I would like to say i was in apollo last weekend for 2 nights... I must say it is fantastic value for money, very clean, has all you reaquire - the staff - all of them extremely friendly!!!

I live in ireland and used to live in birmingham near the apollo so on occasions if i need to go back for ie funeral family reunion christening etc this is where i would stay!! Never ever had a bad experience in this hotel in fact last week when i had a re union with my sisters it was the best weekend ever we plan to go back in the summer and next Dec also

THANK YOU lovely stay,

we booked for a sisters re union,2 sisters from blackpooland 1,from Ireland ,while waiting on our room (we arrived early) the owner sat and had a lovely chat with us explained all the money he is spending on The Apollo,updating and doing all that is possible to make the hotel comfortable ,
we had a drink and a chat to the very busy staff who welcomed us with and they where very busy but very pleasent at all times
i was delighted to be able to park up to the front door of the hotel room for me this was perfect because my sister had packed the kitchen sink im sure so very easy to unpack the car ,the room was imaculate,lovely clean and sooooooo warm in dec i was glad ,
large wardropes lovely big dressing table,BUT WOW ,,,,what a tv 40inch plasma ,excellant we has a hot lovely bath each,ironed our clothes dryed our hair and the staff ordered our taxi ,
what could you expect for £15 a night ........who ever is complaining needs to think again .
the owner was a truely lovely man trying his best to update ,
the staff all very kind and nothing was too much trouble
the rooms clean warm comfortable
we enjoyed our stay so much the taxi service was instant i wouldnt stay any where else now i and my sisters have owned hotels and still do ..The Apollo is excellant value for money ,and the location is excellant .id like to THANK all the staff who where busy,but lovely to us,the owner is a delightful gentleman who is trying very hard to improve The Apollo.we will be back now we have found a little gem of a place ....we had a excellant time thank you all xxxxx
siobhan annabella and paula xxxxxx

I stayed at this hotel recently taking part in an event in the NIA. The room initially allocated to us (two people per foom) had food all over the place - on the bed, the wall, the floor. (The mangement explained that the hotel housekeeping could not have attended to the room due to our arrival there at 10:30 am). I was given a keycard for a room booked by for our group. On trying the door, the keycard worked, and the door opened - as far as the chain would let it. The room was still occupied.
About 10:00 that evening I returned - the room was still occupied. I was given a replacement keycard for another room. This room was unoccupied, so I unpacked my bags and rested on the bed... for about 5 minutes. Somebody tried the door, trying to get in. I opened the door with the chain on - the person trying to get in the room was our coach driver - it was his room. We went down to the reception to find me another room.

At the reception, they checked my surname on the register, and said it was my initial assigned room. The room had items in it, which I assumed belonged to my colleague. At 3:30 am, someone tried the door. I opened the door, expecting to see my colleague. It wasn't - it was two members of the group I was travelling with - this was their room. I returned again to the reception, and was shown to a fourth room. This room was unoccupied, so I unpacked again, and headed to bed - this being at about 5 o'clock in the morning. At 6 o'clock someone tried to get into the room, again being stopped by the door chain. I spoke with the gentlemen there, who I did not know. Sure enough, their allocated keycard was for the room I was in. I went down to the reception, having repacked once more, and pleaded at the desk for a room that was unoccupied, given that SOME sleep at least was needed. I was shoen to one of the suites, which was unoccupied, and managed to get uninterrupted sleep.. until 7:15 am, when an alarm in the next room started going off for half an hour. I eventually managed to sleep until 10:00, where I returned to the reception, and answered good-humoured questions from my group about rumours of bed-hopping.

I do have to say that the variety of rooms I saw were of an acceptable standard for overnight sleeping, but perhaps not to the prices advertised in the reception. (the group's accommodation was organised by the event organiser, we had nothing to do with it). I AM concerned though at the fact that the keycards were able to open doors to rooms already allocated. This could have had severe implications in the areas of property and indeed personal safety.

