Stay Report: Ibis Styles Tbilisi Center (Tbilisi, Georgia - May 2024)

 Stay Report: ibis Styles Tbilisi Center
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I was traveling to Tbilisi and was looking for a central place to stay.  While looking online, I noticed the ibis Styles Tbilisi Center centrally located and within walking distance to many sights and attractions.  I have stayed at many Accor properties including ibis Styles before (see review here) and so was familiar with their products and knew what to expect.

Accor, and especially the ibis brand of properties, provide clean, decent accommodation at a low price and generally do not offer any frills; or if they are offered, they are priced a la carte.  Generally there is no concierge and breakfast is available for a cost; what they do offer is a clean room with complimentary wifi.  I was able to book and manage my reservation online and through the app, where sometimes lower fares can be found versus the online/website.  

The ibis Styles brand is a bit more upscale versus regular ibis so they have more options for the traveler to choose from; the hotel could offer airport pick-up and drop-off for an extra charge and I used this service for the drop-off to the airport.  The hotel is located on walkway behind the main Independence Square; the walkway is pedestrian only during the day but cars can come early or late in the evening.  Being centrally located and within walking distance to the main square is a great plus point for the hotel; also within walking distance there are a number of restaurants, ATM/banks, shops, and other services all centrally located.  

The hotel is comprised of 7 floors with the check-in desk and main entrance on the ground floor.  Also on the ground floor is a coffee/tea/water station which is complimentary, the restaurant where breakfast is available for purchase (if you did not include it in your rate) and plenty of seating.  As per European standards, the hotel is somewhat narrow and tall but does not feel cramped.  After checking in, I took the key card to take the elevator up to the 4th floor for my room.

ibis Styles main difference between them and other ibis is that they like to incorporate more local and unique designs to their rooms.  When I entered the room, it did have more unique design aspects to them which made the basic room look more interesting.  You entered the room into a tiled hallway which had a open closet on the left with a luggage rack down below and shelves up above.  Continuing on the left was a doorway which led to the toilet and next to that was another doorway which led to the shower.  The sink was outside in the tiled hallway facing the bedroom.  The shower had refillable shower products including body/hair wash and conditioner; the sink had a refillable hand wash next to it and there were plenty of towels.  The tiled hallway led into a carpeted bedroom which contained a desk connected to some shelves along the barrier (the same barrier that had the sink on the other side) as well as a bed with two nightstands on either side.  Mounted on the wall in front of the bed was a TV and on the wall in the tiled hallway were coat hooks.  The bed was comfy and a decent size so provided a good nights sleep; there were also power outlets next to the bed and that was important.  There was a window alongside the other wall and there were nice blackout curtains which were very helpful to get a good nights rest; there was also a decent amount of space between the bed and the window so it did not feel too cramped.  Other amenities in the room included glasses for water, a coffee/tea maker set on the desk, a fridge with complimentary water bottles, as well as a safe.

While the hotel is not full-service, there were amenities provided that were either complimentary or required additional purchase.  Wifi was complimentary and the speeds were decent; water/tea/coffee in the lobby were offerd and they were complimentary all the time; complimentary water bottles were provided in the room; there was a restaurant on the ground floor that was open for breakfast only and there was a restaurant/bar on the 5th floor for drinks and food.  

Overall, it was a nice stay at the ibis Styles and it was centrally located and provided a nice and clean room with a decent bed and ensuite bathroom.  That is what I generally expect from ibis Styles and they delivered on that.

Stay Report: Ibis Styles Amsterdam Amstel (February 2017)

Stay Report: Ibis Styles Amsterdam Amstel
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I was going to meet my friend in Amsterdam, but I was arriving at night and they weren't arriving until the next morning so I needed to find a hotel near the Marriott.  Hotels are generally expensive in Amsterdam so I was looking for one that was not that expensive but still pretty decent.  I decided to try the Ibis Styles Amsterdam Amstel.  The hotel is located in Amstel area which is south of the city center and is located near a tram stop and near restaurants and services.  The hotel’s outside fits nicely with the neighborhood décor – it does not look like a hotel from the outside.  You walk up a couple of steps and enter into the lobby.  The hotel fits into the ‘Amsterdam’ décor so it is very narrow.  Given the limited space, the lobby was not that big.

Check-in was pretty quick and I was given an overview of the hotel, as well as additional perks being a LeClub member.  All Ibis Styles include free breakfast, and this was served in the basement level.  Free wifi was also included.  Additional perks included a free drink and 10% off my meal at the bar in the hotel located across the canal from the hotel.  The hotel did not seem to have a bar, so it had partnered with the hotel across the canal to allow its patrons to use their bar.  This was a very nice gesture, but as I was only here for the night I did not take advantage of it.

The layout of the hotel was very unique.   To get to the elevators, there was a door next to the check-in desk that led to the 1^st floor rooms.  You walked passed those rooms into a square pattern to get to the elevator.  The elevators are next to the stairs, which divide the house in the middle.  The interesting thing about the elevators is that there is no connection between the two sides except through the elevator.

The elevator itself is extremely tiny and narrow, and barely fit me and my stuff.  I was told my room was on the 4^th floor, and that I would take the elevator to the 3^rd floor and then walk up steps to get to my room.  When I got to the 3^rd floor I realized that the 4^th floor was basically the attic and the steps to get up there were extremely small, narrow, and winding.  It was very difficult to get both myself and my stuff up the stairs.

