More about Holiday Inn Express
Good Hotel, Great City
by TripAdvisor Member TC1234
It's hard to find fault with a Holiday Inn, and this one is no exception. Usual corporate layout and clinically efficient staff, though the Irish do add some personality and warmness to your welcome. Situated in the University part of Belfast and not quite in the centre, it requires a ten minute walk (or 5 in a taxi) to the heart of this wonderful city.
The rooms are compact but good, and contain all the usual requirements. The bar and dining room are a product of the world wide design team, but faultless. The food was identical to most Holiday Inns I have stayed at - realiably good - but the full Irish breakfast was uncannily the same as a full English, Scottish and Welsh breakfast. Perhaps a pint of Guiness might have improved the theme.
The city of Belfast is wonderful. The bars, restaurants and nightlife are probably the best in Ireland if not beyond. The sights and culture of this city are breathtaking. A tour around the Falls and Shankill areas are fascinating and have provided a resounding memory for me.
The Holiday Inn is a good reliable base for a Belfast break, and has handy parking if you're driving. I will certainly go back.
You Get What U Pay For!!!
by TripAdvisor Member noway1
Went to belfast with few women for xmas shopping. Booked this hotel as it was reasonable price for 3 adults sharing. Our room had a double bed and a pull out sofa bed - the pull out sofa bed was really really dreadful and should not be in any hotel as it is a medical risk for adults, my back is still killing me. We thought we were got a great hotel deal when in fact we got ripped off. Bar in hotel is nice but quiet.. Overall Hotel and Staff was drab and I will not be returning ever ever again!!!!
Good Value, Good Location
by A TripAdvisor Member
We stayed in this hotel for 4 nights in November. The hotel is well located in the university area but transport links to other parts of the city are good and the centre of town is only around 15 minutes walk.
Our room was a good size, clean and the bed comfortable. Breakfast was of a good standard and the hotel has a very good if slightly expensive bar.
If you are interested in the political history of Belfast I would recommend the political tours of Republican West Belfast. See the ‘Coiste’ website for more information.
All in all an excellent hotel which is good value for money.
Location Good, Hotel Abysmal
by TripAdvisor Member JayPDee
Stayed in this hotel at end of November '06 on business. I was originally booked in for three nights but hotel was so bad I checked out after only one.
This is certainly not typical of most Holiday Inn Express hotels, it was much worse. The reception and breakfast room were shabby with large worn patches in the carpet. The rooms were musty - the staff had tried to overpower this with a sickly-sweet air freshener, needless to say it didn't quite work.
The room was worn and the furniture looked like it had been chewed by a dog. The shower was hot, then cold, hot, cold, never could make its mind up...
The bar was not open in the evenings and only sold cans and bottes of beer anyway.
There were only two good things about this hotel; the breakfast (unusually for a Holiday Inn Express it was a cooked buffet) and Belfast's Golden Mile, which was a five minute walk away and well worth it. Why bother with the on-site restaurant when you have all these fantastic alternatives but a short stroll away?!
I won't be staying here again.
Sleepless Night!!!
by TripAdvisor Member ct80
Myself and my boyfriend decided on a last minute night away in Belfast so I booked a room, as I had stayed here with some friends last summer and enjoyed the Hotel.Our room was ready on arrival and a very nice girl checked us in,giving us full information on the Hotel.We spent the day around shops, then ate in Chambers (behind the Hotel)-great meal,great staff!returned to our room(302) just after midnight.At 3:30am we were awoken to slamming of doors and singing in the hallway.Thinking it would calm down we thought nothing of it,just people coming in from night out.This NOISE persisted on and off until 6am!!!Just after 4am we tried to ring reception but the phone was not working-the wires were broken.We heard a member of night staff on our floor say that there had been complaints of noise from the floor below-obviously the group quietened down until he left.
Why in the space of 3-4 hours was there not a floor walk done,for noise and security reasons??!!!!
We had a short 3 hours sleep before the slamming of doors @ 9am again.If this hotel accepts hen/stag parties it should ask them to show respect for others when they go overboard with noise levels.All in favour of fun but we paid for a night away too.
On departure we had planned to complain but the group in question were once again increasing the noise levels in the lobby.We reported the phone and left.
like a college dorm room
by TripAdvisor Member guffsgang
Very adequate hotel for business or short stay purposes. The rooms remind me of dorm rooms at university. Everything attached to a wall. Bathrooms are small but clean and stuff worked. Guess windows in Belfast are all single pane because if its noisy outside you'll hear it in your room. The location is very convenient if you are visiting the Queens University or that area. The downtown is a 20 minute walk. I will say that the Breakfast which is included is very nicely presented and the food was good. Full choice of hot and cold things plus fresh fruit and newspapers. Way too expensive at 78 pounds a night if you are North American and converting dollars at 2.25 to 1 but thats the going rate at the bottom of the hotel scale in Belfast.
Worst hotel in Belfast
by TripAdvisor Member jagsjags
Arrived at nine o'clock at night after a long flight. Was told that the restaurant closed at 9.30. At 9.20 I went to the restaurant and was told that no food was available - they had closed. They couldn't be bothered to cook anything because it was so close to closing time.
I had to walk to Botanic Road in the pouring rain to find a meal.
Noise throughout the night, Stag and Hen parties.
Never again.
Get lucky
by TripAdvisor Member aravensis
Our room was really quite good and everything worked. Okay, not exactly the Ritz but it was not as pretentious as other hotels of this class. The room was adequate - 134 - and the bathroom was generally clean. The bed was really quite uncomfortable but the sheets were clean. Noise from other rooms was indeed a problem but we simply called down to reception and reported the noise. In next to no time, a member of staff called at the room next door which was making the noise, and sorted out the problem. The staff were very nice, which is a refreshing change from some hotels. The hotel has two internet access terminals in the lobby at nine pence a minute. Adequate to just check ones emails but not for serious surfing. The lobby was clean and there was a small bar and big TV near reception. The breakfast was very good - cooked breakfast, buffet style, cereals etc. But bear in mind, you should go down early to breakfast in order to secure a table. There was a limited choice of cereals though.
Whilst it is a little expensive at near £80 per night, it is the price one pays for a budget hotel in Belfast. It is imperative to get a taxi there since it is a good 20 minute walk to the bus/train station... and with luggage it seems more. You should be able to get a taxi for under £5. I would stay here again but its cheap rates would indeed attract students and party goers, so it really comes down to a matter of luck. The staff were friendly and there was no shortage of tourist leaflets and ideas at reception.
