Holiday Inn Reading (Caversham Bridge)

this is now known as the Crowne Plaza. I’ve stayed here twice - once as the Holiday Inn - where it was a standard faceless hotel. and more recently as the Crowne Plaza - and I couldn’t belive the difference. It is now a posh boutique style hotel - with prices to match. Luckily there was a free bar at the wedding (the reason I was staying there) otherwise I’d have needed a mortgage to buy a few beers.

Express by Holiday Inn at Reading is a good quality hotel at a reasonable price. It doesn’t offer the frills of a five star hotel, but the price reflcts that. What it does offer, is a really comfortable night’s sleep in a clean modern room. The price includes a buffet continental breakfast, which suits me just fine, as I never eat a cooked breakfast at home. The reception is staffed 24 hours a day and they will give you (on request only) free items like a toothbrush that you may have forgotten to bring. The hotl location is really good as it is ust a short taxi ride away from Reading station and within walking distance of the river Thames or of Caversham shops.

A typical Express by Holiday Inn. Low rise building in a nice location next to the river Thames and Caversham Bridge. It could be quite scenic, with bunny rabbits often seen on the small, but somehow isn’t.

The rooms are a good size and reasonably well equipped for the price range. A self-service continental breakfast is included, but the quality isn’t great.

There is a large car park which it shares with a Toby Carvery, so you don’t have to walk far to get a drink or some food if the weather is poor.

If the weather is better the center of Reading is about a mile away which gives you access to a good range of bars and restaurant. If you want a shorter walk go left over the bridge into Caversham and there are a few good spots to try.

Good location and reasonable value.