Hotel rooms

When I started travelling around the world and recording my adventures on this blog, I made a point of taking photographs of my hotel rooms. Here is a selection of those photographs.

Room 412, Leonardo Boutique Hotel, City Centre, Linz.

I've stayed at the Leonardo Boutique Hotel City Centre in Linz before, but it wasn't called the Leonardo. I think that a lot of work was done as I recall the old hotel having another lift shaft beyond the existing two in a space now occupied by the breakfast room. Anyway, it's a good hotel and very comfortable.

Room 905, H10 Duque de Loule, Lisbon 

Great hotel, but I'll be honest, I never put this shot in when I should have a few years ago so I've kind of forgotten any real details about it, but needless to say it was a great hotel.

This is room 501 at the Hilton Hotel in Buda (the posh part of Budapest). It is a fantastic hotel and the rooms are great too. Expect a flatscreen television opposite the bed, expect a minibar, decent food, decent breakfast, it's all good, but I must mention the bathroom and the shower: wonderful. Go there! Book a room and enjoy your stay!

Room 2319, Real Inn, Monterrey, Mexico

If you've already viewed the Hotel Views section of this blog you'll know that I've been raving about the Real Inn, it's fantastic in so many respects. If you ever find you're heading for Monterrey, book this place.

Room 102, Sofitel Hotel, Budapest...

This large and roomy corporate hotel was absolutely perfect. Located across the road from the Intercontinental Hotel and bang in the centre of town, close to the Danube, it's a hotel I'd definitely revisit. Great breakfast, a decent restaurant, pleasant rooms, what's not to like?

Room 315, NOFO Hotel, Stockholm

This was a really nice hotel, just a short walk from Stockholm South railway station, although, as you can see, the room was a little cramped and if I recall correctly, there wasn't an elevator. Nice, though.

Room 416 Novum Madison, Dusseldorf

As Dusseldorf was baking in 40 degree heat, I was staying in a hotel without air conditioning. Fortunately I was able to open both windows and lulled myself to sleep listening to the sounds of the city. It was a pleasant hotel, no restaurant, but a decent breakfast and pleasant staff. I would return.

Room 1306, Renaissance Hotel 57, New York

As avid readers will know, I love a small hotel room, not as small as the room I had in Tokyo at the Act Hotel in Roppongi, but small in the sense of this room (above) at the Renaissance Hotel 57 on Lexington Avenue.

Room 514, Ramada Amsterdam Centre

The weird thing about this hotel was that it wasn't in the centre of the Amsterdam. Admittedly, there was a good tram and rail link, but that's not quite the same. That said, I managed to walk right across the city.

Room 304, International Hotel, Luxembourg

Room 304 of the International Hotel in Luxembourg, a centrally-located hotel that is situated across the road from the central railway station.

Room 302, Act Hotel, Tokyo, Japan

What a small room! Everything was crammed in to room 302 of the Act Hotel, Tokyo. There was no restaurant either, which meant no breakfast or dinner. I had to eat out, which isn't a problem.

Room 103, Motel One near the fairground

Everybody knows that I love this hotel group and it was great to be back in Motel One back in August 2018 – my third visit.

Room 416, Park Inn by Radisson, Linz

This is room 416, Park Inn by Radisson, Linz, Austria. A decent room with a decent view and a great bathroom. No iron, by the hotel found me one and sent it to my room.

Room 656 Sofitel Copacabana Beach

The Sofitel Copacabana Beach was a fantastic place. Everything was good, nothing was wrong at all, except, perhaps, for that toilet observation window. Fortunately, I was staying in the room alone, and doubly so as I went down with a serious case of the trots.

Room 542, Sheraton Warsaw Hotel, Poland

This was a great room. It was big, had a decent bathroom, a huge double bed and, well, what more can you ask for?

Room 1712, Hilton Doubletree, Philadelphia

The room of the Hilton Doubletree, Philadelphia (room 1712) was right next to the elevators, but the noise didn't bother me one jot, it was a great room with two double beds, a decent TV, nice bathroom, it was all good.

Part of room 109, Wyndham Garden, Dusseldorf

I was pleasantly surprised by the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Dusseldorf. It was a nice place and I'd definitely return. The staff were pleasant, the room was great and painting behind the bed lights up! Room 109 was excellent, even if the shower curtain was bright red!

