Bristol - Hotel du Vin
Winter 2009
Frank's view 
Foolishly flawed
'Hotel du Vin offers complimentary wireless Internet access', boasted the in-room guide to HdV Bristol.
Technically true, but disingeniously misleading.
HdV does offer free Internet access, 30 minutes free which expires 30 minutes after you sign on. This is not 30 minutes of access to be used in a 'stop the clock' scenario. Should your needs be more prolonged, 8 hours will cost you £7.50 and 24 hours, £10.
HdV is a stylish operation. A few years ago I stayed in their Harrogate hotel, an old building cleverly restored and refurbished. The Bristol establishment is based in an old warehouse which has also been caringly renovated to retain features and the feel of its past heritage. The reception area is part of the original courtyard which has been glazed. A large bar with oodles of comfy chairs and sofas is clearly popular with local business exec types who down wine by night having tapped on their laptops by day, which brings me back to the 'complimentary' wireless Internet issue.
Why not maintain the wireless status quo for the 'drop in' meeting crew and provide truly unlimited complimentary access to those paying hundreds of pounds for a room? In my case it was £270?
I booked a duplex suite which had a large bedroom and loo on the ground floor and a bath and shower on the open mezzanine level above. It was a well designed space but very cold. The radiators were cold and the air conditioning unit would only blow out cold air, even when set at 25°. I asked if the radiators could be turned up and was told that the hotel has a central thermostat and it was not possible to control rooms individually. That's a first! Eventually I coaxed an electric heater out of them and all was well.
The suite had everything one would reasonably require - a desk, decent sized TV, sufficient power points sensibly positioned and a well stocked mini-bar, two bath robes but no slippers which might be an issue for some on the prickly sea grass floor.
Don't be caught out by the early check out time of 11am. The official check in time is 3pm, rather than the usual 4pm. In practice this shifting of the in-out Ts&Cs by one hour is more of a penalty to guests as rarely have I had to wait until the official check in time to gain access to a room.
Our rate included full English breakfast but if you pay separately it's £10.95 for Continental and £13.95 for the full monty.
Bar prices are fair and the bar does seem to stay open until the last straggler drops.
Oddly, in these days of smoke free premises, HdV maintains it's climate controlled cigar room where prices peak at £5950 for a box of 100 Vegas Robainac 5th Anniversary cigars. How frustrating it must be to hand over your credit card in a moment of mad generosity, present each of your friends with a fine cigar to accompany their glass of equally fine HdV claret, only to be told, as the machine says 'Transaction Approved - Remove Card', that you all must stand outside in the ice cold courtyard to savour your HdV treat.
Why not build a snazy outside heated smoking area guys? You might sell a few more cigars.
Hotel du Vin
The Sugar House
Narrow Lewins Mead
Bristol
BS1 2NU
0117 925 5577
The mezzanine bathroom of a duplex suite
Technically true, but disingeniously misleading.
HdV does offer free Internet access, 30 minutes free which expires 30 minutes after you sign on. This is not 30 minutes of access to be used in a 'stop the clock' scenario. Should your needs be more prolonged, 8 hours will cost you £7.50 and 24 hours, £10.
HdV is a stylish operation. A few years ago I stayed in their Harrogate hotel, an old building cleverly restored and refurbished. The Bristol establishment is based in an old warehouse which has also been caringly renovated to retain features and the feel of its past heritage. The reception area is part of the original courtyard which has been glazed. A large bar with oodles of comfy chairs and sofas is clearly popular with local business exec types who down wine by night having tapped on their laptops by day, which brings me back to the 'complimentary' wireless Internet issue.
Why not maintain the wireless status quo for the 'drop in' meeting crew and provide truly unlimited complimentary access to those paying hundreds of pounds for a room? In my case it was £270?
I booked a duplex suite which had a large bedroom and loo on the ground floor and a bath and shower on the open mezzanine level above. It was a well designed space but very cold. The radiators were cold and the air conditioning unit would only blow out cold air, even when set at 25°. I asked if the radiators could be turned up and was told that the hotel has a central thermostat and it was not possible to control rooms individually. That's a first! Eventually I coaxed an electric heater out of them and all was well.
The suite had everything one would reasonably require - a desk, decent sized TV, sufficient power points sensibly positioned and a well stocked mini-bar, two bath robes but no slippers which might be an issue for some on the prickly sea grass floor.
Don't be caught out by the early check out time of 11am. The official check in time is 3pm, rather than the usual 4pm. In practice this shifting of the in-out Ts&Cs by one hour is more of a penalty to guests as rarely have I had to wait until the official check in time to gain access to a room.
Our rate included full English breakfast but if you pay separately it's £10.95 for Continental and £13.95 for the full monty.
Bar prices are fair and the bar does seem to stay open until the last straggler drops.
Oddly, in these days of smoke free premises, HdV maintains it's climate controlled cigar room where prices peak at £5950 for a box of 100 Vegas Robainac 5th Anniversary cigars. How frustrating it must be to hand over your credit card in a moment of mad generosity, present each of your friends with a fine cigar to accompany their glass of equally fine HdV claret, only to be told, as the machine says 'Transaction Approved - Remove Card', that you all must stand outside in the ice cold courtyard to savour your HdV treat.
Why not build a snazy outside heated smoking area guys? You might sell a few more cigars.
Hotel du Vin
The Sugar House
Narrow Lewins Mead
Bristol
BS1 2NU
0117 925 5577
The mezzanine bathroom of a duplex suite
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