As the room was the entire attic, it was big.  It had three single beds, all right next to each other, so I am assuming it was a family room.  As you opened the door, on left hand side was a nook where the desk was.  Straight ahead were the three single beds.  Two of the single beds were pushed next to each other and the third bed was next to them.   On both sides of the combined single beds were nightstands and each bed had a tiny lamp above it.   The beds themselves were not very comfortable as the padding was light and the comforter small.  It was decent for one night, but would not be comfortable for a longer stay.

To the right of the entrance was the bathroom.  The bathroom contained a sink, a toilet, and a stand-up shower.  The shower was very tiny and compact and was difficult to move around without hitting the shower.  Towels were provided along with bathroom amenities, including soap, shampoo, and shower gel.  I had brought my own toiletries so was not able to try the ones provided.  Right next to the bathroom was another nook which housed the closet and a mirror.  It was very dark on that side and it seemed like wasted space.

Amenities of the hotel which I tried included the free wifi and the free breakfast.  The nice thing about Accorhotels is the free and fast wifi.  You can connect as many devices as you want, and the speed is fast enough to stream videos.   The free breakfast was also very convenient as it provided enough food for a decent meal.  Overall, it was an average stay at the Ibis Styles.  It was my second time staying at the Ibis Styles, and the first experience was much better.  The room layout and location was not customer friendly, but the additional services – including the free wifi, the free breakfast, and the free welcome drink – were nice touches.

Stay Report: Ibis Styles Barcelona Centre (February 2017)

Stay Report: Ibis Styles Barcelona Centre
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I was going to be spending 3 days in Barcelona so I wanted something that was central to the landmarks and places I wanted to visit.  I also wanted to keep costs down so keeping all this in mind, I decided to try the Ibis Styles Barcelona Centre. 

According to AccorHotels, ibis Styles "offers an all-inclusive package, with room rates including breakfast and internet access. Situated in the heart of cities and in other major centres of activity, each establishment has its own distinct personality and reflects a colourful, bright and energetic brand spirit with a hint of humour."  While travelling in Switzerland I had seen the ibis Styles and they looked fresh and interesting so I wanted to try out the hotel.  As the information states, another unique feature is that all rooms include free breakfast.   

The hotel is centrally located, near many shops and restaurants, and about a 2-3 minute walk from the metro station.  The hotel is also about a 10-20 minute walk, on the same street, to the main plaza or a 10-15 minute, in the other direction, to the Sangrada Familia.  From the outside, the hotel itself does not look like much – it has a grey exterior that blends in with the surrounding building.   

The main entrance is on the street level, and then you enter the automatic doors and can either go straight or take a left.  Both lead into the lobby, but to different parts of the lobby.  Going straight leads to the breakfast area and sitting area, while going to the left leads to the check-in desk , the computer access, and the elevators (its all connected so does not matter which entrance you pick).  Even though the outside of the building is grey, the inside is very light and warm with light green colors and writing.   The color and brightness make the hotel look inviting and refreshing.

Check-in was quick and I received my key as well as the details of the free breakfast.  The breakfast took place in the sitting area from 7a to 10:30a on weekdays and from 7a to 10a on weekends.  Free wifi was also included, and I could log in as many devices as I wanted. 

After check-in, I took the elevator to the 7^th floor.  The elevator was a pain – you connected your key to activate the elevator and then used touched screen to press your number; however, it almost never worked because it was too sensitive.  On the last day, a hotel employee told me the trick was that you had to touch the screen with your wrist – she said guests had a lot of complaints about the elevators.  The hallways were narrow and dark, which made them look more narrow, and the lights were motion sensored so only activated when you were there (making the other parts of the hallway look dark).  The room itself was a decent size and pretty bright

As you opened the door, there was a mini-hallway as you stepped into the room.  On the left had side was a long desk/table with the TV mounted on the wall.  Next to the desk was the open closet with shelves underneath.  The closet was very small comparable to the room.  The closet did have a safe. 

On the other side was the bed with two night stands on each side.  The bed was big in terms of size and was comfortable enough – it provided a decent nights sleep; not great, but decent.   Next to the bed was the bathroom, and given Ibis’s general size the bathroom was a decent size.  As you entered into the bathroom, on left was the sink and underneath were shelves which held the towels and hairdryers.  Next to the sink was some empty space which served no purpose.  On the other side was the toilet and next to the toilet was the stand-up shower.   The amenities provided included a hand wash/body wash/shampoo/soap bottle connected to the wall next to both the sink and inside the shower.  Overall, the room was more spacious than other Ibis hotels, and was generally comfortable.  The floor was very loud and this combined with thinner walls meant you could hear your neighbor sometimes.

Amenities of the hotel included the free wifi and free breakfast.  The wifi was very fast and I could connect as many devices as I wanted.  It was fast enough to stream videos and do emails.  The free breakfast was more substantial than I had expected.  They had a nice bread selection, with fresh breads you could cut yourself as well as sliced bread.  Croissants were also available along with Nutella and jam packets.  There was also a selection of yogurts and fruits, with a variety of toppings and fillings for your yogurt.  On the plated selection were meats, cheeses, and Spanish tortilla (slices of egg and potatoes).  There was a coffee machine available for espressos, coffee, teas and hot chocolates.  Orange juice, apple juice, and water were also available. 

Another nice perk of the hotel was that the left over croissants and donuts were placed next to the check-in desk, along with coffee and water, so anyone could take what they wanted when they wanted.  This was a nice perk.  As a LeClub member, I also got a card for a free drink which meant that I could have access to a free soft drink from the bar.  The bar also included beer and wine which could be paid for.

Overall it was a nice and pleasant stay at the Ibis Styles.  Good points including nice location, free wifi, free breakfast, decent size room, and overall pleasant staff.  Negatives included thin construction of rooms and touch-sensitive elevator.