The sleepy vegetarian

Set in a stunning refurbished mill, Saco have converted what was once a mill house into a set of beautiful self-serviced apartments just a short walk from Derby city centre…

Located within a private courtyard behind electric gates the security is high and as this is a self-check in property (with no reception area) the efficiency of this side of things has been perfected to a tea- we were impressed with the smooth process of our check-in experience and were pleased we were able to park our car almost directly outside our apartment, which gave us peace of mind and convenience when unpacking our luggage.

The apartment we stayed in had two bedroom and two bathrooms with a good sized living area and open plan kitchen with all the mod cons you would expect including a dishwasher and microwave.

Full instructions were offered on how to operate all electrical equipment which was handy even though it was all pretty self-explanatory.  Pots, pans, crockery and cutlery were provided as well as basic cleaning products and everything you needed to cook up a storm in the kitchen- which after all if you opt to stay in a self-catering apartment you’d like to make use of, and make use we certainly did!  We stopped at the local Sainsburys for two bags of food for our dinner that evening and breakfast the following morning as we planned to make the most of our stay and the facilities.

I was delighted to see we were also given complimentary tea, coffee and milk in the fridge, along with luxury Dorset muesli and Borders biscuits- a nice touch.

The main bathroom also housed a bath which I was super pleased about – my night was planned- dinner then a night in the tub relaxing from a busy week at work with a magazine.

We cooked pizzas in the oven which was nice and easy to operate and enjoyed our meal with salad and coleslaw- the fridge is ample sized and everything in the kitchen is clean and looks next to new.

There is a good sized television in the lounge area with double sofa and floor lamp, giving it a cosy home from home feel.

The apartment is finished to a good quality spec and decorated in a minimal contemporary style, so no clutter or things to collect dust.  The main bedroom also had a good sized flat screen TV which came in handy for watching a late night film on in bed with a hot chocolate (and our Borders biscuits)!  We were delighted to have enjoyed the best night’s sleep as the bed was a good size and mattress very comfortable.

It was really useful having access to two bathrooms so we could each get ready at the same time in the morning- the second bathroom containing a good sized power shower with fluffy towels provided. 

The views from our apartment were lovely over- looking the stream, which I imagine once belonged to the mill house and there was no traffic noise either which was a bonus. 

I would say that Saco Derby is ideal for graduates on graduate schemes, families and couples who want a quiet escape, whether it be long term or short term, business for pleasure, with easy and quick access to local amenities and safe parking for their cars. 

Of course self-serviced apartments are also handy for professionals on business trips who want that step further than a hotel, to have access to more facilities and gain a home from home feel, in particular if they travel often.

Saco apartments can be booked online via their website- https://www.sacoapartments.com/stay-saco/ If you sign up to the Saco newsletter via this link you will also receive a 15% discount from your next stay (the code can be used multiple times).

Fiona Duncan-Steer