Express By Holiday Inn Girona

“ Clean,modern value for money hotel with friendly helpful staff & easy public transport links to Girona,Barcelona & the airport.
A good base if you don't mind a trip on the bus into town.
Shops,bars & cafes next door in the shopping complex.
Barcelona a bit of a trek though (not difficult to access 15 min bus ride then an hour & 20mins on the train)

“ good and cheap hotel

“ I stopped at The Express By Holiday Inn, Salt, near Girona in mid-July 2011, whilst travelling on business. It is located on a popular retail park a couple of minutes off the 690 mile (1,109km) "Autopista del Mediterráneo" (AP-7,) which hugs the coast just south of the French border down to Vera in southern Spain.

It is a very modern (at the time of my stay), clean, quiet and comfortable hotel, good for an overnight, or couple of days stop, to explore the area. Bedrooms are individually air-conditioned and my bathroom was spotless and well-lit.

On the downsides, the tv in my room was a tiny old 4:3 screen, which squashed the modern 16:9 broadcasts (not ideal for watching a movie) and it had few English-language channels; BBC World and CNN being two of them. Added to their standard €80 per night standard room rate, they charge (yes, make you pay extra!) for Wi-Fi from €3.50 per hour. I stayed at the €39 per night Kyriad hotel in Montluçon, France the previous night and Wi-Fi was free!

Traveling by car? Do not use the shopping Mall's underground facility, as it closes at 21.30 and on Sundays doesn't re-open until 15.30! There are limited ground-level spaces around the hotel but, during busy times, you may find yourself parking a good walk from the reception entrance.

The breakfast food selection was one of the most unappetising I have ever encountered in a hotel of this standard; high in carbohydrates and sugar (only two choices of cereals - cornflakes or coco-pops) but low in protein (processed cheese slices or thinly cut fatty ham), and only white (yuck!) bread or croissants. Fruit salad, yoghurts and endless coffee was also available. Fortunately, there is a MacDonald's in the Mall!

I would stay there again if, as before, I was passing through en route to the south but next time I'll bring my own breakfast!

“ Top Tip: There is no restaurant in the Express By Holiday Inn at Salt, just a small bar but the shopping Mall is well-stocked with eateries. I ate in a super Chinese buffet restaurant (all you can stuff for only €10!) which can be found just inside the main door, on the right.

“ excellent hotel with great services, clean and huge rooms.

“ Top Tip: shopping centre just a few steps.