Gifts

Two Night Hotel Break for Two (buyagift) – Review

THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW.

Reviewed by Jonathan Grimes


Buying a gift for father’s day can be quite a headache and a weight, but Buyagift could help solve that problem by allowing the recipient the option to choose from a range of hotels for a two night break for two. The principle is you select the experience and the recipient gets to choose where and when they wish to go. What could be better, the recipient gets to choose and you relax in the knowledge that they are happy with the selection.

Not having used Buyagift we were curious as to how easy the process was and how full the choices were. The Two night hotel break for two can be purchased on line for the sum of £99 which is quite reasonable when considering what is on offer.

Upon purchase a tracked envelope is dispatched containing a personalised gift pack. The pack consists of a quite nicely presented foldout cardboard envelope containing a covering letter, a card identifying and explaining the experience chosen, and a second card with the voucher reference, pin code and expiry date. We were particularly impressed with the presentation and clarity of instruction.

The instructions also contain a QR code to scan which we found to be very useful when using a mobile phone or iPad etc. Alternatively the web address is also given. From there it was an easy process of entering the reference, pin code my email address and postal code, we were then transferred to the hotel section in which we selected our desired location and hotel.

The blurb confirms that a selection can be made from tranquil country retreats to city breaks, in the UK and Europe (Flight and travel is not included). We initially searched in Cornwall, Devon and finally decided on North Wales. There was a good selection of hotels to choose from, including Glamping.

However we found that the majority of the hotels required an additional top-up fee ranging from £19-to £100 plus. Our final choice required a £19 top up for a room only.

We booked on 7th April so being a school holiday time we were concerned that booking for the following weekend may not be possible, however we were still presented with a good range of options to choose from. I would presume that further option and possibly cheaper rooms may have been obtained if booked at another time. The booking was all done online and within the Buyagift website thus negating the need to contact the hotel directly.

We selected the Grand Hotel in Llandudno, North Wales. The hotel, is nestled at the foot of the Great Orme next to Llandudno’s pier. It is a landmark built on Llandudno’s sweeping bay front.

The Grand is part of the Britannia Hotel group and can be contacted on www.britanniahotels.com.
From the hotel it is easy to enjoy the rugged sandy expanse of Beach which is only a short distance away with the opportunities for kitesurfing, stand up paddle boarding (SUP) and shallow paddling. Conwy Bay and Snowdonia, with Conwy Castle are also nearby, or you can just enjoy the peace of the hills surrounding the area.

We arrived late on the Friday night and despite this late arrival received a warm welcome form the reception, breakfast times were explained along with the access to the room which required the use of two lifts due to refurbishment works being undertaken.

We were a little disappointed in that the floorboards creaked even though new carpet had been laid, this was very apparent in the early hours of the morning when other guests returned late. There was also woodchip wallpaper everywhere and contractors were working on site and as such the staircases were out of bounds and the curtains closed to the dining area.

That said, the staff were helpful, the rooms clean and the hotel was easy to find. No hotel parking is available, however ample parking is available to the road and up the hill from the hotel at a cost of £6.30 for 24 hours. The Grand Hotel was one of the biggest hotels of its time in North Wales with 168 rooms. However currently it provides just over 100 en-suite rooms across six floors. The Hotel features a distinctive roofline, ornamented with pyramid structures and towers across its different sections. It dominates the Llandudno seafront, being located at the base of the pier and under the dramatic rock formation to its rear.

Its décor is of a bygone era and is looking a little tired. That said if you want a hotel to just rest your head The Grand provides a warm, clean and convenient location. Access to the town was only a short walk away. We enjoyed walking the fantastic Marine Drive (Toll road) which starts by the hotel and runs all the way around the cliffs of the Great Orm. We were even treated with the view of over 150 seals sunbathing in one of the coves on our walk.

Our room was of reasonable size, as was the shower room. It was very clean and reasonably decorated although the furniture was dated, and the only light switch to the room was over the head of the bead as the one next to the door did not work. The shower room was relatively modern, clean and roomy. The view from the window however was certainly impressive as it opened out onto the bay.

No dinner or breakfast was incorporated in the fee, but for an additional £7.50 per person a full English breakfast is available from 7.00am – 9.30am. Evening meals are also available from 5.30pm – 7.30pm for an additional cost although we did not avail ourselves of this. We did however opt for the full cooked breakfast which also provided a choice of hot drinks, juices and cereals (staff will also provide Gluten free options on request).

There was also an option of afternoon tea for £10/pp which looked to be popular.

There is a bar on the ground floor although it was a little quiet, and as such we went into the town during the evening.

We really did enjoy our stay at The Grand Hotel, and we would like to return to the area again. The price of £99 for the Buyagift voucher is good value for a two night stay for two. We would use the Buyagift site again, they provide a good range of options at varying price ranges, excellent Idea for those hard to pick gifts for dad or indeed the whole family!

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £99 (was £148)

This experience can be purchased from Buyagift here.

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