_children • fr
8
Pros:

personnel agréable, chambre confortable, tout s'est bien passé

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
A
Adam • family_with_children • gb
9
2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
E
Ewan • couple • fr
9
Pros:

Excellent price and very convenient.

Cons:

Public areas could be better maintained.

2026-10-30 • via Nuitee
B
Brian • couple • gb
10
It suited us fine for visits to grandchildren in Canterbury, Ashford and Margate
Pros:

Excellent breakfast plenty of choice, staff very helpful.

Cons:

Nothing

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
A
Antonina • solo_traveller • gb
9
2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
T
Tim • family_with_children • nl
9
Onverwacht prettig voor de prijs
Pros:

Voor een goedkoop motel aan de snelweg krijg je veel vriendelijkheid, goede service en een relatief ruime kamer. Korting op het ontbijt bij het tankstation en een groene tuin om het hotel zijn bonus.

Cons:

-

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
M
Martin • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Good sized room and comfortable bed with very functional black out curtains. It was well placed to get to Canterbury within a short period of time, but being off a dual carriageway it was a lor more complicated to get back again.
Breakfast was good if a little limited in choice, but no complaints from us.

Cons:

Getting back to the hotel was a bit trickier if coming from Canterbury. Our room was OK, but if on the other side there may be road noise from the dual carriageway but that's just supposition

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
W
Welch • family_with_children • gb
5
nothing to write home about
Pros:

Staff were polite but hard to understand
Breakfast was basic but ok

Cons:

Rooms were quite noisy, road noise, mattress was old

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
G
Gemma • family_with_children • gb
10
Pros:

Fantastic location, easy to find and friendly staff

2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
L
Lozano • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
S
Stephen • couple • gb
9
All good thanks
Pros:

Very clean and tidy hotel Staff very friendly good food selection

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
T
Tracey • family_with_children • gb
10
Pros:

Spotless room, staff very attentive. Restaurant meal each evening well presented and tasted great.

Cons:

Would have liked mushrooms in the hot breakfast.

2026-10-27 • via Nuitee
L
Lothar • couple • de
10
wir waren ueberrascht und sehr zufrieden mit dem zimmer,personal sehr freundlich und hilfbereit.
Pros:

fuer den preis alles top

Cons:

leider bischen ausserhalb

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
A
Alan • couple • gb
9
Cons:

Nice food but a bit pricey.

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee