The Cube Hotel Birmingham

The balcony was large and had a great view of the city. The room itself was big, with windows on two sides. The bed was very bouncy, and there was a double quilt inside a king-size cover on a queen-size bed. There were only a few teabags, and when I asked for more I had to wait until housekeeping came on shift. I'm disabled and spend a lot of time in the room, so I tend to drink a lot. The bathroom needs regrouting and tidying up. The TV volume was restricted and so low we could barely hear it. Reception said they'd send maintenance to check, though she didn't think they could do anything.

We really enjoyed our stay. The big window gave us lovely views of both sunset and sunrise. There were toiletries, an iron and ironing board, a TV, and a kettle in the room. The A/C wasn't running, though there were two fans. The shower was warm enough in the daytime but not warm at night.

Avoid booking here in summer. The rooms get like saunas, and the air conditioning doesn't work. They offer fans, but they’re no help, and there are no windows. The decor needs an update, especially in the bathrooms.

The location and views are fantastic, and the staff I met were friendly, but I left disappointed. I’d hoped for a special-occasion treat and paid more than I could have spent at the Holiday Inn or an Airbnb. It didn’t feel like a luxury hotel anymore, and I wouldn’t stay again. Three stars for the staff, setting, and views. I’d read that the air conditioning was broken when I booked my one-night stay, but assumed it would be fixed a month later. It wasn’t. The receptionist was friendly and offered a fan. I’ve stayed in very hot hotels without air conditioning before, but this room was baking. The floor-to-ceiling windows made the heat feel stifling, even though the sun had moved off the glass by about 4 pm. I’d asked for a quiet room and got one in a small corridor with just one other room, which was helpful because I could prop the door open to let some heat out. I might not have felt comfortable doing that in a busier corridor. There were two fans, but one had a broken plug with its three pins snapped off. When I asked for a replacement for the other fan, I was told they’d see what they could do. I never saw another fan or got a call to say they didn’t have one. I was asked for a damage deposit at check-in, which I didn’t mind at first, but the condition of the room made it feel a bit cheeky. The carpet was stained, the walls were dirty, and the bathroom was less clean than a campsite shower block I’d used the night before. I was in Birmingham for a gig, and by the time I got back the room had cooled down. I’d opened the curtains wide so the now-cool glass could help, and the temperature was bearable with the one working fan. I slept well, the room was quiet, and check-in and checkout were easy. I didn’t try breakfast.