Holiday Inn Derby - Riverlights

“Excellent upgrade and stay”

It was a last minute decision to stay in Derby or go straight home after arriving in the city for the weekend. I am a IHG member and the price was right for breakfast and a welcome drink. Absolutely flawed by the transformation, my room was well kept and it only took a short while for my heating … lisää

It was a last minute decision to stay in Derby or go straight home after arriving in the city for the weekend. I am a IHG member and the price was right for breakfast and a welcome drink. Absolutely flawed by the transformation, my room was well kept and it only took a short while for my heating to battle the cold from the outside. Staff are wonderful as ever, breakfast was calm and had a great selection of cold buffet things. Will definitely stay again. Could definitely see this hotel being the best in the area in the next couple of years.

vähemmän

“Stylish and welcoming”

Comfortable, welcoming and stylish surroundings, delicious breakfast and helpful friendly staff. Well maintained and spotless rooms, comfortable and spacious for a family overnight stay.

“Incredible transformation - this is the hotel to stay at!”

WOW - what an amazing transformation! I'm away on business for a few months as a solo female, working for a major employer in Derby. I first stayed here about 6 weeks ago, when the reception and restaurant were still undergoing refurbishment. Before I go into further detail, regardless of what… lisää

WOW - what an amazing transformation! I'm away on business for a few months as a solo female, working for a major employer in Derby. I first stayed here about 6 weeks ago, when the reception and restaurant were still undergoing refurbishment. Before I go into further detail, regardless of what im about to say about the refurbishment, all the staff here are genuinely amazing. Super friendly, impeccable manners and go above and beyond. So after 6 weeks of being away, I returned back to the Holiday Inn Riverlights to a brand new reception and restaurant. Oh, my, god. The difference is night and day. Not just marginally but significantly. On the previous menu, healthy options were extremely limited - there was only salmon and rice on the menu (it was nice, but not great). As someone who eats healthily, being restricted to just that each night I stayed wasn't ideal. Now? I cant believe the difference. Several delicious healthy options (by that i mean its not just your run on the mill, pub food you typically get in alot of hotels). Fresh, tasty and served diligently to boot. It didn't feel like i was in a hotel restaurant at all. The restaurant service staff were the icing on the cake - it felt like I was dining at a Michelin starred restaurant - because they were super polite, friendly, super attentive (without being annoying), and I felt like a special guest. If youre not even a oaying resident at the Holiday Inn, id STILL come here for a meal. The restaurant manager who personally gets involved in the process too, is a joy to speak with - where did you find him?! Haha. Never seen service like it, even at high end restaurants ive dined at, be that Liverpool, London or Paris. I kid you not, him and his staff deserve a pay rise. Kudos. There is a fancy bar too, with equally incredible staff , where you can relax in very nice and modern surroundings with a whiskey or cocktail. The main reception staff are a joy to speak to and are an asset to that hotel I tell ya! They remember who you are, if you have been before, always welcome you with a smile and nothing is too much trouble for them. They too deserve a raise! It might seem like im being a bit overdramatic, but I believe its important to be detailed, honest and informative- regardless if positive/negative feedback. Service staff should be identified and acknowledged, as they are the cogs in the wheel won't you say? Ive noticed a couple of changes to the room too which didnt go unnoticed (upgraded curtains, an upgraded door closer to prevent doors being slammed (thank you!!), and im sure the water orwssure has improved aswell??). One very very very minor point - i wish there was a 'share screen' option on the impressively huge TVs, so I can share my mobile screen with the TV? I dont have cast option, and despite digging deep for resolutions, there was no other way to do it. So I have had to resort to buying a Firestick. Not a massive deal of course, just minor observation. Other than that, if you havent guessed by now, I absolutely recommend staying here!

vähemmän

“A sad and disappointing let down.”

Stayed here multiple times before, but my visit this time between the 6th and 9th February 2026 was not that great compared to previous visits. To Summarise: 1) The AC in my room (Room 216) was not working properly, even when supposedly fixed when I reported the issue, it kept defaulting/changing … lisää

Stayed here multiple times before, but my visit this time between the 6th and 9th February 2026 was not that great compared to previous visits. To Summarise: 1) The AC in my room (Room 216) was not working properly, even when supposedly fixed when I reported the issue, it kept defaulting/changing back to 22c after a few seconds of the temperature being changed. 2) The fire alarm went off on Sunday morning at about 3:15am, causing the building to be evacuated. It was damn loud as well, sure fire alarms need to be loud enough to be heard over normal noise, but it was excessively loud to the point of being painful and very disorientating whilst in a deep sleep as I was. 3) The rubber seal in the sink plug in the bathroom was missing, meaning the water drained away in the sink whilst the plug was in.

vähemmän