Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kendal, Cumbria and Luzon
Programs: BA Bronze, PR Elite, Avis Preferred Plus, IHG Plat Ambassador, Avanti Platinum
Posts: 1,622
Voco Leicester, England, UK
What is your IHG One Rewards status?
Diamond Ambassador – Lounge Pass
Were you (or for multi-stayers are you generally) happy with the hotel/stay
Debatable
Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
Booked Standard Queen (and 5 others). Everybody got Standard Queen in a low occupancy hotel.
How are the rooms?
Modern. Bed at an angle with desk behind. Fely a bit Feng Shui’d by a Shamen.
Room was well serviced, but the walls needed painting in many places.
USB sockets by bed on one side and at desk behind the bed– but of course no C
Shower in a cramped bathroom. Coating on many of the bathroom fittings deteriorated.
No Bathrobes – or slippers. I thought Voco was meant to be slightly Premium?
Fridge - Not Stocked other than cans of still and sparkling water.
How is the exec. lounge?
N/A
What was good and what was bad?
Good
Hotel is OK at £70 per night.
Plaeasant bar and huge public lounge area. I bet it is busy when Leicester Tigers Rugby are playing. The hotel is very closely adjoining the stadium. And the bar is Tigers themed.
Location for Leicester Tigers Stadium, De Montfort Halls, Leicester Infirmary and Leicester University. 10/15 minutes walk to The City along a busy road.
BAD
Location – it is in the middle of a busy and multi lane road system (Welford and Aylestone Roads). Not easy to cross without being herded like sheep through the circuitous walking routes.
Outrageous parking charges. £20 from 15.00 to 11.00. Parking in the City is £6 or less. Per Sq. M rooms are cheaper than cars!
No upgrade – continuing my bad run in The UK since diametrically opposite experiences in Asia at the start of the year. I really do not expect a Queen bed in a premiumish hotel.
Room noise. Inter room sound proofing where rooms adjoin with doors is dreadful. I’m told you can hear snoring from the next room on Floor 5. I was on Floor 4
Breakfast was British/Western Brakes Brothers IHG standard offering of porky blubber. Odd considering Leicester and the clientele were S. Asian.
Would you return
May have to – alternatives in Leicester are not great.
Warning
1. The room comes with a retro style radio. In the middle of the night it might make ticking noises. Water torture….. Funny in retrospect. Me “Why is your Phone on” – Ms M “ It is your phone not mine” – “No it is yours” – “It is in the roof”. ----------An hour later it is THAT f-----radio.
2. If you turn the light on in the bathroom the fan “ignites”. It it runs for at least 15 minutes and it is noisier than an aircraft engine. We left the light on during the night as the room has no night lighting. Grrr took until 03.00 to realise the light had to be off.
Suffice to say after the above learning exercises all 6 rooms in our group slept on the second night! Both issues were universal.