Overview

Handy, near enough to both Birmingham airport and the NEC exhibition centre. We felt this was a good but basic hotel, ideal if needed for stay over before making your journey. So how did it all start then. On 4th October 1968, a deal was completed with Mr Peter de la Lorenzo and a group of friends to buy The Arden Grill, a country road side cafe with just six bedrooms, situated on the Birmingham to Coventry road, with a small garden centre next door, with Mr Joe Bonum as it’s owner. It was surrounded but open fields and a little forest with deer roaming the woods.The old Elmdon airport with its single airstrip and small terminal and only a few flights a day had not yet developed to become the large Birmingham international Airport in the years ahead. By 1973, having finally gained planning permission, the hotel had developed into a 24 bedroomed hotel, and open as a nightclub as well as “stage one”, which had a small group of musicians during those days. It turned out to have been a brave move, for in 1976 the Birmingham National Exhibition (NEC) opened its doors. The hotel continued to develope, the Burgundy restaurant and bar opened up in 1980. It became a 30 bedroom and leisure Complex in 1986, and by 1993 it had 70 bedrooms, a conservatory and a courtyard. When John and Peter retired in 1998, family members bought part of the business, and set about expanding the hotel even more, so that in 2000 the hotel had 216 rooms, a new atrium reception area, and a sunken bar, and a meeting place room was now in use. Still owned by the same family for over 50 years, it has allowed them to offer that personal touch to make visitors feel at home, but it seems that the recent pandemic and other matters have slowed down the hotel and it looks as if the whole hotel needs a lot of tender care and love now, it’s not as good as it should be, showing it’s age in many areas. Let’s hope things improve for them, and gets the hotel up to a better standard, but for now, it’s still an ideal hotel for those flying off to better things who don’t mind putting up with the little things that need seeing to, painting and decorating and a bit of maintenance.

Transport & Parking

Handy enough as close to a Birmingham Airport and NEC exhibition halls.

Access

Hard work getting wheelchair up the ramp from car park towards the main entrance as quite steep, but inside the rooms are large enough not to pose any problems, but hard work moving across carpeted areas on your own. No worries about steps and a lift is available. Lots of seating by the bar area.

Toilets

Did not see any public disabled toilets, and ladies and gents are at far end of bar, with push pull doors into typical toilets. Clean enough we felt, but a slight smell in gents, but disabled May struggle on own.

Staff

Ok, but offish in a way, not to friendly.

Photos