Advantages: luxurious, great value, top service,
Disadvantages: a little far out from the main square

...Renaissance hotel Rue du Parnasse 19 Brussels, 1050 Belgium This 5 star Renaissance hotel was outstanding value for money! Location The renaissance hotel is located in the European quarter of the city. This is fairly quiet on weekends with the European parliament and surrounding offices being closed. Good if you want peace and quiet but definitely not in the heart of the action. It was about 200m away from Luxemborg Square which contains several bars and restaurants, bus links and a taxi rank. (about 8 Euros to the grand place). We stopped off here for a drink on one of the nights and there was little or no excitement so swiftly made our way to the lively Saint Gery (right near the Grand place where all the good bars and restaurants are) The Grand place which is the main Square of the city and close to many... Read review

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Advantages: 3 star hotel
Disadvantages: Specific check in times

...The Hotel Begardenhof, in Cologne is a recently opened hotel with modern architecture with stylish, cosy ambiance. Now becasue of the position of the hotel is approx 2km to the motorway in the cologne-south. The hotel is appox 15km from Kolin-Bonn airport and approx 7km to the central station of cologne. The Hotel Begardenhof is a 3 star astablishment with 36 rooms and i have to say that rooms are of a very high standard. Now a single room includes buffet breakfast, all the food you can eat in the morning as breakfast is the most important meal of the day lol. Now the rooms facilities are exceptional and that word is not over used in this case. the facilities include Internet facilities, Mini-bar, Shower, TV, Telephone, Hair Dryer, Wake Up Service/Alarm-clock, Radio, Working desk, Seating area, Bathroom Amenities, Toilet, Bathroom... Read review

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Advantages: Highly recommended 3-star Dublin hotel handy for the city centre
Disadvantages: Not a lot!

...Bewley's Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, is arguably the best value 3-star Dublin hotel within spitting distance of the city centre. At a set price of a mere Euro109 per room per night (due to increase to Euro119 from 1st April 2008) Bewley's Ballsbridge is extremely good value for money. The maximum number of guests per room is two. This means that for just under Euro60 per person you get a good standard 3-star hotel room, with all the usual 3-star amenities like an ensuite bathroom, tea and coffee making facilities, iron and ironing board, TV, hair dryer, in-room safe, etc. An added bonus at Bewleys is that you also get free internet access (broadband) in all rooms and in all public areas using their wireless internet LAN. Family rooms are also available that will comfortably sleep two adults and three kids. (Kids are free... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent location, excellent breakfast
Disadvantages: None

...of 3 types of cereal, oranges, apples, strawberry + natural yoghurt, orange juice, apple juice, toast, hard-boiled eggs, jam, marmalade, honey, tea, coffee, Danish ham, salami, cheese slices, roll-mop herring, pate, white bread, pumpernickel bread, brown bread, rye bread, bread rolls, butter, Danish pastry etc.Our stomachs were quite full afterwards. The bedroom TV has 10 channels including CNN, Eurosport and a couple of Swedish channels. There are 3 seating areas in the hotel reception. Tour excursions can be booked at the reception desk. The receptionists speak excellent English and were helpful. Check-out time was 12 p.m. Although the hotel was rated 3-star, I would deem its facilities as 4-star. The Principals Hotels chain owns the hotel. We thought our stay was excellent.... Read review

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Advantages: Well located 3 Star budget hotel. Fairly cheap by Dublin standards.
Disadvantages: Not a lot!

...The Mespil Hotel is located on the Royal Canal on Mespil Road in Ballsbridge, only about 15 minutes walk from St. Stephen's Green and Grafton Street (the two main shopping areas of the city) and about 20 minutes from O'Connell Street and the Temple Bar area. In a previous incarnation the Mespil was a large office block that housed the Irish Blood Transfusion Service. The transformation to a hotel took place in the early 1990's, and has been achieved successfully. (I was dubious when I first heard of the proposal!) There's nothing special about the Mespil, but at in or around Euro100 per night, and with some special deals on offer if you book over the Internet, it would be a good, comfortable, 3 star hotel budget hotel for anyone either on a business trip or a short weekend break to Dublin. If you're planning a longer stay... Read review

