Ibis Hotel Reading Centre (Berkshire)

The Ibis is rather cheaper than the one next door (see; my review on that) and it shows. Okay, the place is clean and reasonably tidy, and like any city centre hotel it has its strategic attractions for people wanting to go for a drink, visit the multiplex, or do some shopping. The foyer is functional with one berth for wi-fi broadband (that didn't work last time I tried it) and the staff are attentive and polite, and discharge their duties efficiently. Like the other place next door, they seem to be East European by extraction, but their English is excellent and they seem friendly enough. The rooms are, to put it succinctly, 'compact and bijou.' The bed is ...  Read the complete review

To set things in context before I even start to describe my experience at the Ibis in Reading, I think it's only fair to confess that I hate Ibis hotels. With a passion! I really did wonder what I'd done to offend our secretary and get booked in this one. I'm sure I didn't forget her birthday, raid the stationery cupboard or commit any other serious secretary-annoying offences. If there's one thing guaranteed to put a damper on my day it's that little four-letter word on a hotel booking confirmation. In my hotel-dictionary, the definition next to the word Ibis says 'nasty penny pinching crappy hotel'. My first challenge was finding the hotel. When I saw it was ...  Read the complete review