room2 Southampton Hometel

The room was lovely for both work and downtime, with a table and chairs for the laptop and a sofa to relax on. I slept well too, though the TV switched itself on twice on Friday night and once on Saturday. Maybe someone had set an alarm, unless the room was haunted! The room felt a little cold because I couldn't get the aircon/heating above 25 degrees, but the duvet was thick and cosy. I spent Friday and Saturday nights here on my own for an event nearby and really enjoyed it. This was my first time using the Romotel chain, and I'd definitely return, including to other Romotel's. The vibe and decor were spot on, and all the staff were warm and welcoming. Teresa even let me check in two hours early. The ground-floor area was good for working, and breakfast was excellent. The Full English was very good, and it more than made up for the flat white, which was average, too milky and lukewarm. Being typically British, I said nowt! I had studio room 412, with a double bed, shower room and small kitchenette, and everything I needed. There's a little milk bottle you can refill as much as you like. I'd forgotten it was self-catering, so it was handy to have a cooker, dishwasher and fridge freezer. I picked up a few things from the local Coop, a four-minute walk if you turn right out of the main door. Turn left and there's another Coop and a Tesco Express about eight minutes away. The hotel was well placed for my event at the Harbour hotel, a ten-minute walk away. Good Things is on the way and has great coffee. There's also a steakhouse nearby that looked decent, though I ate in my room both nights. A small park opposite the hotel was nice for a walk and a sit on a bench, just to get some fresh air and steps in. The gym was one of the things that attracted me, along with the location. It's small, around 3m x 3.5m, but has enough for a decent workout: a peloton bike, rower, two 20kg barbells, 100kg of plates in 5-20kg weights, dumbbells up to 20kg, three kettlebells at 2.5, 5 and 7.5kg, a flat bench and yoga mats. I had it to myself, so it was fine, though more than two people would probably get in each other's way. There's plenty of kit for a good session. My only gym gripe is the old, wobbly flat bench, which feels more like home equipment than a commercial gym one. A new Mirafit bench to match the barbell set would be much better. That's enough gym analysis from me.

The hotel was immaculately clean throughout, from the restaurant and bar to the rooms. We enjoyed the cocktails and live acoustic music, and the guys behind the bar were lovely and worked so hard. Our room had crisp white sheets and everything we needed. Thanks, Room2. I'll recommend it to others.

The room was absolutely gorgeous, but as a woman travelling alone I wasn't comfortable with the connecting door. I had to keep the curtains drawn for privacy. After a two-hour drive, I waited a little while for someone to let me through the gate to the car park. Then I tried to pay for parking at reception with the cash I'd budgeted for the evening. Old-fashioned, I know, but I understood cash was still legal tender, just! They don't take cash, apparently it's in the T & C's. Fair enough that I missed it, but having no flexibility at all was ridiculous, and I had to get a friend to call and pay for me. Even though I'd paid for the room in advance, they also wanted another £50 in case I used anything. I refused. Please make it much clearer on the website that you don't accept cash.

It was a very nice stay at room2 Southampton. I used to live and study in Southampton, and came back this time to see my friends and supervisor. Our room had good equipment, including a kitchen, shower, sofa and smart TV. There's also a café on the ground floor, where we could meet our friends late in the evening. The staff let our friends wait for us there, and we had a really cosy reunion. I'd highly recommend room2 for a visit to Southampton.