Still there’s an upside to everything and because less people are travelling at the moment there are some really great cheap hotels in Leeds available at the moment that just before Christmas would have been out of most people’s price range. So with this in mind i decided to do a review of a pretty nice 4 star Leeds hotel that is situated right in the centre of the city. The hotel is called the Met and this is a really luxurious hotel that is also a grade 2 listed building. However don’t think that it is some old decrepit building as they have recently spent over 6.5 million pounds refurbishing the whole place. The hotel has over 110 rooms which are finished to a very high standard (as you would expect from a AA attested 4 star hotel). They also have a very large function and events space capable of catering to over 240 people at a time. So as you can guess this hotel is very popular with business people and anyone who is looking to host an event in style. I must also mention that this hotel has a wedding licence so it means you can get married on the premises. Now i know some people just have to get married in a church but for others they are looking for something different and this ornate building right in the centre of this great city could be a fantastic choice.

Being right in the heart of things the hotel also has great travel links. It is only a short walk to the main Leeds train station and also just a short drive from Leeds airport. Being right in the city centre has many other benefits too. For start you are going to save on travel expenses like taxis to the main attractions as you are so close already. For example great shopping districts like the Victoria Quarter are only a short walk away. There are a lot of great shops here where you can get many cheap and discount items like Marks and Spencer and Topshop. Ok so i must remember to talk a little about the hotel! I could ramble on about Leeds all day and why you should come visit us but if you have reached this blog then you have probably already decided you want to come you just need the right hotel (at the right price). Prices will depend on when you book but you can expect to pay between £70 and £80 for a standard double room. To some this may not be the super budget hotel they are looking for but when you consider that rooms here can go for as much as £149 per night i think there are some great savings here.

So there you have it, my first review in a while but hopefully it was worth the wait. Again ill mention that this type of hotel (a hotel not necessarily on the budget side) may not be for everyone but i do want to cater to as many different tastes as possible. Also give the great number of hotels we have in Leeds from budget to luxury it would be a shame to just focus on the cheap hotels. Also who says some luxury cant be cheap too? Until next time, stay tuned.

As you can see from the photos the Quebecs Boutique successfully blends its Victorian architecture and furnishings with a modern feel which i can confirm is no mean feat. I suppose what you are really buying into is the unique feel of a place like this. It really doesn’t look like a hotel and i can say that that is no bad thing. The attention to detail in the fixtures and fittings is really something and while it does have this late victorian style its still a modern functioning hotel with all the amenities you can expect like TV and in room broadband which is a must for almost everyone now especially business travellers.

The hotels central location is also good with the Leeds-Bradford airport only half an hour away and have i mentioned that its right in the heart of Leeds city centre? I think the main way to look at this budget hotel is that it really is something different and in the discount area of the accommodation market that really is something quite rare. Ive also noticed just how much prices for places hotels like this have been reduced by over the past year. I think that many hotels have had to shift as far as their target market has been concerned in order to still stay in business. However this is good news for people like you and me as it allows us to stay somewhere really special for a fraction of the price. Im not joking when i say that somewhere like this would be at least 50% more expensive even just a year ago.

As ever i think it pays to look around and this is especially true of hotels in the upper region of the star ratings system. Remember though to check who the hotel is rated by (Visit Britain is usually reliable). So if you are looking for something different then check them out at www.theetoncollection.com (their website not great by the way )

I suppose the first question people have is what’s the difference between booking an apartment vs staying in a hotel, or even if there is a difference at all? The biggest difference is the feel of the place, hotels all over the world are by and large fitted out the same way whereas an apartment is much more of a real place to live if that makes sense. For a start you will always have a fully functioning kitchen with all modern appliances. There will also be more pull out beds and extra sleeping arrangements that your standard hotel room. Another plus point for some people is that you may be able to bring your pets with you (check first please), i don’t know of any hotels that allow this. But overall i think that an apartment will allow you to feel much more part of the city than a generic hotel room. In my experience hotels rooms rarely if ever feel like home and sometimes it only gets worse the longer you stay. I really cant imagine ever wanting to stay in the same Hotel for more than 2 weeks, the claustrophobia could be quite intense. However with an apartment i think there is always a sense that this could in some way be a home and you can personalise it (to an extent) during your stay.

Roomzzz claim that their apartments are on average 50% bigger than your average hotel room in Leeds which is a lot of extra space and will go a long way to helping you to feel comfortable. Another nice extra touch the free wireless broadband throughout the hotel and also complimentary local and national phone calls which i can say is a rare extra for a relatively cheap hotel/apartment. On the subject of price these apartments do quite well. A 1 bed double (sleeping 2) will set you back around £50 - £60 which is very cheap when you compare it to similar accommodation in the centre of Leeds. According the map your only 0.8 miles from the city centre so it’s only really a 10 minute walk. The apartments themselves are finished to a very high standard and as mentioned come with a full modern kitchen. You also get a Large LCD television with satellite.

These apartments are rated at 4 star but it is self-certified which isn’t as good. Im not sure if apartments are allowed to apply for the many ratings systems such as the AA or visit Britain as they may be for hotels only. If so i think these agencies should definitely look into a category for apartments as it’s a rapidly growing business all over England and the rest of the UK. I know most of my readers will be looking mainly for cheap hotels in Leeds and the surrounding areas but i think this new accommodation option is definitely worth a look.

www.roomzzz.co.uk

You might think it looks like more of a guesthouse than a mordern hotel but in some ways i think thats no bad thing, with many of todays hotels in Leeds feeling overly corporate. You can also expect a good breakfast service in the morning and a round the clock presenace at reception if you plan on coming back late. Its in a nice secure and somewhat seculded area too with private parking right beside the premises. As mentioned before the main reason for the price of this hotel is that it is not located in the city centre and so you can get alot more for your money.

The Millenium Square may look like a historic piece of architecture but as the name suggests its actually quite new. It was opened in the year 2000 by none other than Nelson Mandela and has proved popular with all kinds of visitors to the city. One great aspect about this space is how it is used all year round. During the middle of winter an outdoor ice-rink is constructed and is open to people of all ages but is a firm favourite with children who visit. In the summer months if there are any major sporting events taking place they are shown on a large screen and large crowds can gather to watch and enjoy (or commiserate on many occasions) the match.

Another advantage of booking at off peak times is that many of the main attractions in Leeds will be much less crowded and you will find it easier to get off peak discounts. As always you should always have a look around hotel reception for any new or discounted events that may be taking place during your stay. Remember to ask staff at the hotel also as they will often have local knowledge about the city and should have a good idea on the best things to see and do.

People do ask me all the time what the best way to find cheap hotels in Leeds is but the thing is it really all depends on what requirements you have and what things you count as an essential part of your stay and i suppose what things you are prepared to give up.