Ibis Bordesley Circus, Birmingham

I spent 2 nights here, and the only thing that let it down was the location which was slightly desolate, the civil engineering works going all through the night didn't help.

On first sight the outside was a bit shabby and uninspiring and was right next door to a 24 hour McDonalds, but as soon as you entered the lobby it felt welcoming.  The staff were attentive and check in was quickly sorted.

Due the high number of foreign visitors, all signs were pictorial which was a nice touch.

I was on the 3rd floor and the corridor was not inspiring, it looked very much budget and council flat inspired so I wasn't expecting much from the room.  

But the room was large, airy, bright and clean.  

The bathroom was a bit of a shock, it was a prefab built offsite and installed as a single unit, despite the feel of being in a caravan, the vanity was large with plenty of space for toiletries, make up, etc.  The shower was large, the water hotter and more powerful than I have experienced in some so-called 'premium' hotels.

Soap and shower gel were supplied and the towels with the thickest, fluffiest and softest I think I have ever had.

There was 24 hour food service, the menu dependant on the time of day or night.

There was an airy bar on the ground floor, but the prices seemed very high, but this is probably standard for a hotel in the UK, a bottle of Cava was £23.  There is a Morrison's supermarket 10 minutes walk up the road, so I bought sandwiches and a bottle of Cava (£5) there for my dinner.

St Andrews football ground is a 5 minutes walk away too, so the hotel is very handy if you are attending a function there.

The hotel was very quiet overnight, this is probably due to it not being right in the city centre, there was no-one running up and down the corridors, shouting and banging doors.

Free wifi was available in all areas of the hotel, something that other hotels could take note of.

All in all, I enjoyed my stay at Bordesley Circus, and should I have cause to visit the area again, it will certainly be my first choice of hotel.

Ibis Style Hotel, Lionel Street, Birmingham

This hotel was until about a year ago a Holiday Inn Express, it is now an Ibis Style Hotel.

It is very conveniently located for Broad Street and the city centre, however you don't want to be staying there over the Birmingham Half Marathon as you will struggle to get out, especially by car.

The reception staff are friendly and efficient, checking you in quickly.  You can choose to leave a deposit in case of any incidental purchases, (the hotel offers dry cleaning) I didn't take this option as each visit was only for one night.

On the ground floor, as well as reception, there is a small child's play area, a small bar and seating area and the breakfast area.

Breakfast is self service, but there is always a member of staff about and food is replenished regularly. You can help yourself to as much as you want from fruit juice, tea, coffee and chocolate; cereals, fresh fruit, cooked breakfast items, toast and rolls.

There are free daily newspapers available too.

Some of the rooms are equipped with wet rooms with seats in the showers for wheelchair users.  These rooms have more empty space around the bed and other furniture too.

There are adjoining rooms available too.

Each floor has a different colour theme.  The bedrooms all have large flat screen televisions, bigger than the one I have at home.

I would recommend that you book in advance, I paid on average £45 per night, however the walk up price that was displayed by the entrance and behind reception, varied from £69 to £129 per night, depending on the time of year and what was going on in the city centre.