July 7th, 2007
A bit tricky to find this hotel off the Oxford Road, but if you persevere and ignore the sat-nav you should be OK. The receptionist was quick and efficient and I was offered a complimentary room upgrade along with a drink in the bar.
The hotel is large and spacious and this was a bit of surprise given its central location in Reading. Throughout the week, I was quite impressed with the service received. All the staff seemed friendly and professional. Responsive to short notice requests they certainly aimed to please.
The bedroom itself was spacious clean and brightly lit. The meeting room we used for the week was neat, tidy and had all the bits and pieces we might need. The only complaint I can levy is the high speed internet access service in the room, only allows you to download. This is not much use to business people like me who need to send emails out by uploading data.
I was due to spend the week in this hotel and thought by day 2, that I would be desperate to get out. It actually turned out to be a very pleasant enjoyable experience. The restaurant was good and the bar had a nice atmosphere which helped you relax. The large spacious foyer and attentive staff helped you forget that you were in the middle of Reading Town Centre. Security was always visible and it felt a safe place to stay.
For business people out there, if you are looking for a place to hold a meeting, I would recommend this without hesitation. The day rate service for delegates is very good and we were looked after throughout with regular supplies of tea, coffee, breakfast, mid morning and afternoon snacks. I particularly liked the little cakes and chocolates delivered to the meeting room every afternoon! Thankfully there is a great leisure centre on site as well to work of those calories with an early morning swim or session in the gym.
Checking out on Friday I had enjoyed my stay and wouldn’t hesitate in returning to this hotel. It’s ideally located for venturing out into Reading where you can also find some great restaurants.
Score: 4 Stars.
Visited 1st – 6th July 2007
Posted in Accomodation