Review: Novatel, Cardiff

This was our third trip to the Novotel in Cardiff and proved to be very interesting as the night before we stayed here we stayed in the Marriot Hotel also in Cardiff, both 4 star hotels, so I thought this was also an opportunity to compare them side by side.

We had booked the same packages at both hotels, which were Executive rooms on a dinner bed and breakfast rate. I have got to say that the Novotel was fifty pounds cheaper for the night, so let me tell you how they compared.

We told both hotels that this trip was to celebrate our wedding anniversary only the Novotel acknowledged that by giving us a free drink each at the bar which I thought to be good customer relations. The Marriot chose not to do or say anything to us.

Position wise the Marriot is fantastic if you want to be right in the very heart of Cardiff, there parking is expensive but not by London standards we got charged £15 for 24 hours, the downside is you do get noise, we were on the eighth floor and could still here the night club over the road, it did not bother us enough to stop us sleeping. The Novotel is also in a good position because it lies between the Mermaid quays and the city about 15 minute walk to either and the parking per twenty four hours is £9.

The Novotel is a good hotel and worthy of it’s four stars, the rooms offer you a lot, in the executive rooms you get free movies, water, Internet, Bose sound system and a nespresso coffee machine, which we love as we have one at home. The rooms however are not as plush or as well maintained as the Marriot Hotel, you do get marks on carpets and the furnishings are on the cheap side when comparing it to the Marriot, but they are clean and comfortable and the Marriot wanted to charge us £9 to watch one movie yet at the Novotel we could have watch as many as we liked. You also have to pay for Internet access.

Both Hotels have good gyms and pools although I found the Novotel pool cold compared to the Marriot and also over chlorinated which was a pity.

Food wise the Novotel wins hands down, we left our meal at the Marriot and said we will not eat there again, it was the worst meal we have had and the staff did not handle it well. The food at the Novotel was good, as were the staff, most of them were from other countries but all were helpful and full of smiles.

The one thing I really likes at the Marriot which did make up for some of the shortfalls was the Executive lounge, it was smart comfortable and full of nice little freebies which is the reason we will go back. Our next visit to Cardiff is however booked and that is at the Novotel again because we are taking our Fourteen year old granddaughter with us and we feel the modern fun atmosphere will be better for her than the more restrained Marriot. Pound for pound the Novotel do give great value and it is a good family hotel.

 

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