Just when you thought it was safe to read my account again – it’s another hotel opinion!!

LOCATION

The hotel is well situated for the partygoers. Broad Street has the largest selection of bars and nightclubs in the city and towards the latter end of the week is a bustle of activity. The canalside development at Brindley Place contains a number of contemporary restaurants and cafes. The hotel is not the most suitable choice for visitors who wish to take in the shops, or other central facilities though – the main shopping centre is fifteen or twenty minutes away by foot (although regular bus services are available on Broad Street). For travellers arriving by train, you should also be aware that Birmingham New Street train station is a good twenty-minute walk away, and if you have luggage, children, or both, then a taxi is definitely advised. The hotel has its own car park, but the facility is not free – an overnight car parking space will cost you £7.50 and availability is limited, so wherever possible book ahead.

The main entrance to the hotel faces Brunswick Square, which is largely pedestrianised, so the front of the hotel is open and easily accessible. The reception area itself is very stylish and bright – large windows let in lots of natural light, and there are plenty of comfortable chairs to sit in if you are waiting for other guests. Reception staff members are plentiful, with assistance easy to obtain, and the staff were all pleasant enough. Checking in was relatively straightforward – I managed to choose a night when half the cast of Hollyoaks, Brookside and Ready, Steady, Cook were in the hotel, and there was a slightly chaotic ambience. The checking in procedure used is one of the systems where printed cards are stored at reception and the receptionist has to leaf through to find your name. This is all very well, but when the box is stuffed full of hundreds of cards, and the queue at the desk is growing by the minute, these systems suddenly seem very inefficient. That aside, I was quite happy – a bowl of complimentary sweets rapidly dwindled as I waited.

THE ROOM

All rooms have their own air-conditioning systems (top of my list of requirements) but also have windows that can be opened to let in fresh air – even on the upper floors (albeit with safety restraints). The sound proofing in the rooms seemed to be very good – I didn’t hear any other guests, even in the morning when baths can normally be heard running, with GMTV droning in the back ground. I liked the nice, comfortable beds and there were plenty of spare pillows and blankets. The rooms have fitted desks, which house a power point, PSTN socket and ISDN socket for your laptop. Unlike many hotel rooms I have stayed in, the sockets were all arranged in an easy to access panel to the left-hand side, rather than behind the television or telephone. The size and height of the desk was perfect for working, and the whole area was bathed in warm light from a stylish lamp, that could be adjusted for brightness.
The rooms also have fitted wardrobe units, with frosted glass fronts and backlights that are activated with the rest of the rooms’ lights.

The rooms all have their own telephone, complete with a voicemail service. Call charges are lower than some hotels, but still rather expensive:

THE BATHROOM

That aside, the bathrooms are, therefore, slightly claustrophobic, as they are quite small. The quality of fixtures and fittings is excellent, with toiletries, bath robes and large towels all provided for you. There are some nice small touches as well – a proper extendable shaving mirror is attached to the wall, which makes shaving much easier than having to peer into the large mirror behind the wash basin. I was surprised to find no towel rail, although I suspect this is again due to energy conservation – they eat energy and generally get left on all day and night.

The City Inn offers 24-hour room service, but meals are served downstairs in the City Café, which is where I ate on my visit. The restaurant has a very similar ambience to the guestrooms – clean, modern fittings with contemporary lighting and stylish tables and chairs. Service in the restaurant was generally quite good, although I was part of a large party of 20 plus guests and I felt that the restaurant staff was ill prepared to serve such a large group of people.

OTHER FACILITIES

VALUE FOR MONEY

Fax: 0121 643 1005

Surf: www.cityinn.com

I was quite pleased with the hotel, which offered me a comfortable, well-facilitated night’s rest. I was impressed with the rooms and the building in general, but would definitely suggest that you steer clear of the Café.