Best Western Reading Calcot Hotel

The breakfast ladies are amazing. Even at 6am they can lift your mood, so be sure to look after them as well as they look after you. The evening chef is good too, though could use a bit of support. The linguini with prawns was excellent, but really needed a pepper mill. The location is handy for the stadium and Reading centre, and the station is 10-12 minutes away. Rooms are spacious, with heavy furnishings that aren’t unpleasant, just a bit de monde. I really noticed there was no mini fridge. Reception staff are pleasant, polite and helpful. I recommend eating at the hotel. It’s a friendly place with great service.

On my second stay here, I again ran into problems. Staff told me the room hadn’t been paid for, even though it had been. The kettle had a burned base that shed chunks every time I boiled it, so I gave up after three tries. The bathroom was filthy in every corner. There were brown marks in the tub that wouldn’t rinse away, yellow staining where it met the floor, and stained wood behind the toilet that looked moldy and as if it was starting to rot. I also found several cobwebs in the room. At night I could clearly hear pipes creaking and rattling in the walls and ceiling. I think the staff are doing their best, but they seem to be dealing with outdated rooms and what I can only imagine are awful systems.

I’ve been coming to the “Calcot” for over 48 years, and it really needs bringing up to date. It’s sad to see how dated it is now. Since reopening, it’s had a bit of a tosh over, with some mold showing, peeling paint and dusty spots that were missed in cleaning. The rooms are very basic, though I guess they do the job for the price. Breakfast was hot and pretty tasty, a 7/10 for me. The staff are still very welcoming and friendly, and I might stay again because it’s convenient and cheap.

The price was cheap, at least, and breakfast was fine. The front of house staff were friendly and pleasant too. But the bedrooms felt tired and need refurbishment, and the double beds are only 4ft 6in, which felt pretty tight. Housekeeping was incredibly slow and inconsistent. Bear in mind there are Christmas parties here, with music going on until 1am. We’ve stayed at better Best Westerns. This hotel needs something to bring it up.