Park View Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, United Kingdom | (586) 210-9239
Modern hotel has an artsy vibe
City center
location is just five minutes from Cardiff Castle
Spacious rooms include desks and flat-screen TVs
Tasty dining options include an outdoor terrace
Atmospheric
Elemis Spa offers exotic treatments
60-foot
UV-filtered swimming pool on-site
Gym features modern equipment and classes are available
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Some noise issues
from local bars
Unattractive facade
Room decor is bland
Park Plaza
Cardiff is a modern, 129-room hotel with a cool arty vibe located in the
center of the Welsh capital. Its location means most of the bustling city
center's attractions are within easy walking distance; however, this can also
mean street-facing rooms can be prone to noisy revelers. The hotel's dining is tasty, and health and fitness facilities include a modern gym and indoor pool. While the nearby Thistle Cardiff City Centre The Parc is a more
attractive building at similar rates, it comes up short on comparable
facilities.
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Scene
Unattractive facade belying an overall chic, urbane, and arty hotel with a happening crowd
Although its
weather-worn concrete facade is reminiscent of a multi-story parking lot, the hotel has chic common areas. The lobby is airy and bright with chic modern styling,
warm wood flooring, and attractive contemporary furnishings, all illuminated by
a trio of high-tech chandeliers hanging from lofty ceilings. A number of real
fireplaces line the length of the room below a flock of gulls sculpture that
casts shadows on the expansive canvas-white wall. Other pieces of modern art
adorn the reception space and hallways, creating an artsy ambiance,
while a real emphasis has been placed on creating a laid-back and relaxing
vibe. The restaurant to the rear is well-placed, with a little terrace overlooking
trees and a canal, while the spa's relaxation room has views of Cardiff's City
Hall's domed roof. As well as the usual blend of tourist and business guests,
this semi-boutique hotel also attracts plenty of the city's media types,
those-in-the-know, and even owners from other bars and hotels. Rooms, however, are unfortunately lackluster.
Location
The hotel's city center location is a five minutes' walk from Cardiff Castle.
The hotel is set
on a fairly busy road in the center of Cardiff center, opposite an NCT car park
on one side and with views towards the domed of the City Hall to the rear. Its
central location means that most of the city's bars, shops, and restaurants are
well within walking distance -- with many in the immediate area which means it
can get lively at weekends. Cardiff Castle and the neighboring expanse of green
space -- Bute Park -- are just over a five minutes' walk away, while the nearest
train station is Cardiff Queen street which is 10 minutes away on foot.
Rooms
Spacious rooms have beds topped with Egyptian cotton sheets, but otherwise decor is bland and showers are tiny.
The hotel has 129 spacious rooms, all of which are decorated in simple furnishings, carpeted floors, and pieces of abstract art. Rooms come with free
Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and tea/coffee facilities, while comfy beds
are topped with Egyptian cotton sheets and feather duvets and pillows.
Executive room and all suites also include a welcome tray with a half bottle of
red or white wine and two half bottles of mineral water, as well as a set of bathrobes
and slippers. Sleek bathrooms are finished in gray slate with shower/tub combos
(plus walk-in shower for upgrade rooms, but they're tiny), wall-mounted hairdryers, and decent
bath products. While rear-facing rooms have pleasant views towards City Hall,
those facing the road are prone to noise from local bars -- especially during
Fresher's Week (earplugs are available from reception).
Features
Excellent dining with an al fresco option and impressive health facilities
The hotel's
Laguna Kitchen restaurant is attractive, with large windows
ensuring plenty of natural light and views over the greenery -- as well as an
outdoor patio for al fresco dining. The eatery is open for breakfast (which is not
included in the rates), lunch, and dinner, and offers an excellent menu of Welsh and
British favorites from locally sourced ingredients. A floor-to-ceiling wine
wall divides the restaurant from the bar, which offers snug booths and a funky
vibe. The hotel also offers impressive health and fitness facilities, with an
Elemis Spa providing exotic therapies (as well as a Balinese ambiance), a 60-foot
UV-filtered swimming pool, and a well-equipped modern gym spread over two
levels. Wi-Fi is also free of charge throughout the hotel and guests get a
discount at the parking garage opposite the hotel.
