I was lucky enough to be invited to stay at a new hotel, Staybridge Suites Birmingham, in the heart of Birmingham's City Centre. I was able to attend the launch of this hotel back in December and was intrigued to know what a stay here would be like, needless to say I got my wish.
It is located within Martineau Place which is now going through a development to restore it to its former glory. There used to be a Starbucks in Martineau Place but since that closed, it seems the place has just gone downhill. So it is nice to see a new development in this quiet part of town, that is often overlooked. The location allows you to get to everything within walking distance, this includes The Bullring, Birmingham New Street/Snow Hill/Moor St, Mailbox and Broad St. So the location is great for a night out stay or for a stopping visit to Birmingham. The entrance to the hotel is inviting and very sleek looking. At the moment there is a lot of streetworks going on but once you are inside, you do not notice this anymore.
Once you are inside, you take a lift up to 2nd floor, where the reception, gym, pantry, living room and laundry room are situated. You would think this would be really confusing but it is well signposted and its rare that you get lost.
Just next to the reception is what they call The Living Room. It is the space that weekly social hours are held for the residents of the hotel and where you can just relax at any time or day. The staff at the hotel were very inviting and hospitable, asking if I needed an extra room key and making friendly chit chat; this definitely gave me a positive first impression to the hotel and made the fact I was soaked from the rain, alot easier to handle.
The hotel premise is to be more of an apartment than a hotel, so it is intended for long term stays. You can make this out when you see the rooms, especially with the addition of the kitchen which is fully stocked with utensils, cutlery, kitchen appliances, dishwasher, fridge, microwave, oven and dinnerware.
The room was unbelievably comfortable, I felt at home as soon as I arrived, so much so I didn't want to leave. The only problem I had was when I walked in, I could smell cannabis coming out of the air conditioning vent, I let the reception desk know and they said they would send someone to have a look or smell in this case but this wasn't solved; however I doubt it was something they could solve straightaway; smells linger. I was staying in a One Bedroom Studio Suite/Standard Room, which would normally be from 68 pounds but would change depending on when you booked. But that felt very reasonable considering the room and the amenities.
There was a TV, closet, hangers within the closet, safe, Iron, Ironing board, a desk and chair, a long length mirror, coffee table, various lamps around the room, air conditioning and bedside tables with lamps. They all worked well and were easy to use but if you did have difficulty, there was an instruction manual within a drawer.
The bathroom was spacious, had a vast amount of towels, nicely stored and had a high tech shower which was easy to use but the pressure was quite low and the temperature wouldn't get very warm but it was feasible.
The view from the room was really amazing, you could see the whole city and made Birmingham look picturesque.
The Hub Kitchen within the hotel was really big and is where the complimentary breakfast is served. There is coffee machine, spreads and toasters out on the Island. The breakfast was a little disappointing. There was toast, bland scrambled eggs, beans, bacon, a selection of fruit (some looked as if it was from a frozen selection) and yogurt. Not much of a selection and what they did have was very basic and not very appetising. The hotel excels in so many ways, this brought it down for me.
This room is the meant for reading and feels very tranquil. I didn't get to spend much time in this room but if I was staying longer, I would have definitely try it out because it looked very inviting.
The gym was decked out with everything you would need, had a water machine and towels ready to use. When I went, it was empty and made me want my own gym. The use of the gym is complementary which is amazing value in my eyes.
Lastly, The Laundry Room.
It had everything you would need and allows people who on long stays to feel at home. A really good addiction and it would come in handy however long you were staying because there are washers and dryers.
Overall, I enjoyed my stay here and would love to stay again.
Cleanliness - 5/5
Comfort - 5/5
Location - 5/5
Facilities - 5/5
Staff - 5/5
Value for Money - 5/5
Thank you to Sue and Chris for allowing me to stay.
(My stay was complimentary but the review is 100% my opinion)
Nutella Tasha
xx
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