Ramada South Mimms M25 — Hotel in Hertsmere

Friendly Staff, But the Hotel Really Needs Updating I stayed at the Ramada South Mimms for two nights while my pet was in hospital nearby. It was a convenient location for what I needed, and I have to say the staff were genuinely kind and helpful. They were the best part of the stay, no question.

That said, I’ve stayed in everything from high-end five-star hotels to some absolute dives—and while this isn’t quite at the bottom, it’s not far off unless something changes.

First Impressions Check-in was smooth, and the team at reception couldn’t have been nicer. But right as I walked in, there was a strong smell of cigarette smoke hanging around the lobby. It stuck in the air and made for an unpleasant welcome.

The Room I was in Room 20, which looked and felt extremely worn. The floor moved and creaked underfoot, the carpet was tired, and the walls needed repainting. The bed sagged badly in the middle—hard to tell if it was just an old mattress or the frame was bent, but it definitely didn’t offer a good night's sleep.

It’s possible I was put in that particular room because I had my dog with me the first night. Even if that’s the case, pet-friendly shouldn’t mean poor quality.

There was a fan, which helped slightly with the heat, but plugging it in was a pain. The wall sockets were right behind the desk, and there wasn’t enough space to use them properly without stretching the cable too far.

The TV was dated and awkward to use. It did have an HDMI port, but it was so hard to reach that I just gave up trying. Something that simple shouldn’t be a struggle.

A Small Highlight I did enjoy a pint of Guinness from their fangled-dangled machine at the reception bar—it was actually pretty good. It gave me something to look forward to in the evenings and lifted the mood a bit during what was otherwise a lonely couple of days.

General Condition The place just feels neglected. A bit of investment could go a long way—new paint, better beds, modern tech, and simple layout changes would make it far more comfortable. Even some small changes, like moving sockets or updating TVs, would help.

Positives I can’t fault the staff at all. They were friendly, polite, and went out of their way to be helpful. The location is also practical—good motorway access, food outlets nearby, and surprisingly quiet despite being right next to the M25.

Final Thoughts It was a necessary stay during a difficult time, and I’m grateful to the team for making it as easy as they could. But the hotel itself really needs work. With some proper updating, it could be a decent stopover. Right now, though, it’s functional—but that’s about it.

Would I stay again? Only if there were no better options—or if they gave the place a proper refresh. The staff deserve better rooms to match the service...

The worst (of over 900 hotel stays) hotel stay I've ever had. I've stayed in 5 star top hotels, to Premier Inns and Travelodge's. I'm as happy in a Premier Inn as I am a 5 star hotel.

Where all these positve reviews are coming from I don't know - either fake or from people who have never ventured away from home before and this is their first impression of a hotel !

My needs - a clean room, working plug sockets, comfortable bed and little noise for a good night's sleep.

I got none of the above. My room was at the front of the hotel - so facing South Mimms services car park and the M25. That shouldn't be an issue in itself, but the window wasn't double glazed, or at least in good order. The seals were missing around most of the window so the noise was rubbish all night long.

The noisy extractor fan in the bathroom ran and ran - an hour after turning off the bathroom light, making it hard to go back to sleep.

The plug socket by the bed did not work and I use a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea. I was unable to move rooms, apparently the hotel was full. So a risk to my health.

On the 2nd night, I was given an alternative room, and guess what - the socket by the bed didn't work in this room either ! So two nights without CPAP.

The hotel decor beyond reception is abysmal. The carpets look worse than the dingiest of old fashioned pub floors. The hotel smells of dust / mould / unpleasant.

Basically Ramada does not want to spend a penny on the place.

I realise this is at a motorway services, and as I stated at the start, I have stayed in hundreds of hotels in my career, and I don't need or expect anything fancy, but this place has ensured I will never book another Ramada hotel,...

Booked a room direct for a 1 night stay not too far from Heathrow. It was a very competitive price and the reviews seemed good enough. There is free parking at the service station which is convenient and lots of spaces available, I got one right outside. Vineeth who checked me in was very welcoming on arrival and kindly accommodated my quiet room request allocating me a room away from the elevator on the top floor overlooking the pretty nature reserve. This was just perfect. The reception is small but decent. There is a lift which is useful but the communal areas are looking very tired . The room is average size, I had a family room. The room was clean with basic modern decor but it was just tired looking. The TV isn't a smart tv and you also can't plug in a firestick in as its mounted into the wall which is frustrating but the TV had a decent select of channels anyway. Wifi was free and excellent. The shower isn't the best as it wasn't very powerful but it did the job. The room had an iron/ironing board/kettle and hairdryer etc so they have made the effort to provide all essentials. All in all for a one night stay this was a good choice. The staff are very lovely and so helpful. Both Vineeth and Agnes really do their best to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Lots of food outlets next door at the service station which is convenient. For the price the hotel offers value for money but could do with a renovation, however there are enough positives to recommend this hotel for a short stay. Thank you so much to Vineeth and Agnes for all they did to ensure I had a decent and comfortable rest...