The Nelson Hotel

I am a business woman who has to travel alone so i am going from hotel to hotel. I stayed at the Swallow Nelson Hotel in January 06. The extensive parking at the hotel was an added bonus as i am woman who hates the word 'parking'. The Staff were very informative & pleasant in manner. I felt very safe in my enviroment & the room service menu & actual food was great. Just one more thing to mention is the leisure facilities as the indoor pool was delightful and i also indulged in a relaxing sauna, just what a lady needs at... more

Directly opposite the rail station, so great if you going by train. First impressions not great, as this is a seriously ugly building tucked in behind a fairly down-market shopping street. Reception area is quite welcoming, but other public areas are shabby, lacking in character, and generally out of date. The restaurant in particularly is very soul-less, with harsh lighting and "functional" furnishings etc. Breakfast was fine. The single bedroom was average size for a single. Decor generally overdue a refurbishment.... more

I have stayed at this hotel several times on business. The gym and leisure facilities are good, the breakfast is average and the rooms in the older part of the hotel could do with refurbishing. The towels and toiletries are sparse and poor quality. It does benefit from a fine central location just a stones throw from the mainline station.

I am extremely disappointed with the Hotel Nelson. Having been born and bred in Norwich I know the city well, but have now left. I do return occasionally to see my mother (aged 82). The Hotel Nelson is a remnant of 1960s/70s architecture I remember as a child but I thought it was a hotel of quality. I decided to treat my mother to Christmas Day lunch in 2004. Having booked and paid in advance (November) including, at their behest, paying for a bottle of wine, I received a phone call from the hotel to say not to arrive until 1.30pm. Clearly... more

I had to think long and hard to come up with some good points to this hotel. Firstly, location. It's just opposite the train station overlooking the river and about a 5min walk into town. Unfortunately this 5min walk does take you along a road where they seem to have crammed every single kebab/burger/pizza emporium in Norwich along it. However, that's not really anything to do with the Hotel Nelson. From the outside, the hotel looked dated and shabby which pretty much dictated the them for the inside. Whilst the staff were helpful and... more

I was booked for a long weekend in the Swallow Nelson. Im from London and travelling up to Norwich for Hen night. From the outside it does look a bit dull, but once inside i was quite pleased. Yes, it was fillled with a few OAPs and the decor is not something i would personally chose but I wasnt really there for judging, afterall it is only a 3*! My room was a superior room, and it was excatly how I expected. The staff were polite and friendly, even after we trawled in at 3am, and asked for food and drinks in the lounge!!!! The leisure club... more

Never, ever, stay in this hotel. It is probably the worst hotel I have ever stayed in - and what is worse - I HAVE to stay there about three times a year because of business....! It is expensive, the rooms have that horrible musty smell, room service is non-existent and the publice areas are dire in their decor and lighting. After you have checked in the receptionist always asks if you are "joining us for dinner". I long to tell them I would never be that hungry but bite my lip and answer with a polite no. It makes me laugh... more

This was one of the worst value for money hotels that I have ever been to. Our bathroom sink was cracked and peeling, the toilet was stained and the furniture was grubby. Our room was a few doors away from the main lift and it could be heard at all hours of the day and night clunking and shuddering (which, given its age, isn't surprising). We were given a 'river view' room which it may or may not have been since nothing could be seen through the dirty net curtains! The room service breakfast was overcooked and way over priced (£7.50 per... more

Old fashioned and grim; the room was a bit grotty (especially the bathroom) and breakfast was reminiscent of Butlins in the 1950s - packed full of OAPs in dated surroundings. Not recommended.

I had the misfortune to stay here overnight once and will never go back. The hotel is tatty, extremely grubby and expensive for it's 3 star classification. The room was pokey, stifleingly hot and had a musty smell. The carpet was grubby and the light in the bathroom sometimes didn't work at all - and other times flickered constantly. I also couldn't get the shower hot enough. The room was also very noisy and I got absolutely no sleep. After seeing the state of the hotel I wasn't brave enough to order food - but have been told by a... more