Malmaison Reading
18-20 Station Road, Reading RG1 1JX England
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Dining (70)
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4.0
#3 of 34 hotels in ReadingLocation
4.4
Cleanliness
4.4
Service
4.3
Value
3.9
Travelers' Choice
The brief encounter, that fleeting glance from across the platform, a longing to be with the one you shouldn't...Meet me outside the station at this gloriously converted rail hotel. You shouldn't have this much fun so close to Heathrow, but you will at Mal. You shouldn't find a train set in your room, or a bath big enough for two, for that matter.
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Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Bar / lounge
Taxi service
Conference facilities
Banquet room
24-hour security
Baggage storage
24-hour front desk
Wifi
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Breakfast in the room
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Meeting rooms
Non-smoking hotel
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Room service
Coffee / tea maker
Minibar
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Safe
Telephone
VIP room facilities
Iron
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Refrigerator
Hair dryer
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Trendy
Business
Languages Spoken
English, French, Polish
Location
18-20 Station Road, Reading RG1 1JX England
Getting there
Great for walkers
Grade: 95 out of 100
95
142 Restaurants
within 0.3 miles
Reviews
4.0
1,555 reviews
Reviews Summary
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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The Malmaison Reading hotel garners appreciation for its exceptional cleanliness and well-kept facilities, with guests often noting the pristine conditions of the rooms and bathrooms. Staff at the hotel receive accolades for their attentive and warm service, contributing to a luxurious and peaceful atmosphere that resonates with guests.
Its prime location near the train station and town center adds to its appeal, as does the hotel's value, with many travelers citing favorable deals. While the rooms are generally comfortable and come with appreciated amenities like soundproofing, a few guests suggest some areas could benefit from updates.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Luxurious
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Good
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Well-appointed
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Detailed Reviews
Booked a birthday break with a special deal from their website, arrived approx 14:30, speedy check in, lots of details from the lady on reception who explained everything. Room was great, the bed was superb, had everything you needed (although wardrobe in an odd area, not the most easiest to access), spotless, felt fresh and clean! Surprised that lager etc isn’t served by the pint but 2/3 but still charged more than a pint, I guess it’s just the norm nowadays with hotels.
We booked dinner in the brassiere and I have to say it was a bit of a let down hence the average and not excellent. The service wasn’t great at all, food was good, when we got it! The only thing to arrive quickly was the £35 bottle of wine, no surprise. We had a voucher (as part of the deal) for two cocktails which took 35 minutes to arrive (after chasing twice) we had two courses main and dessert, the main took a good 50-60 minutes and then we could see our desserts sat on the kitchen side every time the door opened. A chap serving in the restaurant (small guy with an Indian accent) had no time for anyone (not even his colleagues), taking our food whilst shouting over our table at the next group to check everything was okay and then when taking our dessert order, stopping half way through, with his finger pointing indicating for us to stop talking, leant over to his colleague at another table to tell her to clear a different table!! Mentioned it at reception on check out who said we’d get a call from the GM, nothing as yet.
Would stay again and would recommend the rooms but certainly wouldn’t eat or drink in the place again.
We booked dinner in the brassiere and I have to say it was a bit of a let down hence the average and not excellent. The service wasn’t great at all, food was good, when we got it! The only thing to arrive quickly was the £35 bottle of wine, no surprise. We had a voucher (as part of the deal) for two cocktails which took 35 minutes to arrive (after chasing twice) we had two courses main and dessert, the main took a good 50-60 minutes and then we could see our desserts sat on the kitchen side every time the door opened. A chap serving in the restaurant (small guy with an Indian accent) had no time for anyone (not even his colleagues), taking our food whilst shouting over our table at the next group to check everything was okay and then when taking our dessert order, stopping half way through, with his finger pointing indicating for us to stop talking, leant over to his colleague at another table to tell her to clear a different table!! Mentioned it at reception on check out who said we’d get a call from the GM, nothing as yet.
Would stay again and would recommend the rooms but certainly wouldn’t eat or drink in the place again.
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MalmaisonReading, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Jan 28, 2020
Hello, Thank you for your review. I'm sorry to hear that you did not fully enjoy your stay with us, this is not the usual feedback so we apologise if this was the case. Please contact me on jhenesey@malmaison.com to discuss further. Many thanks James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel is in a really convenient location and considering it’s next to a nightclub and the train station it was really quiet. The reception team were really friendly and professional at all times. I really liked that the lifts and staircase only open with the use of a room card. It made me feel a lot safer when staying in a hotel. I wish more hotels offered this service.
The room was beautifully decorated and the bathroom was huge. I loved the fact you have a shower and a bath all in the same room. The only downfall was the toilet as the flush stopped working in the evening but then started working the next morning.
The bed was really comfortable and liked the fact there was extra pillows in the wardrobe as most hotels don’t offer this service.
The room was beautifully decorated and the bathroom was huge. I loved the fact you have a shower and a bath all in the same room. The only downfall was the toilet as the flush stopped working in the evening but then started working the next morning.
The bed was really comfortable and liked the fact there was extra pillows in the wardrobe as most hotels don’t offer this service.
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Date of stay: September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Henesey, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Oct 19, 2021
Hello, Thank you for you review and comments. We are pleased you enjoyed your experience overall and hope you will stay us again. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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We went here on sat 14th march for a hen do prosecco brunch, to say we were pleased with the service is an understatement. We had this booked since December and arrived to some tables pushed together in the bar and a waiter saying that they thought we might have cancelled because of the virus, and not a corner where we could chill out and enjoy ourselves. 5 of us ordered the hunters chicken to eat and the waiter came back saying they had run out, so ordered the gammon which was dry. We paid £29 each for the experience (I was on soft drinks) and it was definitely not worth it. When it came to the bill we had paid £110 deposit but the waiter said we had only paid £90 so had to get the banking up to prove it.
After I complained the waiter turned very cold onto us and the manager came to speak to me, she offered a glass of wine as a sorry which we declined and instead got 10% off the bill, when the manager brought over the bill another member asked if we could get a bottle of prosecco to take away. The manager coldly said no you declined that. The whole experience was underwelming and the waiter even started to get funny with the young waitress for talking to us when we asked her to take a picture.
My advice would be to teach customer services to your staff. If you can't offer the full service don't offer it, I am sure you had chicken available for the evening 3 phone calls to check everything was okay even the night before and treated like this. We wasn't even told about a private room we could have had, the manager told us about it.
I will be emailing head office too.
After I complained the waiter turned very cold onto us and the manager came to speak to me, she offered a glass of wine as a sorry which we declined and instead got 10% off the bill, when the manager brought over the bill another member asked if we could get a bottle of prosecco to take away. The manager coldly said no you declined that. The whole experience was underwelming and the waiter even started to get funny with the young waitress for talking to us when we asked her to take a picture.
My advice would be to teach customer services to your staff. If you can't offer the full service don't offer it, I am sure you had chicken available for the evening 3 phone calls to check everything was okay even the night before and treated like this. We wasn't even told about a private room we could have had, the manager told us about it.
I will be emailing head office too.
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Date of stay: March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nic's Adventures wrote a review Jan 2020
High Wycombe, United Kingdom154 contributions46 helpful votesWent here for a perfume making day and afternoon tea package, the hotel seemed very dark on arrival no help the grey painted on the wall, It's supposed to boutique but it looked uninviting. The only area that was lightly painted was Starbucks coffee! The room we were in was grey too and hard to see in there. The afternoon tea was average no nutritional information at all on the dishes provided, the cakes were very sweet the lemon meringue was very bland, could have one with lemon curd in the middle of the cake, not in the icing, the mousse was odd, the shake was very sweet. The savoury options the wrap was bland, could not taste the spice. The Scone had sugar on the top which I had to scrape off, it was a good shape too. The location is good, would not come and stay here as it's too dark decore for my liking.
