Hotel takes guests to new heights in Bristol
TravelMole associate editor felt like she’d gone up in the world during a stay at the Radisson Blu in Bristol.
Location: Situated bang in the heart of Bristol, the hotel is within walking distance of the excellent Cabot Circus shopping centre and key tourist attractions such as Brunel’s famous SS Great Britain, the Blue Reef Aquarium and the At-Bristol Science Centre. It’s right on the harbour-side, which is buzzing in the evening, with lots of restaurants and bars, including the highly rated The River Grille.
First impressions: You can’t miss the Radisson Blu, at 18-storeys high it’s by far the tallest building in the centre of Bristol, which helps if your satnav gets you lost on Bristol’s one-way streets!
We drove to the hotel, parked up outside, and a valet appeared to drive the car to the nearby NCP. It cost £24, which was expensive, but parking in Bristol is a pain.
Check in was simple and swift and the staff super-friendly. I’d called only a few minutes earlier to change my reservation from a double room to a twin, which had been arranged for my arrival.
The Rooms: The view from the floor to ceiling windows of my 15th floor ‘premium city view’ room was stupendous. I also had the added bonus of a view of the harbour to the side! The room was spacious, the bed large and comfy, and the bathroom clean and functional. It felt very corporate, great for a business trip rather than say a romantic weekend away. Welcome touches included a coffee machine, tea-making facilities and free wifi.
Dining: In-house restaurant Collage serves ‘gastro-pub’ style grub and also breakfast every day, which consists of a small hot and cold buffet ranging from the full English to smoked salmon and cheeses, cereals and self-service tea and coffee. My kids enjoyed a hot breakfast while I indulged in the pastries, which were good. The hotel also offers 24-hour room service.
Work and leisure: I clocked a gym which, as usual in these places, was empty of any guests. For guests travelling on business, the express three-hour laundry service would be useful. The hotel offers four meeting rooms, which can accommodate up to 120 people. There’s also a small bar, which was lively on the evening of my visit.
Highs: The location is perfect for a weekend away in Bristol or a business trip, being only 20-minutes’ drive from the airport is also a big plus. The friendly and accommodating reception staff were also a credit to the hotel.
Lows: The valet was 10 minutes late delivering my car on departure, which I think was a due to slight language barrier, but given the cost of parking, you’d expect it to run more smoothly. More of a problem for the majority of guests would be the time it took to get a lift between floors, but this was only an issue at busy times, such as after breakfast.
Top tip: Request a room on one of the highest floors to get the best views.
Rates start at £89 a night; radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-bristol
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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