About
An honest record of places worth your time
CheckMeIn is a personal journal. Every stay and every meal is paid for out of pocket, written up without editorial interference, and published without commercial strings attached.
How it started
CheckMeIn began as a private notebook — a habit of writing down what was genuinely good, what was quietly disappointing, and what was worth going back for. After a few years and a few hundred meals and hotel stays, it seemed worth making public.
The name is a small joke. Checking in is what you do at a hotel, obviously. But it's also what you do when you want to know if something is worth your time and money — you check in with someone whose taste you trust. That's the ambition here.
The site covers hotels and restaurants across the UK, with occasional forays further afield when the destination warrants it. The focus is on places that have something to say — a point of view, a sense of place, a kitchen that cares. Chain hotels and formula restaurants are not reviewed, not because they're beneath notice, but because there are already plenty of people reviewing them.
Editorial approach
Everything is paid for
No press trips, no complimentary stays, no hosted dinners. Every review is based on a visit paid for in full, which means there's no obligation to be kind.
No affiliate links
There are no booking links that earn a commission, no referral codes, no commercial relationships with any hotel or restaurant reviewed on this site.
Dated and revisable
Every review carries the date of the visit. Restaurants change, hotels change, and a review from two years ago may no longer reflect what you'll find. If something has changed significantly, the review is updated or retired.
Ratings mean something
Five stars means exceptional — a place that would be difficult to improve on. Four means very good with minor reservations. Three means worth visiting but with caveats. Below three, the review explains why the visit fell short.
About the reviewer
I've been eating in restaurants and staying in hotels for as long as I can remember, and writing about them for the better part of a decade. I'm based in London, which means the city features heavily — but the most interesting places are rarely in the capital, and the site reflects that.
I'm not a professional critic. I don't have a column or a broadcast slot. What I have is a consistent point of view, a reasonably calibrated palate, and a low tolerance for places that charge a lot and deliver little. That seems like enough.
Get in touch
Suggestions, corrections, and disagreements are all welcome. If you think I've missed somewhere worth reviewing, I'd genuinely like to hear about it.
hello@checkmein.co.uk