Not many go on holiday in Milton Keynes - it doesn't feature in your average VisitBritain tourism campaign. Out of curiosity, I decided to try the new town best known for its roundabouts and concrete cows.

Jurys Inn, I discovered on the internet, is in Milton Keynes's centre, right next to a square with restaurants and bars opened by the Queen last year named The Hub. It is on a street called Midsummer Boulevard that leads from the railway station next to the A5 - passing Upper Second Street and Lower Fourth Street - up a hill to an enormous shopping mall.

I suddenly realised I was taking a weekend break in the middle of a grid system (created by town planners when Milton Keynes came into being in the late 1960s to relieve London housing congestion).

But it was not as bad as it sounds. The hotel itself was not only inexpensive, but really quite good. My room was reasonably sized with a red and gold colour scheme and a large bathroom with a “cream soap” dispenser (no fancy toiletries in Milton Keynes).

Downstairs there was a bar with sofas and a restaurant where I ate bruschetta followed by a beef pie. It was OK. My companion - a friend who lives near by - enjoyed his prawns and salmon.

The restaurant overlooked a passage leading into the main square of The Hub, where a Britain's Got Talent show was being staged that evening. Somebody was singing a song with the lyrics “You're free to do what you want to do”. A hen party wearing nurses' uniforms spilled out of a white stretch limo. A strange group wearing cowboy hats and trench coats - part of an annual Collectomania show selling odd film memorabilia at the mall - was milling outside the Ha Ha bar across the way.

It was, it seemed, just another day in Milton Keynes.

Jurys Inn is part of a rapidly expanding Irish-owned hotel chain that is flourishing during these tough economic times. My room cost only £62, breakfast included, although weekend rates can dip as low as £50.

This is pretty decent, and the hotel is not only lively, but also perfectly placed for the mall. I strolled over and was amused to find the town's famous concrete cows, created by the artist Liz Leyh in 1978, in the lobby. A sign said that the cows were “once cynically said to symbolise a new town consisting entirely of concrete. The reality, of course, is very different.”

I took a look around the vast corridors of shops and then walked, passing people carrying snowboards, to Xscape, a complex with an artificial ski slope and indoor sky-diving. Then I returned to my comfortable hotel. For an unlikely weekend of shopping, skiing and cows, Jurys Inn is a winner.

Bottom line Mystery Guest paid £62 for a B&B double

Best thing Exploring Milton Keynes shops and The Hub

Worst thing Dull decoration

Need to know Jurys Inn (01908 843700, www.jurysinn.com), Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 2HP

Room 6 out of 10

Food 5 our of 10

Service 7 out of 10

Value 7.5 out of 10

Score 6.38

PUT TO THE TEST: 20 Mystery Guest questions for... Jurys Inn, Milton Keynes

1. Do rooms have kettles/coffee makers? And is there fresh milk?

Yes and there is fresh milk.

2. Is there a hairdryer, and is it fixed to a wall?

Hairdryers are fixed to the wall.

3. Are coathangers metal, wooden, removable?

Wooden with bobbles on the top.

4. Complimentary bottle of water?

No.

5. Sheets and blankets or duvets?

Duvets and blankets.

6. What about a 'pillow menu'?

No.

7. Is lighting good enough for reading?

Reasonable.

8. Is there a shaving/make up mirror? And is it well lit?

Magnified mirrors.

9. What about the in-room entertainment system?

Just a TV.

10. Is there a temperature control panel?

Yes.

11. Do the windows open?

Yes.

12. Is there good sound-proofing?

Yes.

13. Is there wi-fi internet access?

Yes - £10 for 24 hours.

14. Is there a good place to go jogging nearby?

Lots of walkways.

15. What is the vegetarian food selection like?

OK but nothing special.

16. Is there baby listening/babysitting? And are children welcome at adults’ evening meals?

No baby listening or babysitting. Children are welcome.

17. Is there wheelchair access to all areas?

Yes.

18. Do you get a free paper in the morning?

Yes.

19. Is there a pub round the corner?

Downstairs bar plus the Ha Ha bar across the way.

20. Is there free car parking? And is it secure?

Overnight free car parking in office bays.

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