Blue Jay, Derby by Marston's Inns

Hotels
•
Marston's Inns
8.4 (2195 reviews)
Commercial Road , Derby , GB

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Restaurant
Heating
Family rooms
Garden
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Clean and tidy rooms (majority reports)
Excellent location near food outlets, attractions and parking
Air conditioning in rooms appreciated during heatwave
Friendly pub/bar staff and good pub food often mentioned
Free parking and EV charging; family-friendly facilities
Cons:
Inconsistent service (some rude reception/manager incidents)
Food quality inconsistent; some reports of poor/overcooked items
Occasional failures in housekeeping (room not cleaned, towels not changed)
No lift and several flights of stairs in some areas
Drain smell outside and occasional check-in waits

Categories

Cleanliness
8
Mostly reported as clean and tidy across many reviews, but a few serious negatives (room not cleaned for 3 nights, lack of towel changes, and an outside drain smell) lowered the score slightly.
Service
8.5
Generally praised staff and friendly pub/bar staff in multiple reviews, though there are notable negative incidents (rude receptionist, a manager refusing an advertised offer) — overall service is positive but with a few impactful lapses.
Location
9
Repeatedly highlighted as a strength: convenient for food outlets, Alton Towers travel, pub next door, and free parking; location consistently praised.
Room Quality
8.2
Rooms described as comfortable, clean and with welcome air conditioning; some comments about beds being too firm for some guests and occasional initial temperature issues on arrival.
Amenities
8
Good practical amenities mentioned (free parking, EV charging, play area, aircon). Some shared spaces (breakfast/bar area) have seen better days, so amenities are solid but not premium.
Value for Money
8.5
Several guests called it good value or 'cheap and cheerful' and praised family rooms and space; a few issues (unexpected breakfast charges, food quality) temper this but overall value perception is positive.
Food and Beverage
7.8
Mixed reports: many enjoyed the breakfast and pub meals, while others reported poor food quality (overcooked carvery, stale vegetables) and issues with advertised offers not being honoured.
Overall Experience
9.2
Overall stays were described positively (good location, family-friendly, comfortable rooms, helpful staff in many cases), though occasional service failures and food/cleaning problems impacted some stays.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-13 21:45

Property Description

Modern Comfort and Convenience
Blue Jay, Derby by Marston's Inns offers a relaxing stay just minutes away from Derby Cathedral. The guest rooms are equipped with all the essentials for a comfortable stay, including a seating area and flat-screen TV.

Delightful Amenities
Enjoy a delicious continental or Full English/Irish breakfast during your stay at the hotel. Additionally, the property features a charming children's play area, perfect for families traveling with little ones.

Convenient Location
With key attractions like Kedleston Hall, Calke Abbey, and Pride Park Stadium nearby, there's plenty to explore around the hotel. Plus, being just 10 km from East Midlands Airport, your travel convenience is assured.

Book your stay at Blue Jay, Derby by Marston's Inns now for a memorable experience!

Important information:

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Location

Guest Reviews

8.4
Based on 2195 reviews
Cleanliness: 8
Service: 8.5
Location: 9
Room Quality: 8.2
Amenities: 8
Value for Money: 8.5
Food and Beverage: 7.8
Overall Experience: 9.2
T
Tanya • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Clean rooms

2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
A
Ali • family_with_children • gb
8
2026-09-18 • via Nuitee
M
maria • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

Room was good, breakfast was very good

Cons:

Shower was not a detachable one

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
S
Susan • couple • gb
10
Excellent place to stay with a nice restaurant.
Pros:

A comfortable bed and room. It was very clean. The receptionist needs to be commended. Apparently, Booking.com hadn't requested a twin room, which we had booked. She went and changed the beds, which had been joined. She then went on to help with the internet and inner door that wouldn't open with the key. She was so nice and patient. I would definitely stay again if in the area. Highly recommended.

Cons:

A different method of putting in your date of birth, when connecting to the internet. The year cannot be changed manually. I was trying to click back 75 years, with no luck. The receptionist did something else to get me online. The outside door opened, via the key card, but the inner door wouldn't. I had to keep going for help. The room opened ok, just the inner door that was a problem.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
C
Crouch • solo_traveller • gb
10
Pros:

Rooms are really nice and clean. Beds are very nice. Very good stay. Staff were great.

Cons:

Nothing.

2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
S
Sean • family_with_children • gb
10
2026-09-13 • via Nuitee
R
Richard • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Carpark small for larger vehicles ie vans

2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
D
Dawn • solo_traveller • gb
9
Pros:

Everything was lovely, spotless room and good sized

2026-09-08 • via Nuitee
P
Phil • couple • gb
10
Absolutely fabulous and will book here again
Pros:

We stayed here last year and was exceptional

Cons:

Nothing

2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
M
mohammed • family_with_children • gb
8
Overall all good
Pros:

Overall all good

Cons:

The staff at breakfast need to smile more not look upset.

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
D
Daxa • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

We like the easy check in. The room was comfortable.

Cons:

It had a musty smell inbthe room due to previous customer smoking vape in the room

2026-09-04 • via Nuitee
D
Danny • solo_traveller • gb
6
2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
A
Amin • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

Very nice location

Cons:

Service provider

2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
P
Paulo • solo_traveller • br
10
Pros:

All good

2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
E
Esther • family_with_children • gb
6
We have stayed in Blue Jay for many years, bit disappointed this time due to breakfast package.
Pros:

Location, low cost

Cons:

Breakfast and nobody cleaned the room after three days of staying.

2026-09-01 • via Nuitee
M
Martin • couple • gb
7
Great value, would stay again
Pros:

Great value, excellent location. Pub next door is decent as well. I think you get exactly what you’d expect from this place, so I can’t fault it at all

Cons:

Nothing to dislike

2026-08-31 • via Nuitee
M
Martin • extended_group • gb
10
2026-08-30 • via Nuitee
P
Perry • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-08-30 • via Nuitee
G
gsuper442 • solo_traveller • it
8
Pros:

La camera è accogliente e piuttosto spaziosa, il comodo parcheggio è a portata di mano, e le camere sono silenziose. Buona la colazione! Il check-in è da fare all'interno del Pub Blue Jay, mentre le camere sono dall'altra parte della strada.

Cons:

Il parcheggio è abbastanza trafficato: per chi cerca il massimo silenzio è da considerare. Per il resto, ha un ottimo rapporto qualità-prezzo!

2026-08-30 • via Nuitee
M
Mark • couple • gb
7
Good Fair price for the quality.
Cons:

Breakfast started too late.

2026-08-29 • via Nuitee