Botanical Birmingham

Advantages: Plenty to see, a relaxing escape from the city.
Disadvantages: Expensive for a one-off visit. Disappointing restaurant.

...Every city need its green spaces. The architecture may be spectacular and the shops fantastic, but finding a place to escape the traffic and bustle is a necessity for most city dwellers. Picture Birmingham and what do you see? The Bullring, New Street Station and Spaghetti Junction would be the first things that come to my mind. Although I've never lived in Birmingham itself, I worked there for several years. During that time I went to the Botanical Gardens regularly, but for the purposes of this review I will focus on my most recent visit which was August 2008. A Brief History Celebrity gardeners are not a new phenomenon. In the nineteenth century J.C Loudon was an influential writer on gardening and became part of London's high society. He designed the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in 1830 to provide a place where keen...

JoannaPiano 31.10.2008 (02.11.2008) · Read review
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Review of Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Premier Inn, Charing Cross Glasgow

Advantages: Close to town and all amenities
Disadvantages: none

...I have never stayed in the Premier Inn before, but I felt I had to share my experience of the past weekend. The staff in both reception and the restaurant were fantastic, they were really helpful and made you feel right at home. The room and bathroom were both spotless, warm and the freeview television meant that my daughter didn't miss her soaps while she was away. The bed was both big and comfortable and we didn't have any trouble getting to sleep. We opted for the breakfast deal and we were not disappointed, the food was well cooked and warm there was also plenty of choice. Access to the hotel was excellent for both able bodied and non-able bodied people, we didn't have a wheelchair but we did have a six month old baby and a pram, and even though it is situated next to Charing Cross rail station we didn't hear a thing from...

Donnagx2 21.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Premier Travel Inn Glasgow - City Centre (Charing Cross), Glasgow

Birmingham International Airport - 2008

Advantages: Big enough to get the destinations, small enough to care
Disadvantages: Complex road system to get there

...There's a theory that says every opinion on a site like Ciao is valuable and so we should post as much as we like on whatever topic takes our fancies. However, Ciao don't actually reward an opinion once there are already a bunch on a given topic. So this won't earn me a penny - even with the special bonus. Double nothing is ...... er.... nothing. But since there hasn't been a review of Birmingham International Airport for several years, much of the information on Ciao is outdated and well overdue for an update. So pennies or no pennies, here are my thoughts on BHX. When I was a kid, I loved going to airports - any airport, it didn't matter - it was all just so exciting. Strange exotic people, big shiny shops and lots of static electric shocks from the nylon carpets - there was nothing quite like it. But as I grew up the whole...

koshkha 11.02.2008 · Read review
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Review of Birmingham (BHX)

Premier DS-5080

Advantages: Cost-effective, lightweight, excellent photo quality
Disadvantages: Disadvantages!?!

...Back in March, I was in need of a digital camera, but was looking for one that wouldn't break the bank...Ideally, the Premier DS-5080 5 Mega Pixel camera is on the market then! For a camera of such image quality, I was somewhat taken aback that the retail price was just shy of the £100 mark. Excellent! The first thing that instantly struck me was the weight of it. Lightweight, if possible to say so, is an understatement! Its thin silver body with sliding lens cover and flat LCD monitor ensure that there is little "excess" materials used in the making of it. As the image of the product shows, it's streamline look is very attractive and pleasing to look at and use. Sliding the lens cover will switch it on and then you have the fun of the very straight-forward menu, that I must confess, I was able to use and navigate around...

carl.mcqueen 13.08.2006 · Read review
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Review of Premier DS-5080

Premier, not perfect

Advantages: Location, customer service
Disadvantages: Electrical faults, noise

...Like a lot of people I travel regularly for work. Unlike most of them, I also work in the quasi-public-sector and feel obliged therefore to restrict the expense claims to reasonable limits. I have actually been known to stay in a Youth Hostel on a business trip - but generally I opt for what have become known as 'budget hotels' - you know the ones: Premier Inn (a.k.a. Travelinn as was), Travelodge, Innkeeper's Lodge. These are the earthbound equivalents of budget airlines. No frills. But you do expect them to deliver on the basics. Premier is probably my favourite of the three. Maybe that's because they've followed up their rebranding with a full-scale refurb of all their hotels. (Maybe it's because my most usual branch of the competition has particular limitations.) The point of this long lead in is to establish that I...

