Perfect base for going to the football, pleasing foyer area, within walking distance of town, good breakfast, Harvester over road is good value for evening meals.

I stayed at the holiday inn express for 3 nights on a recent business trip. The hotel is in a great location, being close to the train station, Derby centre and all the amenities that go with it.
I found the room to be clean and comfortable and the staff were very helpful. The only downside was the air con in the room was a little noisy so it had to be turned off at night. The breakfast was OK, nothing special. Overall this hotel 'does what it says on the tin' and I would be more than happy to stay there again. Good value for money...

Like some of the previous reviewers I feel that the introduction of the cooked breakfast has reduced the rating of this hotel. I have stayed at it many times- the last being over 18months ago - and previously I would have rated it highly as it is always clean and well appointed as it was at our recent visit. The staff were weloming and pleasant. For its price - we took advantage of booking more than 21 days in advance for a very reasonable rate - it was good value for money.

Breakfast used to be a pleasure, a varied cold continental selection with fruit, yoghurt, prepacked cereals, bread to toast and a variety of cakes and pastries along with fruit juice and hot drinks laid out in a logical order. Now, due to the changed layout in the small breakfast area and the introduction of the token 3 cooked items, breakfast has become a stressful start to the day. Even if you are lucky enough to meet less than 6 others in this area you are still doubling back on eachother - clashing trays. Cereal used to be in prepacked boxes - lift the box and go. A reduced choice of cereal is now in large open bowls on a display where the 2 highest bowls are hard to reach if not tall. Instead of a quick selection you have to wait behind others who are struggling to spoon cereal into their bowls. Milk is the before the ceral, not after it. Who thought of putting tomato ketchup next to the tea /coffee machines and cups just after the sausages? Why are butter and jam before you reach and see if you want to have some bread or toast or roll?

The 3 not very interesting looking cooked items are rarely all present at the same time, leading to people waiting indefinately in hope that what is missing will appear. If more that 15 are in the entire breakfast area at once ( this is a large hotel) this queue then builds up and blocks access to the toaster, the butter( people will at this point be trying to double back to the butter once having seen and made some toast) going back as far as the cereal and even to the entrance. Trays are clashing,and tempers frayed. If you don't want anything cooked you can be battling for what seems ages just to get a slice of bread.

The comment from management re trying to avoid busy times - how are we to know when others are going to breakfast - the area should be big enough and designed well enough for its guests. If some decision from afar has decreed that this cooked breakfast has to be served there should be a system to ensure that the 3 cooked items are always available and they should be well away from the rest of the the service area so that everything else runs smoothly.Even if available, the time taken to put all 3 on the plate holds up everyone else behind them.

We stayed for 2 nights - the first breakfast selection was something horrendous. The second marginally better, but still stressful.

I'm a fan of Holiday Inn Express but this cooked breakfast idea, where the breakfast selection area is too small to cope, has done it no favours for those who just want a quick light breakfast . If this could be rectified I'd consider 5 stars.

This was my 2nd stay in 3 years span. The room was typical for a Holiday Inn Express, but as usual, the closet space was inadequate. If traveling on business, a person needs to hang their dress clothes. I wish these supposedly "business friendly" hotels could learn this simple fact.

On a positive note, the breakfast was excellent, and the staff was friendly. I like the fact that the Harvester is nearby for evening meals.