Andrew from Spore
Seemed like a long walk from the train station to the hotel passing thru town and going onto an area which looked industrial and a little run down and filled with suburban malls and empty carparks. Google maps said 38 mins. I walked but it will be a short cab ride (prob ＜ 7 Pounds by Uber). The hotel is by the main road facing a walled park. First impressions were i don’t want to be walking home after dark (very few ppl around) and there didn’t seem to be much around it (except for the Indian restaurant affiliated to the hotel which was closed when I came). The entrance is small and not always manned. I tried contacting them to say I would come in early to drop my bags but didn’t get a proper answer. Fortunately, when I rang the bell, someone opened the door and reluctantly took my bag in. Despite my initial negative impressions, the lady who attended to me (Hanna the owner) late that evening was a complete sweetheart. The following day in the early morning when I could see things clearer and familiarise myself with my bearings, I formed a completely different impression. The adjacent park, Abbey Park is stunning and worth spending a few hours. It is a short walk to the city center (20 mins). I don’t think Leicester is doing well economically as the signs were prevalent in many parts of town. There are beautiful parts (downtown & old quarters) and the most pretty part was the park opposite this hotel.