Room 209, NH Palacios Hotel, Avilés

And this is room 209, NH Palacios Hotel, Avilés, Spain. It's pleasant and I got a decent night's sleep every night so I can't complain. There's a decent bathroom, the WiFi works, and there's a good TV, not that I watched it a great deal.

Room 905 Hotel Duque de Loulé, Lisbon...

This is room 905 of the H10 Hotel Duque de Loulé in Lisbon, Portugal. It's a wonderful place, in the centre of the city. Worth a stay I would say!

Room 307, Star Inn, Linz, Austria...

A pleasant hotel in the centre of Linz, Austria. The room was pleasant, everything worked reasonably well although the shower could have been a little more powerful, but there was nothing to moan about.

Room 113, Hampton Inn, Blytheville, Arkansas, USA

As I've said in other parts of this blog, the Hampton Inn Blytheville did the job and had very friendly and helpful staff, what more could anybody ask for?

Room 344, Sheraton Memphis Downtown, USA

This is a really friendly hotel in the downtown area of Memphis, Tennessee, and I really like it. Mind you, I quite like Sheratons generally; the Sheraton Warsaw, Poland, was excellent too.

Room 107, Catalonia Grand Place, Brussels

A functional hotel where everything works, there was a minibar, decent coat hangers, a good-sized flat screen television and so on. The only bad thing was the view from the hotel window, but go to Views to see this.

Room 342 of Motel One, Vienna, check out the tropical fish screensaver

I love Motel One. From the tropical fish screensaver on the television to the rain shower in the bathroom and the location and the breakfast, every single thing is good about this hotel and, I'm guessing, others dotted around Germany, the UK and other parts of Europe. Go there!

Room 201, Sheraton, Warsaw – very nice!

A very nice room that reminds me, for some reason, of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Irvine, California. The only thing is this: the weather's not as good.

Room 507, Best Western Plus, Nashville TN, USA

The Best Western Plus on Nashville's Division Road was an excellent hotel. The room was comfortable, located on floor five. The hotel was a 20-minute walk from the downtown. I loved it, although there were too many pillows on the bed.

Room 211, Mercure City Center, Dusseldorf

Quite a pleasant hotel located very close indeed to my all-time favourite restaurant, Da Bruno. I've eaten in the restaurant before and it wasn't that good, but at least the hotel had a restaurant, a lot don't these days. But with Da Bruno next door, who needs a hotel restaurant?

Room 324, Hotel Fenix, Prague...

This is room 324 of the Hotel Fenix, Prague. As hotel rooms go, it's pretty standard so nothing to write home about, but it did the job, was fairly comfortable and as I was only there for one night, it was fine. Well, it would have been fine for longer too. Great hotel and located bang in the centre of town.

Room 841, Hotel Scholl, Schwäbischhall...

Schwäbischhall near Stuttgart in Germany was a wonderfull little town and worth visiting, especially during the festive season. The hotel was a little quirky, but the rooms were excellent and it was a 'boutique' hotel.

Room 316, Messehotel Europe, Stuttgart

This was a good hotel with an excellent breakfast offering and a very pleasant room. Everything worked, including the WiFi and the television.

Burns Art & Culture Hotel, Dusseldorf, room 111.

This is the Burns Art & Culture Hotel in Dusseldorf – and what an amazingly large room! The bed is at the far end on the left; to the right of the shot, beyond that long table, is a kitchenette (four-ring hob, fridge, pots and pans, plates, kitchen cupboards and a microwave, and there's a bathroom and a living area.

Room 417, Ibis World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE

The Ibis World Trade Centre, Dubai, was a very nice hotel and the room was good too. This shot is a bit dark, but that's because of the solitary square window, although it's more the quality of the photography, not the real light in the room, it was a little brighter.

Room 301, Premier Inn, Scunthorpe, UK.

There's not much to choose from in terms of hotels in Scunthorpe and I figured the Premier Inn would be a safe bet. It was fine, as always.

