Novotel Bristol Centre

The staff were professional and very helpful, and seemed embarrassed that they couldn't do more. The location is convenient for Bristol centre, and onsite parking is good and priced comparably to nearby city centre car parks. But the stay was ultimately disappointing. We were there for 2 nights in late November 2025. The room was cold, and no amount of fiddling with the faded control panel helped. Reception raised it, maintenance reset the control, but nothing improved, so we had to ask for a second duvet to keep warm. The shower was fine for the 5 minutes of hot water available, then useless. The room was worn and badly arranged, with the TV far from the bed and a lamp fixed in front of it. That barely mattered, since only 2 or 3 TV channels were available depending on the time of day. The decor, furniture and entertainment all need serious upgrades. For a 4 star hotel, this felt distinctly 3 star. Novotel really needs to invest in this hotel or sell it to someone who cares.

We got an early check in, a decent check out time and great WiFi. The reception team were really good, and the room was clean, quiet overnight and had a comfortable bed, though it felt a little tired. It's a handy spot halfway between the city and the station, and very dog friendly. The communal areas were pleasant. We didn't use the bar or eat there because of our schedule. I've only given a nine because there was a weird smell in the room and an even weirder one in the wardrobe.

We lost power to all the sockets on our last morning, and nobody even apologised. I ended up drying my hair in the hallway. The hotel also feels dated, mould is starting to show in the bathroom, and watch out for loud music on a Sunday morning. The location is handy, with the airport bus stopping nearby, and the rooms are a great size. I liked having a carafe to fill from the water dispenser on the floor. On our last day the shower was lukewarm, with terrible pressure. It warmed up after a while, and I was told everyone must have been showering at the same time.

It's affordable and in an excellent location, though a little tired. Service was variable, with no recognition of status, but the lady in the bar and the breakfast attendant were both great. The rooms were really cold and the shower pressure wasn't great. Fine for one night, and the breakfast omelette was brilliant.