Please note that this blog post is not an advertisement nor is it gifted. Holiday Inn Express Middlesbrough offered me the room for a discounted fee.
Last weekend I stayed the night in Middlesbrough and it was to see the band Cattle & Cane which you can read all about here .
I don’t usually stay over after a performance but this was my and my mum (who came with me to the gig) first time in the city so we wanted to take it all in.
Where did you stay?
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel as it was close to the venue and the city centre. The hotel is also facing the beautiful waterfall feature, The Bottle Of Notes and the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.
We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel Middlesbrough around 5pm, due to other commitments we couldn’t get there earlier. And was greeted by the Night Manager, Terrence who checked me and my mum in. We were VIP guests and my key card was given to me in a sparkly gold envelope.
What was your room like?
We entered the room and it was really nice and cosy inside- just what we needed for a good nights kip after a gig. We had a lovely view of the city centre.
The room had a large double bed with options of pillows, black out shades and a hanging closet. There was also a desk with a telly, sofa, kettle, bathroom with all the essentials and FREE Wifi.
The team really made me feel welcome – they also gave us a thank you card with some treats.
Did you eat out?
So we were ready for the gig but we were in need of some fuel before the show, Terrence recommended Bistrot Pierre which was a french restaurant next to the hotel. If you show your key card you can 10% discount there.
And boy was it a great choice, thanks to Terrence we had such a lovely meal. We chose a main and dessert from the Prix Fixe Evening Spring Menu Me and mam both had fish cakes with veg and potatoes, I had a chocolate mousse and mam had raspberry and mango sorbet. The meal was really tasty and I really enjoyed it, we were tres full and it was just what we needed before the gig.
Photo by Linda Hirst
Middlesbrough at night
I only got to see the night life of Middlesbrough after the gig and it is such a thriving and beautiful city. It looks like a place that has a lot going for it and there are a lot of developments going on- yes I think the city has a lot going for it.
Middlesbrough Town Hall (Venue for Cattle and Cane)
Completed in 1993, the Bottle of Notes is one of the magnificent pieces of public art in Middlesbrough.
Breakfast @HIEX
Me and mam had to leave pretty sharpish on the Saturday morning but we managed to get a breakfast fit for Kings and Queens. It was a breakfast buffet, so I helped myself to some cereal, muffin, fruit tea, croissant with honey, a full English and some fruit.
I was full enough for my travel back home and my day ahead.
Will you visit again?
I didn’t get to visit the city properly but I would love to come back and stay at the hotel as the team at HIEX were most helpful and made me feel right at home. I would love to come back and explore the city again. Maybe I can try a parmo…
To see more of my Culture Trips click here
To book at the hotel click here
Gemma's Journey 