Lets start with the positive - the room was well furnished and decorated (albeit on the small side). It looked like it had been recently refurbished, the bathroom was clean and new. Nice telly on the wall and had ironing, tea making and hair dryer facilities all in the room.
The breakfast was reasonable - fry ups and cerel - can't really complain about it.

Bus stop just down the road for reasonable links into the city centre. Correct Change is needed for the buses, none of them that we got on gave change. £3.60 for day saver (adult). I dont know if that is reasonable but i assume its better than a taxi.

Beefeater, TGI Fridays, Indian Resturant, Ask Resturant and Genting Casino all within 5 minute walk (across busy road).

Enjoyed the German Market in the City Centre.

Now on to the negatives:

1. It looks like a mixture between DSS flats and Housing Estate - Not typical hotel, in fact not what I would call a hotel. Rooms are in blocks of flats, with the hotel reception in the middle and a car park between the rooms and reception.

2. If you get offered Room 121 (although it was nice as stated above) say you want to be moved for what ever reason - as you will NOT get any sleep. The room is on the ground floor right opposite hotel reception. Between the room and reception is the car park (basically the dropping off point for late arrivals and people returning from nights out), if its not the clip clop of hig heels and trolley dollys, its the tooting of horns, revving of engines and music blaring. Oh and thats not including the constant talking of people who are smoking outside the doors. Basically it would have been quieter sleeping next to a bloody railway line. I think over the two nights i stayed there, i had about three hours sleep. So if you like sleep deprivation stay in the room, if not move away as soon as possible.

3. One of our party parked the car outside block A and it was damaged over night, i assume from one of the many people making a racket outside. CCTV covers all areas of the Hotel and there are signs saying that there is instant access. However when we went to inform the Hotel about the damage - we were helpfully informed that they didnt have access to CCTV until monday (I personally doubt we will be hearing from them again about the issue)

4. There is no information about breakfast times or check out times. On the last morning, we went over for breakfast at 9.30am - (granted i think most of the flats decided to do the same, so it was busy), but the 3 members of staff kept moaning about how busy it was and that we only had half an hour. I kept over hearing one member of staff saying 'theres only three staff members for 205 guests and they all come down now'. I wanted to say they should have known it was going to busy given the rooms not being vacant and they should have got cover, oh and if they made people shut up after a certain hour of the night, people may have got up earlier rather than attempting to catch a few more zzz's so they werent zombies for their journey home. I had to bite my tongue of course.

4. Its pot luck on whether you got a clean plate and cutlery - so just make a note before picking up a plate etc to check they have been washed properly.

5. The bar was a bit pricey.

6. They were decorating the reception area as we were arriving, so the paint fumes made you high.

7. I over heard other guests on the last morning, stating that permanent residents were attempting to get in their room in the early hours of the morning (hence why i think it is a DSS flat type accomodation). thankfully the man who was invaded had put the chain on and managed to tell them to go away so they couldnt get in.

8. Housekeeping invade early in the morning. Day one we had to ask her to come back as we hadnt finished getting ready to go out for the day. Day two - we left before they came but other guests made note that they had come into their rooms at 9.30am and we even saw one guest waiting outside his room whilst the housekeeper did her job before returning to get ready to go out for the day.

9. Pot Luck whether you get hot water or not. We had a bath and shower over it but cold water so you can imagine not wanting to stay in either for very long.

10. One of our party was on the top floor of another block which was to the right of the Hotel reception, this room was spacious but clearly not been refurnished. Decor was clearly dated, bathroom was cold and desperatly needed refurbishing. The sink was so tiny you couldnt get both hands in to wash your face. The bathroom door needed replacing. Telly needed upgradnig as it was a small portable one, which had three english channels with white noise.

Well for a budget hotel, I have stayed in better campsites, so i wouldnt recommend it to anyone.

If you do stay here and had a nice time, you clearly were not in Room 121 on a busy december weekend. Happy Hotel hunting as this isnt a hotel.