Novotel Reading Centre in Reading, England

Novotel Reading Centre is the only hotel in Reading with an on-site leisure club that includes a heated indoor swimming pool, a sauna, a steam room, and a fully equipped fitness centre with flat-screen TVs. Guests can use the changing rooms with unlimited towels and a locker area, though showers in the pool zone are noted to require maintenance. The leisure club is open daily until 10pm, but the sauna temperature is reported to be lower on weekends and the steam room occasionally out of service.

The hotel offers 179 rooms, including Superior Rooms with a queen bed and sofa bed, and Standard Rooms that can accommodate families. Each room has a minibar, an LCD TV, a work desk, and a private bathroom with free toiletries - some rooms feature a separate bath and shower cubicle. Room layouts vary; some have a separate toilet that is located away from the sink, which guests have noted as inconvenient for hand-washing after use.

Situated a 2-minute walk from Reading Railway Station, the hotel puts guests a 30-minute train ride from London Paddington. The Museum of Reading, Forbury Gardens, and the town's shops and restaurants are all within walking distance. Paid on-site parking is available at £21 per night, and the hotel also offers a discounted rate of £7 for 24 hours at the nearby Broad Street Mall car park.

Elements Restaurant serves an international menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a hearty breakfast buffet available from 06:30 on weekdays and 07:00 on weekends. The bar offers fresh coffees, fine wines, snacks, and a policy of complimentary drinks during waits. Guests can also order from a 24-hour room service menu or grab items from vending machines near reception that sell alcohol and snacks.

Children under 16 stay and eat breakfast free when sharing a family room with adults, and the hotel offers late check-out until 17:00 upon request for these bookings. Business travellers can use meeting and banquet facilities, a fax/photocopying service, and express check-in/out. The hotel also welcomes pets for a small fee, with accessible parking and an electric vehicle charging station available.

Leisure: Only hotel in Reading with a swimming pool, sauna, steam room & gym

Location: 2 minutes walk from Reading Train Station

Family: Children under 16 stay and eat breakfast free

Dining: Elements Restaurant with international menu & 24-hour room service

Business: Meeting facilities, express check-in/out & fax service

Pet-friendly: Pets welcome with a small fee