Ramada Plaza Hotel, Bristol

This hotel in in the centre of Bristol within waling distance of Temple Meads Station. If you know Bristol then you will know that this location then might mean convenience but it's not gorgeous - a lot of Bristol was bombed in the war and rebuilt in the 50s and 60s and it shows! The hotel itself is newer than that though, but when you arrive it does look a bit tired and in need of a facelift.

Parking is available and not difficult, ...
...pay extra for it, but I thought the £3.50 a night quite a good rate. It seemed a secure car park.
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I checked in swiftly and the receptionist was helpful and friendly. I paid £104 a night for two people for an executive double (i.e. one grade up from the standard one) over the internet before we went. The hotel has a lot of floors (we were on the fifth but here is a perfectly good lift. There would have been plenty of room for a cot ... more

This hotel in in the centre of Bristol within waling distance of Temple Meads Station. If you know Bristol then you will know that this location then might mean convenience but it's not gorgeous - a lot of Bristol was bombed in the war and rebuilt in the 50s and 60s and it shows! The hotel itself is newer than that though, but when you arrive it does look a bit tired and in need of a facelift.

Parking is available and not difficult, though like most city centre budget hotels you have to pay extra for it, but I thought the £3.50 a night quite a good rate. It seemed a secure car park.
.
I checked in swiftly and the receptionist was helpful and friendly. I paid £104 a night for two people for an executive double (i.e. one grade up from the standard one) over the internet before we went. The hotel has a lot of floors (we were on the fifth but here is a perfectly good lift. There would have been plenty of room for a cot if you'd wanted one - and they provide. I'd have been happy to have my children there.

The room was a good size, had a king size double bed, sofa and a chairs, desk, ironing board, hairdryer, and complementary water and tea and coffee. Everything was very clean, comfortable and the bathroom was great, with a powerful shower over the bath and bidet as well as sink and loo. The room came with a plasma widescreen tv with pay per view films and a decent range of channels, plus an internet keyboard which cost extra to use but you could then play games on the TV if you wanted. It was a flat rate per day - something around £20 from memory. Wi-fi was mercifully free and in the room as well as in the meeting rooms downstairs.

The hotel has a nicely decorated Arts bar and restaurant but the prices were a bit much. There is a 17th century kiln in the middle of the restaurant . Good service and a nice breakfast but for dinner you are in the centre so go out - better than spending £15 on a main course, £6 on a starter and £5 on a pud. It cost £4.40 for a 175ml glass of Pinot grigio white wine. Ouch!

The small swimming pool and leisure club, with sauna and steam, as well as gym machines had friendly staff but it was all a bit sad and dated. they are closing them for a month in March/April though so that is presumably to refurb so things could well be improving there.

The whole hotel is modern, clean once you are inside and really well situated for exploring Bristol. 

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