January 21st, 2009
This week has me staying at the Holiday Inn Reading South for a couple of nights. I turned up at reception around 8pm last night and the check in experience was fine. They had all my details and all I needed to do was sign for my pre-prepared room card. The reception area was smart and clean. The bar and restaurant areas looked busy with business and tourist people alike. It seemed like a fairly relaxed affair. Not many stuffy suits sitting around. I made my way to my room and it took a while. This hotel is quite sprawling and the walk to my room must have took at least three minutes ( a long time for me!).
The room was as I now expect. Clean, no character and functional. The only immediate problem I could find was the TV remote control didn’t work and having reported this, was a little disappointed that it would take till the next day to fix. I had to resign myself to the old fashioned way of changing channels and volume ie. getting off my ass and pushing buttons.
Room service last night was a bit of a disapointment. The waiter nearly dropped everything on the floor and the food was barely warm. I still can’t understand what the tray charge is for either, given the prices charged for room menu items are generally a whole pound more expensive than the same item in the restaurant. Anyway I was too tired to worry about this for too long and after the guy / or girl upstairs had finished walking backwards and forwards across their floor for half an hour, I fell asleep. (what do they do to keep walking backwards and forward across such a small room? I’d love to know!)
Anyway this evening, having got back from work, I decided to try the swimming pool out and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Clean and relaxed, it was nice to be staying at a hotel (unlike many in London) that actually has some space for a gym and pool. Feeling virtuous I then made my way to the restaurant for dinner.
Surprise, surprise. It was actually excellent food by hotel restaurant standards. The starter of mushroom soup was freshly prepared and had fantastic taste and consistecy ( I do like a good soup). My main was equally good; presented well and clearly cooked fresh by someone who cared. With such good food coming out of the kitchen I then had for try (for research purposes) the dessert menu. Again this was excellent. The chocolate sauce was to die for!
All in all, I am very pleased with this hotel. A great experience so far. The restaurant food is very good indeed and it has a great gym. To top all that, it is also moments from the M4.
Pryordurkin rating 4 stars.
Posted in Accomodation