Bristol City (UK)
 

My normal port of call (Bristol Royal) was full - so defaulted to the Bristol City Marriott. It has been over a year since I stayed at this hotel - but they have made some improvements to the Exec lounge.

Firstly - free beer / wine in the evenings - quite unusual in my experience for UK Marriotts (other than perhaps the £££ ones)

Reasonable food offerings - tandoori chicken, decent (ish) cheese board, tempura veg

Cannot comment on breakfast - as rate included full restaurant brekkie.

Might change my stay pattern to the city marriott - although I get well looked after by staff at the Royal and am always upgraded to exec room and get regular suites here.

Food for thought.....

Any updates to the Bristol City Center Hotel? Particularly interested in the quality of the internet connection in guest room, opinion of the Executive Lounge (is it still open on weekends) and what is very nearby in addition to the Cabot Circus Mall. It appears the Royal gets a better review but because of Corporate discounts I can only stay in the City Center property. Thanks.

bristol is my regular haunt so have used both hotels regularly - I remain more loyal to the royal - simply because it is closer for my needs and I have built up good rapport with the staff. Also I stay for business so meals etc are expensed so exec lounge makes little real difference - especially as they now give out drinks coupons at the royal....

Internet is Ibahn - I always have difficulties with work laptop - speed ok...

really the hotels are 10 mins walk apart - but other than the mall there is not a lot around the city centre one. good chinese called dynasty between the two hotels (don't be put off by outside appearance)

You may be a little disappointed with Cabots if you think in terms of 'Mall' but it's a nice place if you've got an hour or so to waste - plenty of nice (chain) restaurants too.

Stayed here a couple of months ago for a weekend stay. The lounge is open all weekend with a nice selection of canapes (not enough to make a meal out of but very pleasant). Free beer and wine from 5:30 til 9:30, no spirits, breakfast in the lounge was also very nice with a couple of hot choices.

During my stay the internet was barely usable :td: both my iPhone and iPad took forever to load anything, tried the computer in the lounge and this was the same, ended up tethering of my phone.

Thanks. Was there ethernet connection internet available in the guest room and did you try that? Also very slow? I need strong internet but hardwire connection ok.

There was ethernet connection available in the room (white modem on desktop) however didn't try it.

Bristol City Exec Lounge now closes 11am Friday to 3pm Sunday
 

Just went down to the lounge in Bristol City to do some work and found that as of last week the lounge is now closed from Friday Morning to Sunday Evening.

Another cutback when Marriott should be doing everything to entice customers in.

Holiday Inn here we come as the last Marriott benefit has just gone :-(

I don't believe this. When I went about 3 years ago they had done this, then they reverted back to full opening. We went again in July this year and on the Saturday it was full of wedding guests, as in about 10 people per 1 person paying. We complained, after we had been told that there was no way they would go bck to closing it at weekends and what happens?? They close it within a month!! We are booked to go again in October, but they can forget that. Without the lounge it is a hotel with boring rooms and a restaurant that is dire at the weekend with multiple coach parties ruining the place.

Are they providing breakfast coupons on Sat/Sun when the lounge is closed? Please report back & I'll update the sticky.

Cheers.

Marriott Gold - not worth it!
 

If anybody was wondering what Marriott Gold status gets you, it's a room with no working heat, moldy bathroom with cracked sink and falling molding. Oh, and service akin to the one you get from a used car salesman. When I checked in at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel, I asked about the one thing I cared about -- the complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability, of course). They didn't seem to know what I was talking about, so I asked them if they could see my Gold status in their computer. They said "oh, yes, everything is in here," but no room upgrade. Then the clerk went on to point out that it is a very good room, with a king bed, so it's big. And that part is true. It is a very good size, especially for Europe. She also pointed out that the gold status is very good since I get free internet and breakfast. In this case it's irrelevant since my company's rate includes that for the whole group of 40 of us.

The size of the room is about the only good thing about it. The heating does not work (and there are 10C = 50F outside), and after 2 phone calls and 1 hour wait they finally brought a space heater. No question about finding another room where the heating works, no apologies, nothing.

Thankfully I got this "amazing" status via the UAL promotion, not by spending $$$. Spending money to get Gold seems a complete waste if this is how it works.

Anyone has any idea if this is normal behavior for Marriott? Since I am new to Gold, I don't know how much weight this status carries, and what I should expect from them.

with all your so-called problems of not getting a 2nd comped brekkie since its already in your corp rate and finding a big room (likely an upgrade) w free Internet if I were you I would just stay at another brand.............

one data point and you have Marriott all figured out.

I guess it's not worthwhile to you...

Here's another data point for the Royal from Feb 13. Gold status recognized on check in. They gave me a little welcome pack with a letter from the manager, two vouchers for a free drink at the bar and upgraded me to a suite. I was on a AAA rate so the Gold free internet was appreciated too. Sometimes it all just works out!

My wife has her MR gold through her UAL status as well. IMO, it is a great benefit since it doesn't cost anything and you get internet and lounge access. This property is the only the third stay this year at Marriott and she gets pretty well.