Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham

I was here for three nights while delivering training courses, and everything was perfect. The staff I met were kind and so helpful, especially Billy, who welcomed me warmly and made sure I had everything I needed. My room was spacious and clean, with an exceptionally comfortable bed, and the food was incredible. Onsite parking was a nice bonus, and the location is great for exploring the city. Thanks Leonardo Birmingham x

The room itself was OK, and we chose the hotel mainly for its location. We were in town for the recent badminton tournament, but our flight changed and we arrived a day late. We'd already paid in full for the previous night. At check-in, Mina at the front desk was rude and condescending, telling us she'd given our room away. She blamed us for not calling ahead, even though we'd paid for the entire trip and reservation. Shouldn't the hotel have checked on us? They wouldn't consider a refund, despite giving away a room we'd paid for. Mina didn't smile or try to resolve things, and Shannon, the other receptionist, had to step in and rescue her. I've stayed in many hotels around the world, including top hotels, and this was my first time at Leonardo Royal. The front desk service was very disappointing. I'd think twice before coming back.

The bed and duvet were cosy, so the bedroom was really comfortable. Staff at the front of house were wonderfully friendly and welcoming. I would stay again, as it was lovely overall, but the shower and products let it down a little, especially for a hotel that isn't cheap. The bathroom was clean, but there was no soap in the shower, and even with the water turned fully hot, it wasn't very warm. Drinks seemed expensive for the area, in my opinion. I was also served a gin and tonic in a Pepsi Max glass, which felt a bit odd.

The rooms feel worn, with several questionable stains. The bathrooms are better, but the shower pressure is so high it floods the floor and room. There's no AC anywhere, only heating, so both guest rooms and event rooms get unbearably hot. The lifts are awful: only one seems to work at a time, and if you get on at the wrong point, you can spend ten minutes stopping at every floor on the way up, then do it all again on the way down. The restaurant is terrible. Breakfast is revolting and lunch was genuinely embarrassing. Most staff seemed indifferent, unsympathetic, unhelpful and hard to communicate with. Duty managers were better, but difficult to reach, and event management was worse. Every day we were woken much earlier than usual by cleaning staff talking loudly on their phones in the corridors. Some had phones wedged in their headwear, while others used speakerphone. They didn't offer a greeting when leaving, or even answer a good morning. Parking seemed expensive, but it does cap at a single price, so you don't get charged again for each 24-hour period. At least, we weren't. This place doesn't deserve its claimed four stars, barely three.