Cardiff Riverside Hotel by Belvilla

The decor and rooms are a bit dated, but the reception staff more than made up for it with a warm welcome. The Indian man at the front desk was particularly nice to chat with, and I wish him well. Shops, bars and restaurants are only a 5-10 minute walk away. I'd recommend staying here for convenience rather than luxury.

The location is a real plus, about a ten-minute walk into town and close to the stadium. The rooms are fair for the price. Service, though, was awful. They tried to charge me extra for a room I'd already paid for and gave no proper explanation. It was a rugby weekend, so I assume they were trying to make a quick quid. Keep your booking confirmation handy.

This was one of the worst places I've stayed for work. The room wasn't tidy, and a bad drain smell from the shower seemed to spread into the room. The toilet looked poorly refurbished, the mattress was uncomfortable, and the shower pressure was so weak I could have washed better in the sink. It also took an hour for the water to get warm. Awful. At £90 a night, the place isn't worth it. For £35 maximum, maybe. Some B&Bs are much better set up. The receptionist was okay, and the location was good.

We came for two nights to see the Cardiff Christmas markets, but the staff turned us away and left me and my two 15-year-old children cold and stranded in Cardiff. They said we hadn't provided enough proof of their ages, despite both being with me, their adult parent. Staff were rude, gave us misleading information and showed no compassion. We decided to find somewhere else, which was definitely more pleasant. We were told our £93 payment would be refunded within seven days, so we waited. After a week passed with no money back, I called. The refund was refused, the whole situation dismissed, and staff were rude, claiming we couldn't prove the ages. I've never been this stressed before Christmas. It wrecked our stay and hurt my finances just before the holiday. The way they treated children was shameful. We only saw reception, not the inside of the hotel, but it looked run-down and neglected, with rubbish around the building and overdue repairs. I wouldn't recommend it at all.