It's a tough job...
...but someone had to review this awesome hotel in West London. So we did, and we did it all for you, dear readers. However, if you're wondering how a hotel almost all of the way out of the city that you're in spitting distance of Heathrow matches our tech-centred remit, read on. Novotel have recently partnered with the relaxation app Calm, offering guests a 30 day free trial of the the Premium version. But anyway, the hotel itself...
Brentford is about a 30 minute tube ride out of the centre of London. It's a perfect location for both city breaks and those taking a flight from Heathrow the following morning. Despite being slap bang next to the raised M4 motorway, the hotel is quiet and modern and offers a range of room types.
We were offered an Executive Premium room on the hotel's top floor, which, with breakfast included, will set you back around £170 for a night's stay. Let's check it out.
The room itself was spacious, clean, and minimally designed. The advertised queen-sized bed was more like a king, which was great, and there was a sofa area, desk, and lots of lighting options.
The bathroom certainly wasn't a tight fit, and the walk in shower came with body lotions and a techy surprise.
At first we were a little perplexed by the clear window from the shower into the sleeping area. What if you were sharing with someone and fancied a private shower? Then we discovered a button on the shower wall. Press it...
...and that window instantly clouds over. Fancy.
There was a tray of chocolates and fruit waiting for us on arrival in the room, and we were also blessed by our own...
...fridge with mineral water, and (more importantly)...
... an espresso machine and kettle. The tea and coffee making facilities certainly had game at the Novotel London Brentford.
The wall-mounted TV had access to Freeview and Sky channels, but we were also happy to see the HDMI ports were easily accessible, allowing you to hook up your own media. On that note, the room also came with it's own Bluetooth speaker, so you could play music from your phone. All very thoughtful touches.
The bed was firm but luxuriously comfortable, and of course a couple of bathrobes and pairs of slippers were thrown in. Shit, we forgot to take the slippers with us! Rookie mistake.
The view from our top floor window wasn't necessarily much to write home about. Directly opposite was a towering 30 story Aparthotel, so at least if you enjoy people watching late at night, you'll find some interest here. One thing to note is that if you get a room on the other side of the hotel, the London-facing side, you'll have a view of the M4. So we think the Novotel London Brentford is very much about looking internally.
And they're pretty good internal views. The basement houses the hotel's leisure facilities. There is a large pool with seats all around, and a huge glowing image of some fish (it's not a monstrous aquarium).
You'll find a sauna just off the pool side, in which about ten people can comfortably fit. You'll notice the wet patches on the benches - people were there before we took this photo. We waited until they left because nobody wants a photo taken of themselves all sweaty and red.
The bowels of the hotel also play host to a spacious gym. There is a lot of equipment down there, from traditional weights to running and elliptical machines. Many have TV screens integrated into them, and we could imagine spending a good few hours down here before a plunge in the pool.
The on-site bar and restaurant is a large and inviting affair, serving drinks and coffee and offering several hidey-holes in which to cuddle up with a book and a hot chocolate.
The dining area is right by floor to ceiling windows on the ground floor, overlooking a quiet (if mainly still under construction) courtyard with outside seating area. Note the sofa with rock-like cushions. Surprisingly comfortable. Right, the grub.
Although the rooms certainly aren't the cheapest, the food on the lunch and dinner menu is very competitive. A mix of British and continental plates will see most people happy, and the above steak wrap, fries and a side salad was less than £20. Nicely done.
With breakfast included in your stay (without it, your night's bill will be about £12 less) you can let loose on a buffet of pretty much all breakfast foods imaginable. From something light like pastries and fruit...
... to heavy stuff like sausages and beans, it's all there. And coffee and tea doth flow freely, all served up by the lovely staff.
On that note, the staff were all very nice and very friendly. Although our entire stay was spent in the hotel, we can imagine that the Novotel London Brentford would be more than a welcoming destination to a weary traveller with a busy schedule... further helped by the inclusion of the free Calm app trail.
We very much enjoyed our night there and recommend it whole-heartily.
Visit www.accorhotels.com