hiker 01.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Premier Travel Inn Manchester - City Centre (GMEX), Manchester

A bridge too far in Birmingham

Advantages: Now unique in the UK - the only representative of the Hyatt
Disadvantages: Very average compared against the standards of this chain

...We had the occasion to spend a couple of nights in Birmingham recently. As Gold Passport members, our natural choice was the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the centre of Birmingham. Billed as the premier hotel venue in Britain?s second city, this is now the only remaining representative of the upscale American chain in the UK ? the Carlton Tower and the Lowndes Hotels in London having been sold about three years ago. The Hyatt brand started on the west coast of America in the early 1960s with a mission statement to be large, open plan and generously accommodating. New buildings were often constructed around multi-floor atriums lavishly decorated with marble, glass and fountains. They led the way in providing ?extras? for the discerning traveller. This has been formalised in the Regency Club. Several floors are set aside for guests wishing to...

Newfloridian 14.09.2003 · Read review
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Review of Hyatt Regency, Birmingham

Premier Inn - Premier Staff - Happy Enough

Advantages: Price, Location
Disadvantages: No room Service

...and just a stop over we didn?t enquire into anything else that the hotel may offer but I would definitely recommend this to people looking for a weekend break or a wee stop over like ourselves because that?s what its obviously for, its not a resort or holiday place its just somewhere to lay your head, have a few wee drinks and probably some nice food and when they have offers even better, our offer of £29 was excellent as the normal price for a room for a night is £59 so technically we got 2 nights for the price of 1 and saved ourselves a pound woohoo?.I actually think that offer is still running with various locations from the Premier Inn Hotels just check out their website www.premierinn.com Thanks for reading and I appreciate any and all comments received....

purplifried 23.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Premier Inn, Belfast

Etap Birmingham Centre, Birmingham

Advantages: cheap, clean, friendly staff
Disadvantages: quite a walk from town centre

...Etap Hotels are another budget hotel chain created by Accor, the creators of hotel giants Ibis. This 250 room complex is situtaed in the centre of Birmingham and all rooms cost £35, whether its a weekday or the weekend. But for this price, don't expect luxury acommodation, as luxury is probably the worst word to describe this hotel. The rooms are clean and modern and sleep up to 3 people. In most cases, this is either a double or twin beds with a single bunk on top - not very glamourous but good for the money. You do get a television (complete with an array of English and European channels), but I can't guarantee that you'll get coffee and tea making facilities, as some rooms seem to be missing these. There is also no hairdryer or anything like that, but you can get one if pay a £10 deposit at reception - you will get this returned to...

jdeacon_162 11.11.2006 (12.11.2006) · Read review
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Review of Etap Birmingham Centre, Birmingham

The University of Birmingham

Advantages: Great teaching, facilities, opportunites and social life
Disadvantages: i am only here for 3 years, wish it could be more.

...I am a student at the University of Birmingham in my first year of the popular course; Sports and Exercise Sciences. Although it is a difficult university to get in to, there are hundreds of different courses to choose from if you are not accepted on your favoured course. Also, they are quite lenient with grades as I did not achieve the expected marks but still got in... shhh! So what made Birmingham my number one choice? As soon as I arrived at the open day and got a walk around the campus I knew this was the place for me. Not only is it one of the leading universities in the UK for my course it is a beautiful place to study with its landmark clock tower, luscious all weather pitches and modern redbrick buildings. I felt right at home here and could picture myself studying here for the future. The Campus is located in Selly Oak...

Greenyman 19.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Birmingham University

Weymouth Premier Inn

Advantages: handy for ferry, beach, town, County Park
Disadvantages: none

...This Premier Travel Inn is at Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth, and very convenient for the Sea Life Centre, the town/beach and the ferry. We were catching a ferry from Weymouth in Dorset to Jersey at 7am on the Sunday morning. We only live a 2.5 hour drive away, but didnt want to leave anything to chance and also being pregnant, wanted to make life as easy as possible! So we booked into the Premier Travel Inn at Weymouth. It is on the A353 and was 2 miles from the ferry. We decided to visit the Sea Life centre as we had a free entry voucher from Tesco. I was still shocked at the price though as it cost £13.95 for 1 adult to get in. The centre was ok but I have seen better! Lodmoor Country Park is quite good, there was a big slide and mini go carts for the kids, and you can park and visit all of the attractions...

kismet 12.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Premier Travel Inn Weymouth, Weymouth