Room 306, Austria Trend Schillerpark, Linz

Not as nice at the Austria Trend Europa in Vienna, but that was probably because it was a rushed trip and I only got to spend a few hours in the hotel. The pic above is room 306 of the Austria Trend Schillerpark hotel.

Room 2084, First Hotel Mayfair, Copenhagen

This is room 2084 of the First Hotel Mayfair in Copenhagen. I was only there for one night before having to fly home due to an SAS pilots' strike, but it was a very good hotel.

Room1411, Austria Trend Europa hotel – perfect in every way.

This is room 1411 of the Austria Trend Europa hotel in Vienna. Very pleasant room and everything worked fine. Also, this hotel was bang in the centre of the city, close to Stephansplatz underground.

This is room 814 of the Hampton Inn, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Miles too big in my opinion, but overall, the hotel was wonderful.

Room 626, Le West-End Hotel, Nice. Very nice!

 This is room 626 of the Le West-End Hotel in Nice, South of France, and very nice it was too. A decent breakfast was on offer – I enjoyed fruit salad, Coco Pops, tea, a pastry and a banana. Perfect.

The Holiday Inn, Abu Dhabi – all round fantastic hotel

I liked the Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi for many reasons, mainly its two restaurants and excellent service.

The Arbat House Hotel, Moscow

The Arbat House was a very pleasant hotel with an excellent restaurant and a small, but nice room and while it was a little on the small side, I prefer small rooms to large ones.

Best Western Royal Centre, Brussels

I started staying in Best Westerns to gain points on a loyalty card, but it was taking ages to amass points and in Brussels the two Best Westerns I stayed in (Royal Centre and City Centre) didn't have restaurants. Loyalty schemes are a waste of time in my view.

Room 2318, Marriott Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio

I stayed at the Cleveland Marriott for just one night so I didn't have time to sample the restaurant or enjoy this fantastic hotel.

De Roode Leeuw Hotel in Terborg – an eccentric place

Again I was only here at the De Roode Leeuw for just one night and managed to miss dinner. I think 'dinner' eventually consisted of red wine and peanuts.

Hilton Doubletree, Cleveland, Ohio

Any hotel that offers its guests two free cookies on arrival has to be good and this brilliant Doubletree in Cleveland was easily one of the best hotels I've stayed in... not only because of the free cookies.

El Tropicana Hotel, San Antonio, Texas

The El Tropicana had a Mexican flavour to it and the room was very large and sported its own kitchenette. Breakfast was good and apparently the Rolling Stones once stayed here while on tour of the USA.

Room 315, Holiday Inn, Essen, Germany

Essen's Holiday Inn was a pretty standard hotel but, if I recall, I preferred the restaurant here to the Holiday Inn in Dusseldorf, which is now a Leonardo Hotel. This is room 315.

Grand Majestic Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic

The Grand Majestic was a nice hotel and fairly centrally located in a great city, but while it has a grand name, the restaurant was a bit shabby and the breakfast a little downbeat. I ate out every night.

Hyatt Regency, Irvine, California

Irvine's Hyatt Regency was arguably the best hotel I've stayed in. Located in a wonderful part of California just outside of Los Angeles, but far enough away to be pleasant, it offered great service, a great restaurant and a fantastic swimming pool too.

The Grand Hyatt, Montreal

I love Montreal. A great city offering the Bixi bike share scheme and some great shops and restaurants. The Grand Hyatt was nice too, albeit a bit corporate. I think I preferred the Holiday Inn on Sherbrooke.

Hilton, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

I spent just one night in the Hilton, Knoxville, but I think they must have been refurbishing the restaurant as it was closed. I ate out on Market Square. I quite enjoyed Knoxville although I wasn't there long enough to really appreciate it or the hotel.

Premier Inn, St Mary's Gate, Sheffield

The St Mary's Gate Premier Inn in Sheffield offered great views over the city. I was in room 1111 on the 11th floor, it was a clear and sunny day and all was good with the world. I enjoyed breakfast too.

Room 606, Quality Inn Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Those two lamps didn't have bulbs but the Quality Inn, Pittsburgh was a good hotel even if it didn't have a restaurant. There was a decent Panera Bread outlet downstairs and the hotel staff were very friendly.

