ibis budget Newport

The name needs a rethink from a marketing point of view if it includes the word Budget! That said, the hotel itself is nice and, on my two visits, it’s been okay. I’ve only been on the ground floor. The rooms are quiet and have en-suites. There’s a continental breakfast, which is okay, and service has always been very polite. There’s plenty of parking. Don’t judge it by the name, it’s a decent cheap place for the night along the M4 corridor.

I was a little unsure when I arrived, but the staff were welcoming and the rooms were very clean. They were small, though that didn’t bother me since I only used mine to sleep. The toilet area was tight, but the shower was good.

The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the location was easy to find. Even though it’s right by the M4, it was quite peaceful. The room was basic, which is fine, but I’ve paid the same for better rooms at Premier Inn and Travelodge. The toilet was extremely small and very low, and it felt claustrophobic with the door shut. The shower was a little pod in the room, but worked fine. The big problem was the A/C. We turned on the heating and started sneezing and coughing, with tickly throats that were still bothering us 12 hours after leaving. It didn’t seem like the unit had ever been cleaned. Please clean these!

The hotel was clean and quiet, and good value, but the room arrangements caused us a lot of anxiety and problems and really spoiled the weekend. We booked well in advance and called afterward to make sure the rooms would be next to each other because we had children aged nine and fourteen. On arrival we were told they were on different floors. We explained about the children, but nothing could be done, even after raising it at reception. I’d advise families with young kids to avoid booking with ibis budget. Sorry.