Radisson SAS Hotel, Leeds

...part of The Light, the Radisson SAS does act as a bit of a home-from-home when required up north. I've had the pleasure of staying here for a fair few nights, and I say it's a pleasure, because there are far worse places to put yourself in Leeds and indeed, in many other cities.

The word that stands out in my brain for this hiding place is 'understated'. From the moment I walked into the reception area, there was the distinct air of ...
...service is what marks the Radisson out against its Leeds competitors: professional and friendly without people bouncing up and down like cheerleaders on drugs. Staff at the reception desk were extremely helpful when it came to locating nightspots in Leeds, happy to drag a map out in the event of someone not knowing the answer off the top of their head. Call me vain, but the most impressive thing I found was that from one week to the next, reception ... more

Situated in the centre of Leeds, just off the Headrow and constituting one part of The Light, the Radisson SAS does act as a bit of a home-from-home when required up north. I've had the pleasure of staying here for a fair few nights, and I say it's a pleasure, because there are far worse places to put yourself in Leeds and indeed, in many other cities.

The word that stands out in my brain for this hiding place is 'understated'. From the moment I walked into the reception area, there was the distinct air of a place that was used to running like clockwork, without fuss and flamboyance, and providing the facilities and services that pretty much cover the needs of most business and leisure travellers. Rooms are spacious; even standard rooms don't feel particularly squashed. Beds felt big, clean and were always well turned down. Desk space was perfectly adequate in terms of having a spot to plonk down the laptop. I'm afraid I can't comment on connectivity, as I didn't use it during my stay. Where room shapes could have been quite awkward, the furnishings have been created in the most space efficient way, so you don't lose out on a TV you can watch from bed, or a desk with a chair, enough wardrobe space, etc., etc. Standard rooms aren't huge, don't get me wrong: upgrading to the superior is a nice option if you like to feel as though there's more walking space overall. Mind you, I've stayed in some hotels where the suites are massive, and still been incensed that the toilet doesn't flush properly or the service is characterless and wondered what on earth I'm paying (or indeed the firm that put me there).

In some ways, the hotel is a bit of a paradox. There are distinct contrasts in the decor between different parts of the hotel. For example, the huge paintings adorning the walls in the bar/restaurant area tend more towards a contemporary, abstract feel (in a subtle way, though), whilst the furnishings in the bedrooms are far more towards conservative, and if I think about it, quite masculine. By this I mean that I can almost imagine guys choosing some of the furnishings in the rooms, rather than women, because there's a prevalence of darker woods and slightly-dull-but-safe materials (e.g. navy blue patterned chairs), etc., etc, that isn't always balanced out by good light or more contrasting materials to lift the room a bit. But at the end of the day, men no doubt make up the majority of the clientele, so I can't imagine that this poses an enormous problem.

Downstairs, breakfasts ran smoothly, with the usual range of continental and cooked options, and I was thrilled to find that the scrambled eggs had actually been made directly from eggs. This was invariably taken in the restaurant area next to the bar, from which supplies of cappuccinos and lattes would emerge at no additional charge for those struggling on the default black filter options. I have no experience of eating dinner in the restaurant in the evenings, and from what I could tell, few people took advantage of it. If I'm any example to go by, I would either resort to the bar snacks menu because I didn't fancy a large meal, eat out in a restaurant within walking distance, or rush through a room service meal instead. Any food I did try, was well-made, if uninspiring: I mean that in terms of a reasonably selection of dishes being executed well, rather than blowing my mind. Aside from the hotel's central location, I think one of the reasons for the low restaurant turnover, was probably due more to the slightly exposed nature of the seating area, relatively to the bar and its associated lounge, which was on a raised level. Daring to eat in an empty restaurant alongside that seemed a little like putting oneself out as a target for practice.

The bar, by comparison increased in popularity as nights wore on, with a good, easy choice of wines (this isn't Balls Brothers for connoisseurs) professional and friendly service, and a bar menu on which there was always something bad for you to satisfy the carb craving you had at any time. Supplemented with a lounge area with comfy leather seating, it was frequently difficult to motivate oneself to leave, sober or not. As with most hotels, beyond last orders, the bar was residents only, and I must admit in the 24-hour drinking world, I have no idea whether this still applies, although I suspect it does to keep crowds under control. One point of note is that beyond 11.30 pm entry doors were closed and locked, with door keys required to gain entry.

The approach to service is what marks the Radisson out against its Leeds competitors: professional and friendly without people bouncing up and down like cheerleaders on drugs. Staff at the reception desk were extremely helpful when it came to locating nightspots in Leeds, happy to drag a map out in the event of someone not knowing the answer off the top of their head. Call me vain, but the most impressive thing I found was that from one week to the next, reception desk staff recognised me and my name, which was quite impressive in the context of all rooms being pretty much booked out in the times I stayed. Furthermore, when opportunities arose, they would pro-actively upgrade my room for free and generally knew the routine so well, checking in/out and handling any requests was a doddle. And that's what made it begin to seem like a second home: the ability to walk in, be recognised from previous visits, and all processes kick in with known details pre-populated and preferences accommodated wherever possible. For a chain hotel to achieve this without an episode of "Don't you know who I am?!" (not that I've ever been the type), is quite impressive in my book

Just for information, Radission customers also benefits from free use of the Esporta gym located on the 2nd floor of The Light complex. The system's pretty simple, you're given a a free entry coupon for the duration of the stay, so there's no repeated trotting back and forth for entry passes. Towels and the like are already provided in the gym, although because the Light is a shopping and eating complex, I wouldn't advise hoping to trot across to the gym in your bathrobe and slippers.

Let's be fair, the Radisson isn't as modern and exclusive as the Malmaison, but it is more conveniently-located, you can get a double for under £100 a night, walk around the bed without stubbing toes in a standard room and it's less likely to be populated with people trying to make a big statement about their social status. Plus those bar snack prices won't make you choke on your peanuts. 

...less