The Travelodge in Preston is situated on New Hall Lane- a mere 10 minute walk from the city centre and a 5-minute car journey to the main car parks.
Travelodge Preston
I arrived on Saturday afternoon in my little Citroen- there is on-site parking - just head in through the gate before hotel and there's a ramp, which leads to a covered car park. It's pretty snug, so be mindful of this if you own a big and a small car- travel there in your small one to make life easier.
The car park leads to a lift so you can gain access to the reception level. Check in was easy and simple- I got my key card and went up to the fourth floor.
The room was large with a king size bed, a desk, chair, TV and fan (I can't tell you how grateful I was of this) and a bathroom with large fluffy white towels. There was coffee and tea available and a menu detailing the breakfast options and food they serve at the bar.
The room had a view across the city and was surprisingly quiet considering it was on the main road through to the M6 from Preston city centre so I had a comfortable night.
It didn't take me long to walk to the pubs and clubs- only 10 minutes- which is where the shops are too, so if you're looking for somewhere to eat like I was or you want to go for a shopping spree, it won't take you long to walk between the two.
I was particularly looking forward to my breakfast the next day as it was clearly marked on the menu that there would be Linda McCartney sausages and granary bread on offer, which are suitable for vegans. When I arrived, the sausages were not clearly marked as veggie/non-veggie and when I spoke to the lady who was working that day she thought I was asking when there would be more food out as some items were running low so told me that it would be stocked up soon. Perhaps I should have been clearer in what I was asking but I didn't want to take the risk so I had some Heinz beans, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes which were to the usual standard.
Still, it's positive that Travelodge are making the effort to cater for people with different eating preferences. The evening menu didn't have any exclusively vegan dishes however, it did state that if you want any of the dishes tweaking- this is possible if you ask as you order.
I returned to my room about midnight and at that time the hotel was locked up but you can get access via your key card, which you have to use to get into the main building and then again to reach the corridor housing your room. As a woman staying on my own I felt very safe once I was inside the building.
Overall, the location was ideal as it had everything I needed on the doorstep and a generous check out time of 11am on the Sunday so I didn't have to rush off. City centre parking is expensive so having the added bonus of being able to leave my car and walk was an advantage.