monday's hotel: room G06 Hyde Park Boutique hotel

Just behind reception, so could have been noisy but not a problem for me.  Bumped up from a single, which was nice.

As usual good wifi, shower, clean, roomy, comfortable.... If it was closer to the office it would be perfect as opposed to just very good.

Yesterday's hotel: room 211 Hilton Doubletree Cambridge

You don't really get the size of the bed from the picture.  Vast.  Very nice location, great breakfast, good shower.  Wifi free to Hilton Honours members otherwise a ridiculous £15/day - and though ok it was a bit patchy.  Lovely location on the Cam.  I am sure it is reassuringly expensive, but I didn't see the bill. Only nit to pick was the pillows were a bit soft, and one of the lifts wasn't working - small stuff.

Tonight's hotel: IBIS Coventry centre

Difficult to find, grubby, artexed walls, pay car park.  On the plus side I guess it is cheap but I am not paying so that does not matter.  Wifi free if a bit slow.  And of course the room key did not work first time.  Horrendous journey down and the election just started so I am not in a good mood.  Maybe i'll be more generous in the morning

Room 203 London continental hotel, London

Upgrade to a double room.  Hey ! Room to swing a cat.  Convenient and reasonable.  Stayed many times and no doubt shall again.

 

Tonight's hotel: Novotel Birmingham Centre

Room 409.  When was the last time you had a separate loo and shower?  Obviously old but done up nicely.  Still doing the old wifi rip off though : £9 for decent access.  Unforgiveable in this day and age.  Right on Broad Street so handy for fun.  I'll be in my bunk.

Last night's hotel: Hyde Park Boutique hotel

As before, very good value for the money.  Room to swing a cat, good strong shower (which was tricky to turn off), good strong Wifi, close to Bayswater tube.  Recommended

Southampton holiday inn

So, little bit of a mixed bag.  A bit old, poor wifi, but friendly and good water pressure.  View is what you might call interesting.  Key didnt work two times out three.  Bed very comfy.  Tv didnt work very well. Good breakfast.

Last week's hotel Birmingham Radisson Blu

Another new one for me.  Achingly funky.  Rather deliberately so.  Only problem was that the door key kept on losing magnetism.

Great wifi, great shower, good breakfast ( though the eggs were a bit over complicated.  The point is eggs shoukd be simple)

5 minutes easy walk from New Street Station - when you know where you are going.  Googlemaps found it difficukt to locate, but in reality it is easy.

Hope to go back.

Didnt use the small gym on the 18th floor which looks suitable for only 4 or 5 people - but was empty when I visited

Midland hotel, Manchester

Reassuringly expensive as they say. But I had no complaints.  Good free wifi, good breakfast, pleasant staff, a bar on someone else's expense account.  You may not have the last of those.

Mercure Piccadilly Manchester

A standard room, not the suite I had last time.  They had just had a flood so it was freezing, but otherwise fine

Marble Arch Gloucester Place hotel, London

Catching up a bit from last week. This place was down the road from my usual haunts, and very cheap. So I was not expecting a lot. In the end it was absolutely fine, with good wifi and breakfast buffet.  They dont seem to have a standard rate but vary the price on booking.com and similar. So I shall try them again, and see if they are reasonable later in the year when they reopen after refurb.

Marble Arch Gloucester Place hotel, London

Catching up a bit from last week. This place was down the road from my usual haunts, and very cheap. So I was not expecting a lot. Min the end it was absolutely fine, with good wifi and breakfast buffet.  They dont seem to have a standard rate but vary the price on booking.com and similar. Mso I shall try them again, and see if they are reasonable later in the year.

Tonight's hotel: Radisson Blu Liverpool

Pretty snazzy, wifi ok, water pressure a bit dismal.  Oh and do go in the right entrance and not walk around the block - it is a long and unnecessary journey.  So I guess, read the directions.

Tonight's hotel: Mercure Piccadilly Manchester

I don't know what I did to deserve it but I must have been upgraded.  The Graden suite is rather lovely. Not sure about the apple though.

Mercure Gloucester Bowden Hall Hotel

Lovely.  Nothing much around it, but great looking building and grounds.  Pretty reasonable with booking.com.  Excellent free wifi throughout.  Good full English breakfast.  Hope to be back

Crowne Plaza Amsterdam

Very convenient, just opposite the end of Centraal Station.  Best internet of any hotel, and very helpful staff.  The restaurant is a bit Dutch, i.e. Efficient and functional rather than warm and romantic, but I dont have a problem with that.  Lots of shops and restaurants nearby.  I am sure it is expensive, but I was not paying.  Recommended.

Last weeks hotel Travelodge Southwark

Can you tell the difference 

The Thistle Birmingham

The wind it whistled.  And the flags flapped.  Just outside the window

Last week's hotel: Kingsway Hall Hotel, London

Couple of minutes walk from Holborn station, so not far from the British Museum.

Prices can be seriously variable, from £100 to £200/night.

Staff very pleasant, food nice enough but not outstanding, room lovely. I would be seriously hacked off by the £10 internet charge if I had not been comped.  The gym is basically a large hot tub, and 4. Cross trainers.  Still by London standards, it is something.

Haapy to be back, and to stay again.

Holiday inn Express, Milton Keynes

Very nice, and very close to the M1.  Free wifi which was ok until everyone started using ut.