The Barnstaple Hotel - Barnstaple, United Kingdom     

I've made several stays at the Barnstaple Hotel and am about to book another. There is no other property close by for someone on foot, and I can be at the local plant in under 10 minutes. There's nothing sexy about the place. Yes, it's a half step up from a motel and yes, it needs redecoration to join the 21st century. But, it has some nice features: a very decent restaurant and indoor pool and exercise facility. My rooms have always been meticulously clean. The newspaper is always at the door in the morning and the coffee supplies are always replenished. I have found the staff friendly and helpful. The walls are thin. I suffered a Christmas party one year from a room that could not have been further away from the restaurant. Then a couple returned to their room next door and made a lot of interesting noise for the rest of the night. The heat works fine in the winter. The shower always functions properly. The beds are comfortable, at least as far as any British bed is. Parking appears adequate unless an event is taking place at the restaurant. I have never been bothered by noise from the outside, but watch your open windows - there is a seafood processor of some sort directly behind the hotel. It can get rank in the warm season.