voco St. John's Solihull by IHG

The hotel was conveniently located and easy to get to, with plenty of parking. We attended a two-day conference. Bedrooms were spacious, the beds comfortable, the breakfast choices decent and the food okay. Lunch was a buffet by the Brueton bar for 200 delegates, and it was so crowded there was nowhere for people to sit. Some went back to the conference room to eat. The foyer had about 20 seats and was cold. For the evening sit-down meal, it would have helped to have a menu showing the courses. There were a few room issues for a four-star hotel. Our bedroom hand towel had holes in it, which we reported at checkout. My colleague found opened, half-eaten biscuits in their room, and the previous occupants’ room card was still in the electric slot. Housekeeping didn’t seem thorough.

Wass was a really nice gentleman who made us feel at home. If you have a problem, ask for him, he won’t let you leave unhappy, and he adds a lot to the hotel. We stayed for two days and found the service amazing; everything was clean and comfortable. We hadn’t paid for breakfast, but the staff offered it to us free because it was my birthday. There were coffee machines throughout the hotel and free fresh water. I’d highly recommend staying here.

My partner and I have been coming to voco every few years, and this visit was great. On Sunday, a woman in a blazer seated us for dinner and was so warm and welcoming. Naina, a friendly girl with glasses, was really kind too. My husband doesn’t speak much and prefers sign language, so she started signing with him to make him comfortable, then checked in and made sure we were okay. When our steak came a bit undercooked, she sent it back straight away. We had an amazing time and would absolutely come back.

The staff were lovely, and the bedrooms felt luxurious. Everything was very clean. We only stayed one night and ordered breakfast to our room in the morning, but that was a big disappointment. Both cooked breakfasts arrived cold, and I couldn’t eat mine. The salt pot was empty and there were no clean cups for tea. I mentioned it at checkout; the receptionist apologised and said he’d pass it on, though he then asked what score we’d give the hotel. I hope he did share our concerns. Other reviews make it seem like food may be a letdown. I’d stay again, but wouldn’t include food.