Hemingway Road, Cardiff, United Kingdom | (586) 210-9239
Simple hotel provides a solid value
Short walk from a shopping complex and Cardiff Bay station
Rooms are relatively spacious with flat-screen TVs and desks
Restaurant serves a buffet breakfast and Sunday roasts
Room service
available most of the day
Freebies include Wi-Fi and parking
Very basic
toiletries in the rooms
Many rooms receive some traffic noise
Decor is bland
No gym (but hotel does provide free passes to one nearby)
Future Inn
Cardiff Bay is a simple, mid-to-budget level chain hotel located in the newly
developed Cardiff Bay area of the Welsh capital. Although the immediate area is
mostly roads and apartment blocks, there's plenty within walking distance and
the city center is a short cab away. Rooms are generally spacious and equipped with flat-screen TVs and desks,
although some are prone to traffic noise and decor is bland. Free fast Wi-Fi and on-site parking
are bonuses, and overall, if the location isn't a problem, it's generally a solid value. Premier Inn, Travelodge, and
Holiday Inn, however, also all provide stiff local competition.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Simple hotel with unpretentious, chain-style vibe
Fronted by a
striking metal sculpture that alludes to the area's industrial past, the Future
Inn Cardiff Bay itself is certainly more a symbol of its 21st-century rebirth.
Although not the most impressive piece of architecture, the hotel is unfussy and functional, with a contemporary (enough) vibe. Interiors are modern and
unpretentious; swathes of lightwood paneling and simple furniture borders on Ikea-like style. A bright polished lobby area
extends to the ground floor bar-restaurant that overlooks the
hotel's parking lot, and guests are never too far from the muffled swish of passing
traffic outside. Although the vibe feels like that of a corporate chain hotel, clientele
include a mixture of business guests during the week and leisure visitors on the weekend.
Location
Set in newly-developed Cardiff Bay, a five minutes' drive from the center
The hotel is situated
in one of the newly developed and rejuvenated areas of Cardiff Docks, surrounded
by A-roads and residential new-builds. Because of the recent and sometimes patchy
development of the locale it sits somewhat uncomfortably between Cardiff Bay
waterfront and the retail heart of Cardiff city center just to the north. There
is the Red Dragon shopping center mall right next door, however, and Cardiff Bay train station is a few minutes' walk away. The city
center is a five-minute cab journey away.
Rooms
Unfussy rooms with flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi -- though some traffic noise
The hotel has 197
air-conditioned rooms, all of which are decorated in smart, simple styling with
thick carpeted floors, plum tones, and natural wood furnishings. Amenities are
what you'd expect for this level of hotel, with tea/coffee facilities,
flat-screen TVs, and hairdryers, while decent Wi-Fi is also free of charge in
all rooms. Although free bottled water is provided, rooms lack minibars and fridges. Bathrooms are basic but mostly clean and well-maintained with simple
toiletries. While rooms are double-glazed and most are elevated from the traffic, some
degree of traffic noise can be heard inmany.
Features
Bar and restaurant open throughout the day and free on-site parking
The hotel's
ground-floor restaurant serves a buffet breakfast each morning (not generally
included in the rates) as well as a menu of British cooking with some traditional
Welsh touches for lunch and dinner. A Sunday roast is also served with kids'
portions and unlimited helpings, while room
service is available throughout the day. While the bar doesn't have much in the way of
atmosphere, a good selection of drinks are served into the evening. Both Wi-Fi
and on-site parking are free of charge, and guests have free access to fitness
facilities a short walk away.
