Novotel, London Brentford

At the end of January I went for the most wonderful weekend away, staying in London with a day trip to Oxford in the middle.

Part of the reason the weekend was so good was the two nights spent in the Novotel London Brentford hotel, and that's what I'm sharing about today.

I've stayed in a Novotel once before, in Liverpool, which was brilliant, so I had pretty high expectations.

After parking under the building you come up into a beautiful, spacious, high-ceilinged lobby. The design work is quirky, with a large seating/work area, Macs for guests use, and it opened back into the bar and restaurant.

Check-in was quick and easy, with the staff doing everything on iPads, and off we headed to the sixth floor.

The room was spacious and looked and felt brand new. The bed was big and comfortable, with a warm light around the headboard, and there were floor-to-ceiling windows with a sofa placed in front of them.

There was a large desk area and so much storage space.

The standout feature was the glass wall between the shower and main bedroom, which could be frosted over at the touch of a button.

It gave the room a really unique twist and made the whole room feel bigger and more open.

Every detail, like the unusual doors to the bathroom and the beautiful wood of the doors and furniture, had been carefully thought through to emulate a feeling of luxury.

We ended up eating in the hotel restaurant both nights, after a day of travelling and then a long day trip to Oxford. 

With some restaurants, this would be a problem, but the menu was extensive and offered all kinds of cuisine... which were actually done well!

From steak to pasta to curry, we were impressed.

The staff, too, more than deserve a mention. They were so warm and friendly, and remembered you at breakfast if they'd seen you the night before. 

There was building work going on in the restaurant, which I feel in many circumstances could have been a hindrance as they were able to use a much smaller area, but it just had no impact at all on my enjoyment eating there. That's saying something for me, because I'm usually sensitive to any kind of disruption, noise or distraction!

Breakfast offered the usual hotel spread of cooked and continental, and this was also done well. I wouldn't call it my favourite hotel breakfast - that still sits with the Ramada - but it wasn't far off.

Overall, the Novotel offered the perfect base for the weekend. I felt incredibly comfortable there, loved the room, the food and the staff, and wouldn't hesitate to return there or to another hotel in the chain.