Stayed here to take advantage of the central location close to The Mailbox. Friends in Birmingham had recommended we stay here as the hotel had been refurbished, so we booked a Club level room to make use of the complimentary drinks/snacks and free wifi. The hotel is very easy to find and the car park, although slightly dark and uninviting is positioned directly underneath the hotel which was a great help.

During check in the staff were extremely polite, professional, well groomed and helpful. We were given our room keys and directed to the elevators, which were very tired looking and dirty inside. The corridor leading to our room was dark, chic and 'boutique' in style which looked impressive, although the walls and skirting boards were covered in dents, scratches and scuff marks from one end of the corridor to the other.

Upon entering the room we were incredibly pleased with the decor and layout, especially the bathroom with it's separate shower cubicle and smart square basin sink. However, after exploring the room and its amenities further we soon discovered that there were hardly any lights, and the lighting that was available consisted of energy saving, grey bulbs which had dreary beige shades attached which we were sure would have made Angelina Jolie look a tad ugly in the mirrors. The light above the mirror in the bathroom was an office style fluorescent strip bulb across the top which was very unflattering, and this was the only light present in the bathroom which meant the shower cubicle was completely dark during use. There were also scuff marks on the dark wooden bed frame and also along the walls inside our room.

We visited the Club Lounge which was very modern, with inviting furniture, a nice coffee machine, complimentary newspapers, a flat screen television and nice views of the city. The only problem we encountered was finding a clean coffee cup as there were stacks of approximately 12 cups, and not one of them was clean or unused. Despite this, we found the Club Lounge to be very convenient and well worth a visit during the afternoon/early evening.

During our stay there was very heavy snow, and the concierge offered us an umbrella and to arrange a taxi to take us to wherever we needed to go. We found the staff to be fantastic, and cannot fault their efforts and hard work during our stay. However, we will probably not visit again purely on the basis of the refurbishment clearly being poorly maintained due to wear and tear, and the lighting inside the room was completely unflattering and actually quite depressing.

Great hotel for business or pleasure in Brum. Rooms were comfortable (with CP's pillow menu) and had fab views over the city.

Breakfast was good (though let down on one morning with surly and slow service).

The fitness room was well equipped and quiet when I was there, though this is good as it was far too warm and would have been unbearable had more people been working out.

All in all I wi return (this was my second visit, having had a pleasant experience previously).

I have stayed two more times in CP and I am scheduled for another visit in the next 7 days. This hotel is consistently good and the standards appear to remain consistent. I am a platinum priority club member so I get an upgrade to club and the rooms are comfortable and clean, tidy etc. The last time the club room mini-bar had room for guests own beverages along with a couple of complimentary water bottles which was useful. I dont know anyone who will pay minibar prices on expenses in this economic climate - so this is a good move. Internet access is good and £5 which is reasonable value. I arrived too late for the complimentary drinks in the club lounge. I keep coming back to the CP when there are lots of alternatives in the area. They are good for me.

I stayed at this Hotel with my wife due to the location to the Birmingham Hippodrome. We came by train and took a short taxi ride to the hotel front door so cant comment on the car park. The hotel was very well presented and the staff was freindly and excellent. We had booked a club room and was put on the 11th Floor which was lovley.

The room was modern and clean with a fantastic view of the city and a really comfy bed! The room had every thing you needed and the en suite has a great shower and seperate bath.

For the room and the reception staff I would have given this a 5 out of 5.

However...

The Club lounge (which other reviewers loved) was a real dissapointment, The club lounge host was no where to be seen for two days (think he had a better offer) and due to this there were no glasses, cups for coffee which was a good job as the coffe machine was broken, and there were piles of dirty plates, cups and glasses (this is where they all were) on the side and on the tables,

The lounge could have been spectacular with its great views and comfy seats and even though it was not busy (about 3 people in it at the most) it felt unloved old and dirty. The best part was the nice cold bottles or orange juice tempting you in the fridge but no bottle opener.

I really hope the management sorts this out and as paying guests, even though it was a Saturday and Sunday was a real disapointment as the reason we booked this hotel was for the service and that little bit (we payed more for it) extra.

All in all the hotel was nice and the choice of breakfast great but I just cant get that slight dissapoinment taste out of my mouth. PLEASE address this and I will give you 5 out of 5 next time.