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Advantages: location, friendly reception staff
Disadvantages: cracked sink, no shower curtain , tired room

...When does a hotel go from being basic to being a bit of a dive. I pondered this question on my recent stay at the Tourist Hotel in Antwerp. The Tourist Hotel is a 2/3 star hotel (depending on which website you consult) across the road from Antwerp's main railway station. I stayed there for three nights in August. We booked the hotel via a special offer in the Metro. We were attracted to it as it was very reasonable. We paid £135 per person for Eurostar travel and three nights accommodation (the deal was to get three nights for the price of one).We were not too bothered about the hotel as it was a place to sleep, eat breakfast and wash as we were going to explore Antwerp not sit in a hotel. The hotel as stated is in a block just across from the railway station so it was ultra easy to find. Our first impressions were good... Read review

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Advantages: Located on Jumeriah Beach, comfortable, relaxed and friendly atmosphere, SUPERB VALUE for money and quality for a 4 star hotel
Disadvantages: none really - if you get a sea view room

...cocktails and fruit juices that are on offer at the hotel. The room itself had a large King-Size bed scattered with cushions that complemented the relaxed style of the hotel. There was also a large comfortable 3-seater sofa with a matching set of cushions to sink into after a long day. The rest of the furniture was in subtle shades and prints and comprised mainly of cane furniture; a relaxing chair and a matching writing bureau with cane writing chair to match. Even the curtain poles were made out of bamboo shoots to add to the tropical and relaxed feel of the hotel. The room was air-conditioned and one could adjust the climate control to the desired temperature or also switch the fan and conditioning off. The room had all the usual facilities expected of a 4 star hotel; such as a mini-bar; which was fully loaded with alcoholic and non... Read review

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Advantages: Super high-gloss telly drama, great cast, funny
Disadvantages: Nothing at all!

...In amongst the rubbish we have on our television screens these days, there comes every so often a gem, a shining light that tells us that this country is still able to make fantastic TV programmes which are quality, which make you want to watch them. In 2006, Hotel Babylon became one of these shows. It's high-gloss format with an attractive cast made it must-see television, and it became a hit. Now the first and second series are out on DVD so I'm working my way through them once more! Hotel Babylon is actually based on a book by Imogen Edward-Jones and another anonymous author which was released in 2004. The BBC picked up the rights to turn it into a television show, and so 'Hotel Babylon' was born. Hotel Babylon shows us the lives and workings of a 5 star hotel in London, and its staff that work there. It's managed by Rebecca... Read review

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Advantages: Location, price
Disadvantages: Cheap decor, no air con

...Recently stayed in this hotel over the June bank holiday weekend. Mananged to get a good deal on a double room - E125 for two people sharing plus breakfast. The hotel is in a good location - only a 5 minute walk from Shop Street which is the main street in Galway city. Parking is provided by a multi story car park next door with a reduced rate of E3 for guests per day. Hotel decor is modern but low key. Staff were attentive and helpful at all times. The hotel bar was comfortable but lacked any kind of atmosphere so drinkers would be better suited to the city. Our room was on the top floor - ceiling was slanted which made the room quite small and the view was limited. Room was clean, but fixture and fittings were cheap - espically in the bathroom. The room was also extremely warm with no air con present. Overall, our stay was alright... Read review

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Advantages: Located at top of mountain having Brilliant views
Disadvantages: Not perfect - 2**

...quite good considering it is approxiamtely a 2 star / 3 star hotel. Standard rooms come with a small lounge with sofas and television powered by coins, a table and telephone along with a safe to keep any important belongings. It has a small open kitchen connected to the lounge space, with sink, cooker, fridge and freezer along with cupboards containing necessary cups and pans and cutlery. Thereafter is the toilet - an average sized toilet with a multipurpose bath and shower, and it's a pressure shower so its great for a simple water body massage. Next up are the rooms... Consists of 2 single beds in the same room, along with a large wardrobe with extra quilts and bed sheets except really not necessary considering how hot it is in Gran Canaria - even above 15 and 20 degrees at night time. To get to each room you have to make... Read review

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