Novotel Reading Centre Hotel

Nice and practically designed hotel room for us

Excellent location with the station and shops nearby. Reception staff, especially the young trainee, were courteous, efficient, attentive, and quick. Check in and check out were a breeze. The lobby, elevator, and 9th floor were all bright and clean. No musty smell at all that one would expect from hotels. The standard room I got was also mostly clean except for stains on the curtain and the Bluetooth radio. The pillows and sheets were pristine and very cozy. The mattress was very nice to my back. I appreciated that there was a working A/C as my room’s floor-to-ceiling glazing was west-facing, so upon entering even with the curtains drawn it was quite warm. I also liked the sitting area by the window with a small arm chair and table set that was perfect for writing and tea. The separate desk with the aforementioned Bluetooth speaker was commodious and would have suited a guest with business to do. The TV beside it was the largest I had seen in a hotel and had enough channels to keep one entertained. Below the TV was a small bench to place one’s luggage which I liked because having bags scattered about on a hotel floor is very off-putting. Now, what I didn’t like about my stay is how cheap I felt the management was in having the guest come all the way down to the lobby to get some drinking water. And when I did, they had none ready. Maybe hire extra staff to make sure guests had cold water in the room fridge waiting for them. The tea service was also disappointing. The kettle and cups were clean, but the kettle had a strange plastic odor that begins to waft as soon as the water starts to boil. The number of coffee and tea bags per guest also felt quite frugal. Travelodge is more generous, to be honest. The open-type wardrobe also looked more budget hotel than Novotel, although props of course for the iron and the ironing board. The bathroom was mostly clean and had no musty smells, either. The branded hand wash, body wash, and shampoo (from Rituals) were a pleasure to use. The shower was also uncomplicated, just a simple twist to the right to get the hot water, which came quickly. The curtain however had manky hems that made you want to skip the shower. As soon as any form of black-ish growths appear on a shower curtain, the hotel should replace it for better hygiene. Another annoyance is that there is no bath mat. One would need to go down (again) to the reception room to borrow one. I understand and agree with having to ask the reception for toothbrushes to avoid needless waste, but how difficult is it to just keep a rolled bath mat in the room? Having thus outsourced access to one amenity too many to the hotel guest and for the spartan provision of refreshments, this particular Novotel made me feel like I was in just a small improvement of a budget hotel. I can recommend it for a quick stay in the Reading town center say for business, but for pleasure or a staycation maybe look elsewhere.

I love the place, highly recommend.

Loads noise so didnt sleep air con didn't work and waited 20 mins for lift in the morning in end had to walk 4 flights stairs with my case down fire escape and ended up in ibis hotel