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:: Panoramic Views
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It seemed logical to progress ‘up the chain’ to the next level in the Intercontinental Hotels grouping, looking at the ‘three star’ full service Holiday Inn after writing a Review of the ‘two star’ limited service Express by Holiday Inn, Croydon (see Review Archive). The Holiday Inn Bristol Airport has been open about six months at the time of writing, and I set off to drive to Bristol with some anticipation after the pleasant surprise the Croydon development had been. For once the M4 motorway was kind and, although if I had listened to my Navigator and not argued we would have arrived a little earlier, the drive was pleasant and easy.
Whilst the centre of Bristol has seen many new hotels open in recent years the area near the airport is largely designated as ‘green belt’ land and new hotels conveniently close to the terminals are rare. Previously the site of a night club, the hotel was developed in a rural setting that belies the ten minutes or so it is from the airport entrance. Airport developments are peculiar in that nobody wants to live near the noise yet they consistently generate development in their surroundings. It is inevitable as this airport gets busier that there will be increased demand for units to service it and housing for those working there, so I would be surprised if this hotel is as isolated in ten years time.
There is a story about an airport in Sweden developed many years ago in wilderness far from any housing to isolate people from noise and pollution. Demand for housing near the airport was irresistible and the communities on its doorstep grew and grew – to the point where their objections to the noise forced the closure of the airport….
This hotel is close to the beautiful Quantock Hills and the gorgeous Cheddar Gorge, so would work as a touring centre too, but its primary role is emphasised by the display of flight details in the lobby, and the operation of a free minibus service to the airport. The growing development of cheap flights in Europe is based on using low cost airports like Bristol, and this is beginning to pressurise normal routes. Continental Airlines are opening a route from Bristol to the USA and this is indicative of the increase in traffic the airport will see and which presumably formed part of the business plan for the hotel.
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| Bedrooms differ in the color schemes used - roll over to see red. |
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| open the cupboard door to see some of the in-room facilities including additional pillows, the safe etc. |
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The hotel has a dozen bedrooms on the ground floor with a small conference area, the remainder of the bedrooms being on three floors above, two designated as non-smoking floors. What does an hotel do to get people to respect a non-smoking zone? I know one hotel that contacted the employer of guests who smoked in a non smoking room and told him they were not welcome back. Another hotel adds a charge to the credit card for having everything cleaned if a smoker lights up in a non-smoking room. If people want to smoke that is their right but they do not endear themselves to non-smokers if they persist in behaving with so little consideration that they pollute everyone else’s environment with their habit. In this case the non-smoking room I was shown to was OK, but the corridor outside it smelled strongly of cigarette smoke.
Further evidence of the disregard for the hotel and other guests was there the next morning with the smokers having used their breakfast plates as ashtrays and placed them outside their doors for collection. According to the hotel if it was all designated non-smoking it would not harm their demand.
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