Travel: Judging time at the Jurys Inn

May 30 2009 By Huddersfield Examiner

The drawback to these hotels is that they have no parking – none whatsoever even to drop off. You need to park across the road in a multi-storey and lump your gear across. Jurys Inn has an agreement with one opposite so you get 25% off which means you pay around £7 for a 24-hour stay.

Food in the restaurant did not pass the budget test, however. In fact, the meal cost more than the room, which explains why the restaurant was virtually deserted.

Starters were £6, mains around £15 and desserts around a fiver with the cheapest wine at a tad under £16 a bottle. It came out at over £60 for two – too much with so many other restaurants a short stroll away.

Breakfast was far better value at a £5 special offer instead of the usual £10. It was the full English cooked affair, even down to the black pudding.

Jurys Inns are now popping up all over the place in Leeds, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle and London.

The hotel is a five minute walk from Sheffield’s City Hall – it looks more than a castle than a seat of local Government – Peace Gardens and indoor Winter Gardens, the largest urban glasshouse in any European city featuring 2,500 plants from around the world.

Just off it are several galleries and exhibitions and one is a magnificent showcase of Sheffield’s heritage – cutlery and metalwork. There are knives dating back to 1600 and a multi-purpose knife made from stainless steel, gold, silver and mother of pearl that puts Swiss army knives to shame.

You’re not short on coffee houses to choose from around that quarter – on a mild spring day it was really rather pleasant.

To make it a proper weekend away, on the Sunday we drove about 25 miles south to Hardwick Hall, an Elizabethan mansion just off Junction 29 of the M1 near Chesterfield in Derbyshire.

Yet another amazing National Trust treasure. This is going back in time with history coming alive in front of your eyes.

The banqueting hall must be higher than our house and several rooms are in semi-darkness, lit only by candle-like lights to save the ancient furniture from getting discoloured.

Step outside and you can stroll in the immaculately manicured garden for ages.

A real Tudor treat to end a thoroughly relaxing weekend away.

And as soon as we got back, life quickly returned to its normal frightening pace.

Jurys Inn, Sheffield, is at 119 Eyre Street, Sheffield, S1 4QW.

The phone number is 0114 291 2222.

To book direct go to www.jurysinns.com

Cost of a double room is £69.

Breakfast was £5 extra person (instead of the normal £10) which was excellent value for money.

The evening meal was £62 including wine which we felt was overpriced.

Distance from Huddersfield to Sheffield is 32 miles.

Hardwick Hall is just off Junction 29 of the M1 in Derbyshire and is close to Chatsworth House.