Handy for travel, and well appointed (Novotel Reading Centre (Reading))

Member Name: doctordarke2389

Product:	Novotel Reading Centre (Reading)
Date:	15/08/09 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good value for money on weekends

Disadvantages: More expensive during the week; awful view at the back

I stayed in the Reading Novotel last night (14 August '09) whilst on a visit to meet up with a friend. The price for a Friday night compares very favourably to the rest of the week, exclusing general weekend rates (I got it for £59) and, on balance, it was well worth it.

The rooms are quite well appointed, apart from the view I had - part of the Ibis next door, and an office block - but, hey, that's not what I went there for anyway. All rooms wil have a flat screen TV with the usual hotel room channels, plus the 'extras' that chain hotels usually offer. The bed, thankfully, was a 'Queen' sized affair, nice and bouncy, and with lots of plush pillows and multi coloured cushions. The bathroom is separated from the toilet, which is probably a good thing if you think about it. The bathroom tap for the bowl is one of those natty lever affairs, which also governs the water temperature, similar in a way to the manner in which a shower works.

There are three lifts, with doors that close very quickly and a nice voice that helpfully (or, irritatingly, dependent on how you look at these things) tells you when the door is shutting and which floor you have arrived at. Thus, the lift takes one down to the breakfast room - very spacious, nice cutlery, excellent, well cooked breakfasts both English and Continental, and newspapers located nearby for those (like me) who like to read whilst scoffing. The staff are apparently almost exclusively European; very cool, efficient, and businesslike in that peculiarly affected Continental way.

From a strategic perspective, the Novotel is found bang in the middle of Reading City centre, so handy for the shopaholics and the alcoholics. The railway station is about 3 minutes' walk away, so not too far to drag yer baggage.

Not too keen on where the coffee and kettle stuff are, just inside the door next to the bogg, but what the heck it's handy if you need to go quickly, so to speak. All in all, a good place to stay, and easily the best hotel I've done in Reading, which is about 4 in total.

Summary: If you're going to Reading, as good a place as any to rest yer noggin