Crowne Plaza Leeds

From the outside, the Crowne Plaza Leeds could easily be mistaken for a redbrick office building typical of the area. The entrance is set back from a busy main road, with external noise barely audible once you're inside. Inside, though, everything is pleasantly fresh. The open-plan lobby is entered through a revolving glass door, opening out onto shiny marble floors and a central carpeted staircase that leads to a cozy mezzanine with multiple seating areas. The hotel underwent a huge refurbishment that's complete as of 2017, giving it an upscale feel and modern finish. The atmosphere is relaxed, with a steady flow of people passing through the lobby during the day and many guests congregating in the restaurant or bar in the evenings. Expect to see a good mix of business travelers and tourists here, with a large number of corporate guests during the week, attending conferences and having casual meetings on the mezzanine. Sometimes larger groups will stay here, especially during functions, which can make it feel busy and a bit more noisy. 

The hotel is located on a busy main road in the center of Leeds, around a 10-minute walk from the main shopping and entertainment area. It's a short walk to numerous bars, cafes, and restaurants, and there's a Starbucks coffee shop just across the road. The hotel is ideally located for anyone exploring the city on foot and many popular attractions are within easy walking distance, including Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds Town Hall, and Leeds City Museum. Certain destinations will likely require a taxi ride to reach, like the Royal Armouries Museum and famous Tetley's Brewery, both of which are within a 15-minute drive. The hotel is conveniently located for business travelers as well, with numerous corporate buildings nearby and St. George's Conference Center only a 10-minute walk away. The First Direct Arena is a 20-minute walk from the hotel (similar drive times in traffic), while the O2 Academy is a 15-minute walk. Leeds Railway Station is a 10-minute walk from the hotel, while Leeds Bradford International Airport is around a 30-minute drive. 

The Crowne Plaza Leeds has a total of 135 rooms in a variety of sizes and categories, ranging from Standard Rooms to larger suites with additional sofa beds for families. All are similarly designed and have benefitted from a renovation completed in 2017. They're decorated with gray carpets, white walls, modern dark wood furniture, and blue accents in pillows and throws that are arranged over crisp white bedding. Blackout drapes and double-glazed windows keep external noise and light to a minimum, though other guests can sometimes be heard in the hallways and through walls. Unfortunately, views are dull, with most windows looking out on the parking lot or streets below. All rooms are equipped with up-to-date technology, including flat-screen TVs with Freeview channels, air-conditioning, mini-fridges, electric kettles, safes, and phones. Soft white robes hang in the closets and welcome chocolates are placed on the pillows. Suites add more living space and minibars, but minibars can be filled on request for other room types as well. Bathrooms are clean and modern, with white tiles, shower/tub combos, spacious countertops, hairdryers, and toiletries. The only downside is the water pressure in the showers, which is low and not very hot.

The Crowne Plaza Leeds has some attractive facilities -- in fact, what it offers outpaces much of the city-center competition. The restaurant, Kitchen@LS1, serves excellent British cuisine and Yorkshire classics in a relaxed, modern setting. The sleek Bar@LS1 serves light bites and hot and cold beverages, and has a plasma TV showing major sporting events. A breakfast buffet with generous hot and cold options is served in the restaurant, but it's expensive. Kids under 18 stay for free, while kids under 13 stay and eat for free when sharing a Family Room. The hotel has excellent leisure facilities, including a lovely indoor swimming pool. There's also a hot tub, steam room, sauna, and separate children's pool. A full-service spa, The Spirit, offers relaxing massages and beauty treatments, as well as nail treatments and tanning. Guests can work out at the hotel's spacious fitness center, which is equipped with up-to-date cardio machines, resistance equipment, and free weights.Business facilities are extensive as well, and include a business center with computers and printers, plus 10 meeting rooms and spacious function rooms for conferences and weddings. Other services include 24-hour room service, a concierge, laundry, and free Wi-Fi. On-site parking is available, but this is an expensive extra.