Arden House

The location works well for the NEC, but I booked for work without checking the reviews and the rooms weren’t what I expected. They’re tatty and overdue for an update. Tiles on the way into the bathroom shifted and were chipped, and one cut my foot. The shower grout was black, and the crushed velvet decor really wasn’t to my taste. Breakfast isn’t worth paying for. I’d go to a cafe or Tesco instead.

We picked this house mainly because it was close to where we needed to spend most of our time. The attendant was helpful, the wifi worked well, and the rooms were fairly clean, though the doors and furniture could use a scrub. Breakfast cost extra, and what was offered didn’t justify the price. We saw proper hotels with better ratings for quite a bit less.

Parking was free and very handy for our day at the NEC, though we still had to take a taxi. Next time we’ll probably choose one of the closer hotels, since the cost would have worked out about the same. The area seemed pleasant enough, and the breakfast, included in the price, did the job. It’s a house on a housing estate rather than a hotel. Nobody was there when we arrived to give us the key code, so we called the number on the door. Our bedroom was stiflingly warm, although the decor was adequate. I couldn’t make sense of the shower and toilet door, maybe the gap was meant to provide ventilation. The lounge and breakfast area looked tired and dated. We could hear other guests on the landing because the rooms are so close together, and the weekend noise and shouting kept us awake.

The parking and location seemed promising, but things went downhill after that. Our original room apparently had a leak, so the receptionist said he’d upgrade us. In the replacement room, a patio window was unlocked behind a curtain, and the bathroom had no blind, so there was no privacy. The TV was small and mounted high by the door. You couldn’t see it properly from the bed, and watching from the chair gave me a sore neck after about ten minutes. Breakfast was very limited: one cereal or an apple, plus juice, tea and coffee. A lovely woman took our choices, and there were eggs, beans or mushrooms with toast, but no bacon, sausage or anything else. We also got locked out because the receptionist hadn’t told us there was a door code in the room.