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Date of stay: October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MalmaisonReading, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Jan 6, 2020
Hello nicolacowan87, Thank you for your feedback following your experience. I'm disappointed to read that you were not impressed with the property or your afternoon tea. Had we been aware that you required extra nutritional information we could have provided this, but do not supply it with our meals. Usually our quirky Afternoon Tea gets great reviews for being different, but we will take on board your comments. If you would like to speak further please let me know. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My husband and I were delighted by our stay.( We have stayed here many times and have always been very happy by not only the staff but the whole ambiance) The girl at check in was efficient, professional and helpful. Our room (106) was spacious and spotless. The bed was extremely comfortable. The bathroom was also excellent and I think the move away from small plastic bottles to larger refillable ones is sensible.
We had booked a three course evening meal as part of our package and were greeted warmly by Paolo in the restaurant. We'd been nervous of being in a crowded restaurant and were relieved to find only four out of the fifteen tables were occupied. Being socially distanced from other diners felt reassuringly safe.
I have various food in tolerances. Our charming Italian waiter Paolo listened carefully, checked with the kitchen to see which dishes were suitable for me and made some helpful suggestions. Our food was served at a good pace and each dish was delicious. I had prawns as my starter, the pumpkin and sage ravioli and the mascarpone cheese cake with warm autumn berries. I am not really a pudding person but I really enjoyed this , particularly the caramalized slice of orange on top. My husband enjoyed his chicken wings, lamb shank bhuna and chocolate mousse. All in all an excellent dining experience. Our breakfast was also excellent and Paolo showed us the same courtesy and care. He is superbo!
We had booked a three course evening meal as part of our package and were greeted warmly by Paolo in the restaurant. We'd been nervous of being in a crowded restaurant and were relieved to find only four out of the fifteen tables were occupied. Being socially distanced from other diners felt reassuringly safe.
I have various food in tolerances. Our charming Italian waiter Paolo listened carefully, checked with the kitchen to see which dishes were suitable for me and made some helpful suggestions. Our food was served at a good pace and each dish was delicious. I had prawns as my starter, the pumpkin and sage ravioli and the mascarpone cheese cake with warm autumn berries. I am not really a pudding person but I really enjoyed this , particularly the caramalized slice of orange on top. My husband enjoyed his chicken wings, lamb shank bhuna and chocolate mousse. All in all an excellent dining experience. Our breakfast was also excellent and Paolo showed us the same courtesy and care. He is superbo!
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Date of stay: October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Henesey, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Nov 3, 2021
Hello arteelady, Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review. We are so pleased that Paolo was able to look after you so well and that you enjoyed your experience. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Like all Malmaison hotels it’s all about experience and location. The location is excellent, 100 yards away from a NCP car park (there is a discount rate of £12 a day), a stone throw away from a Revolution, Revolution de Cuba and loads of other bars, a 2 min walk from John Lewis and the main shopping streets. Experience was initially not great as we had found out the day before that neither the Brasserie (no meals apart from continental breakfast available) nor the bar were open on Sunday despite no mention of this on the website nor when booking. However, this was made up by excellent service and a good room upgrade. On par with most other Malmaison hotels we have visited and well worth visiting
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Date of stay: November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Henesey, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Nov 6, 2020
Hello, Thank you for your review following your stay with us. I'm pleased that you enjoyed your stay overall and would recommend visiting. We hope to welcome you back in the near future. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hobbs Family Adventures wrote a review Mar 2020
Reading, United Kingdom75 contributions6 helpful votesA thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Paolo was supper attentive, nothing was too much trouble. He helped store and set up my grandma's wheelchair, set up a birthday plate for my mum and made sure we had enough tea and drinks. Thank you.
The rest of the team were very professional and made the experience that little bit more special.
