Innkeeper's Lodge Derby, Derbyback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
In October 2010, this Inn Keeper�s Lodge became a Travelodge. But don�t go there looking to drink anything alcoholic. It is not licensed � neither was its predecessor.
The Inn Keepers Lodge should not have been listed as such on BITE in the first place
It is the Toby Carvery next door, formerly the Chaddesden Park Hotel, which most Derbians know as the Chad Park that has the license. I eat and drink here fairly regularly. The Toby Carvery is normally very good and the food can be washed down with three real ales � which when I visited last week were Bass, Pedigree and Banks Bitter, all at �2.40 a pint.
There are much better kept (and sometimes cheaper) pints of Bass and Pedigree available in Derby. But overall, the little below par quality of the real ales, is offset by the quality and good value for money of the carvery.
|
Real ales are now Pedigree, Bass & Banks's, not the best I've tasted but ok. Carvery still good
|
another very satisfactory stay here on a city break.
the place seems to have a relaxed, welcoming feel to it.
only let down this time by the carvery being temporarily out of action during twixmas!
***
rooms, breakfast, beer, service are all very commendable.
2 cask ales on. pedigree and banks bitter.
frequent bus service into town if required.
***
verdict:
a 9 again from me.
|
Congratulations to the company (and thanks to everyone who contacted them) on the recent improvement of the quality of their real ales. I often visit here with my family and although I loved the food, I was always let down by the drink. Thankfully this no longer happens! This is now a nice friendly place with top food, (mostly) great staff and nice beer. Some may argue that it's one of the best things about Chad.
|
I too can say that I know of a number of M&B pubs where the cask ales are poor or have gone off.
however with regard to this particular toby, I can only say that the speckled hen I had on both nights we stayed in Jan [reviewd april'09] was a tip-top pint.
Its a beer I know and one of my favourites, and this pub did it due justice.
|
I need to update my previous review.
After several years of submitting on-line Toby customer satisfaction surveys to M&B in which I have complained bitterly about the lack of and/or poor quality of their so called real ales, they have at last done something about it. I am not claiming any credit for it, as I am sure that many other discerning Toby customers have also told M&B that their beer is crap.
Anyway, a few days ago I received an e-mail from M&B announcing that the Chad Park was now serving REAL ales and so I checked it out over the weekend �.
Hand pulled Pedigree, Bank�s Bitter and Everard�s Tiger are now available on hand pump and I opted for the Tiger. I have had much better pints of Tiger elsewhere, but more to the point I have had much worse elsewhere too. It was served at more or less the correct temperature which has been one of my regular gripes, and I can�t complain about being charged �2.30 a pint either.
Well done M&B. You have done something right at last !!! And the carvery is as good as ever �.
|
This used to be called the Chaddesden Park Hotel.
The keywords in the previous review is that it is now a Toby Inn.
The food is normally excellent and very good value for money. But the beer, as usual in many Toby outlets is CRAP. The only real ale available is Bass which is served far too cold and is consequently tastless.
If the Toby group get their act together and serve quality beers to compliment their quality food, they could have a winning formula. But until they do most of their outlets will be excellent eateries but dreadful pubs.
|
we stayed at the toby inn at Chaddesden in january, on a Derby weekend trip. Its about 2 miles out of the city, and has an extremely regular bus service into Derby at about �1.50 a trip.
we got 2 nights room + continental bfast [for 2] for �39 a night on a winter offer from innkeeperslodge.
***
The toby consists of the main bar & carvery building, an accommodation annex, and a large car park. The main building is timbered, mock tudor style.
***
Inside, the whole place is very clean, comfortable, smart, nicely lit and welcoming. From the main door, there is a large bar area to the right, and an even larger carvery area to the left. In addition to the usual drinks, the bar had two cask ales on. Old speckled hen and draught bass. Both were well kept and reasonably priced.
***
A day / early evening carvery offer at �5 a head [�7.50 later] meant we ate here both nights. It was excellent value, and the food was of a very high standard.
The continental breakfasts also provided a good choice of cold foods, with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and juice drinks, etc.
We found the adjacent accommodation to be of a high standard, and were well pleased.
***
verdict:
We were extremely pleased with everything about the visit. It had also been easy to book on the internet. This visit has encouraged me to look at other toby lodges for future weekend breaks.
a well earned 9 from me.
|
|