The NH Grand Sablon Hotel, Bruxelles

I've stayed in a few hotels in Brussels. Well, actually, two Best Westerns and a Ramada, but the NH Grand Sablon wins the day. I gave it a glowing review on Trip Advisor because of the decent restaurant and service and I'd definitely return as and when the occasion demands.

Ramada Bruxelles

Initially not happy with this hotel. The room was huge, the telephone was faulty and the air con was noisy, but the restaurant made up for everything so top marks for that.

Best Western Nordic Ambiente, Langenhagen, Germany

The Best Western Nordic Ambiente in Langenhagen, Germany, was a nice hotel and, unlike some of the Best Westerns I've experienced in Brussels, it had a restaurant. Langenhagen was quite pleasant too.

Mercure Hotel in Hagen, Germany

The Mercure Hotel Hagen offered a pleasant room and, if I recall, a decent 'business centre' but I wasn't that impressed with the restaurant. There were, however, some nice restaurants within 10 minutes' walk.

Room 207, Friends Hotel, Dusseldorf. A colourful room

 As I write this I'm still sitting in room 207 of the Friends Hotel in Dusseldorf, Germany. It's a colourful room and a quirky boutique hotel close to the main railway station and surrounded by 'kebap' restaurants.

Room 107 at the Melia Milano in Milano, Italy

This was a wonderful hotel and while I arrived late – at around 9pm – I still managed to have a wonderful dinner in the luxurious and top-end hotel restaurant. This is room 107 and it was very good.

Room 533, the President Hotel, Istanbul

A pleasant hotel in a good part of town and boasting a tremendous restaurant offering amazing views over Istanbul.

Room 207 of the Eden Palace Hotel, Montreux

It's very difficult to enjoy a hotel if you're only there for one night and not dining in the restaurant. The room was rather nice and another night would have been perfect.

Room 502, Holiday Inn, Los Angeles Airport

I arrived here fairly late and didn't have time for dinner. It was alright, but not brilliant, although it might have been tiredness that made me feel a little depressed. There's not much of a view outside the window either – just a McDonald's. Apparently I was very close to LA gangland but didn't know it at the time. I even went out for a stroll around. Nothing happened.

Room 205, Les Nations Hotel, Geneva

Not a bad hotel and there was a decent bar of chocolate in the fridge, although the view out of the window left a lot to be desired (see hotel views section).

Room 520, the Anker Hotel, Oslo, Norway. A pleasant hotel despite no restaurant, but it forced me to go out and explore and find a decent, candlelit restaurant virtually across the road. The temperature outside was minus 12 degrees, but oddly it didn't feel that cold.

Room 304, Best Western International

Room 304 of the Best Western International in Luxembourg. A nice hotel and with a pleasant view too; great food too. I enjoyed my stay here. The main railway station was across the road.

Room 37, Bruntsfield Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Room 37 of the Bruntsfield Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. I've stayed here many times and enjoyed every visit. The last time I was here I had a great meal in the hotel restaurant too. A great hotel.

Room 210, Grand Hotel Hartlepool on Teesside

You can't beat a hotel that has an Indian restaurant in the basement and that was the deal at the Grand Hotel, Hartlepool. It was a bit of a rushed trip, but I still managed to squeeze out a little bit of leisure time and enjoyed a good curry with a PR colleague prior to my interview the following day. This is room 210 – I'll be putting a review on Trip Advisor.

Room 811, Warwick Allerton Hotel, 701 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago

I really liked this room. Everything worked except for the telephone, there was an excellent shower, a decent television – not that I watched it – and a full minibar and 'snack draw'.

Room 571, Hotel Galles, Milano

Room 571 of the Best Western Hotel Galles in Milano, Italy. Not a bad hotel. There was a safe behind a framed picture on the wall (not the one you can see). Nice hotel but poor atmosphere in the restaurant.

Room 27, Schellenberg Hotel...

Room 27 of the Schellenberg Hotel, Dusseldorf, Germany. I enjoyed a great lunch and dinner here, but the room was effectively a motel room (click here for more).

Room 203, Cutlers Hotel, Sheffield

Room 203 of the Best Western Cutlers Hotel was fine. A huge double bed, a flatscreen television, free WiFi and proper old-fashioned taps in the bathroom.