The menu is priced fairly and offers something different to the typical salmon and cucumber sandwiches. Standard afternoon tea £20, with prosecco £25, cocktail for the set menu £27. We ended up taking some cakes home, we were stuffed!
Drinks are in line with the the high street perhaps the higher end of highstreet prices but you'd expect that for the type of venue and experience.
Going back to Brasserie for a date night soon!
The rest of the team were very professional and made the experience that little bit more special.
The menu is priced fairly and offers something different to the typical salmon and cucumber sandwiches. Standard afternoon tea £20, with prosecco £25, cocktail for the set menu £27. We ended up taking some cakes home, we were stuffed!
Drinks are in line with the the high street perhaps the higher end of highstreet prices but you'd expect that for the type of venue and experience.
Going back to Brasserie for a date night soon!
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Date of stay: March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MalmaisonReading, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Mar 9, 2020
Hello rochellep696, Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review. We are delighted that you enjoyed your experience with us, we do hope you will consider visiting us again in the near future. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Two nights spent here; we booked a suite -GWR - which was reasonable value and a good size. The staff were all friendly, efficient and helpful. At Breakfast the contrast with another hotel recently visited was stark. The staff were efficient and friendly. More importantly the food had clearly been prepared to order rather than left under a lamp and it was all the better for that. We had a meal one evening which again was well cooked. Overall no complaints at all, we really enjoyed our stay.
One curiosity is that the hotel is quite dark inside (not a complaint) and when it can feel as though you are emerging from a cinema in the afternoon.
One curiosity is that the hotel is quite dark inside (not a complaint) and when it can feel as though you are emerging from a cinema in the afternoon.
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Date of stay: June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from James Henesey, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Jul 6, 2021
Hello, Thank you for your review. We are really pleased that you enjoyed your experience with us. We hope you will visit again soon. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We booked to attend the wine dinner last Friday, we arrived to a wonderful champagne drinks reception and then were ushered to the private dining room for a wonderful 5 course dining experience with wine pairing. The evening from start to finish was absolutely amazing, brilliant food, great wine, and fantastic service and hosting. A special call out to James, for hosting, Paolo for ensuring our glasses were topped up and delivering such wonderful food and to Imogen for organising this event. If you do enjoy wine pairing dinners look no further than the amazing team at Malmaison Reading. First class in every way!
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MalmaisonReading, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Mar 9, 2020
Hello donnahD6331VA, Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review with us. We are delighted that you booked on one of our Wine dinners and had a good experience! I will be sure to pass your comments onto the Paolo and the team! We hope to see you again soon. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
StuartGRussell wrote a review Jan 2020
Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom13 contributions21 helpful votesI've used the Malmaison Reading very regularly over the last three years to the point where I've got to know a few of the staff by first name. As mentioned in my previous review, the rooms are all comfortable but the hotel is located on a street corner next to the train station, so some of the rooms do suffer a bit from street noise in the evenings/mornings. That said, everyone working at the property is extremely helpful and I always feel very well looked after. Emmanuel the bar manager and Ioanna at front desk get special mention for always being welcoming and making me feel at home.
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from MalmaisonReading, General Manager at Malmaison Reading
Responded Jan 31, 2020
Hello StuartGRussell, Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review. We are delighted that you choose Malmaison Reading for your frequent visits to Reading! I'm equally happy to hear that the team are able to look after you so well. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future. Kind regards James
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hello,
The NCP car park postcode is RG1 1NR.
Thank you
No parking at the hotel. There is a car park across the street or if you decide to travel by train, the station is across the road.
"Continental breakfast assortment is not in balance with £18. Other places close by for breakfast options. The personnel is great though. "Read full review
"You can’t park outside the hotel but there is a drop off point just round the corner opposite the station."Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
$96 - $176 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
malmaison reading hotel reading, malmaison hotel reading, reading malmaison hotel
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandBerkshireReading
NUMBER OF ROOMS
76
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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