Berkeley Suites, Bristol Apartments: Home or Hotel?

Share now or save for later

Sinking deeper and deeper into my chair, I circle my ankles and stretch my feet in pleasure after traipsing around Bristol on-foot all day. ‘Drink Me’, says the Alice in Wonderland-esque label on the decanter sitting next to me. I don’t take much convincing. Much to my delight, it’s Bristol Cream sherry. As I bound around the apartment exploring every nook and cranny, glass of sherry in hand, I could be fooled into thinking I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole with Alice. As far as Bristol apartments go, it doesn’t get much more lavish than the five-star Berkeley Suites at Berkeley Square Hotel.

[socialpug_tweet tweet="Check out @CliftonHotel's Alice in Wonderland-inspired #Bristol apartments, @BerkeleySuites in @TheRareWelshBit's review!"]

Berkeley Square Hotel, Bristol

Dubbed one of the UK’s best boutique hotels by The Guardian and highly recommended by the Sunday Telegraph, Berkeley Square Hotel is among the finest Bristol hotels you could hope to stay in. One of five properties managed by Clifton Hotels, Berkeley Square Hotel is the flagship venue of the group’s portfolio, overlooking a grassy square at the top of Park Street. Read more on the Clifton Hotels website.

Berkeley Suites Bristol apartments

Tucked away just around the corner from the main hotel entrance, you’ll find an 18th Century, Grade-II listed Georgian townhouse built in a semi circle known as The Crescent. Each of these five one-bedroom luxury apartments occupy an entire floor of the building and together, they make up Berkeley Square Hotel’s five-star Berkeley Suites. The luxury decor and high-end facilities ensure these serviced suites constantly rank amount the best Bristol apartments.

The rooms

As I explore my room at Berkeley Suites, I fall further and further down the rabbit hole.

Accompanied by a state-of-the-art cinema projector and a basket brimming with (chargeable) snacks and nibbles (complete with ‘Eat Me’ tag), I’m ready for a night at the movies without so much as thinking about leaving the comfort of my room.

Relaxing on the sumptuous sofa while stuffing my face with crisps and catching up on my favourite soaps, the boundaries between home and hotel suddenly become rather blurry.

Hand-crafted furnishings, local artwork and sumptuous fabrics give the room a cosy-yet-classy feel, while spacious windows allow natural light to flood the rooms, giving a bright and airy feel.

Each room boasts a fully-equipped kitchenette including a convection hob, microwave, fridge/chargeable minibar and dishwasher. The Delonghi coffee machine is so fancy, it takes me until the morning to learn how to use it, but it’s worth the wait for the strong, aromatic brew that lies in store.

The luxurious finishing touches continue into the bedroom with kingsize beds dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets, plush velour cushions, opulent Vi-spring mattresses, a 42″ TV and a Roberts Radio.

Meanwhile, the bathroom features the ultimate seal of luxury in the form of a grand old fireplace.

This is in addition to the exuberant Elemis toiletries, crisp white bathrobes (the ‘Wear Me’ tag reminding me I’m still stuck down that rabbit hole!) and slippers.

The food

Berkeley Square Hotel is home to an award-winning restaurant called The Square Kitchen at The Square Club, in addition to a contemporary bar complete with member’s lounge and terraced garden.

Head Chef Kyle Jordaan prioritises seasonal, local produce and the concept of the menu aims to inject an international twist into classical British dishes. Think fermented carrot bhaji with dukkah, confit octopus beetroot and beef tartar dashi jelly with soy-cured egg and wasabi. At the moment, you can enjoy a two-course meal for just £19.95 or a three-course meal for £24.95.

Breakfast is served from 7am until 9.30am from Mondays to Fridays and from 8am until 10.30am on weekends, priced at £12.50 when booked in advance or £18.50 on the day.

If you don’t fancy dining in the restaurant, order from the room service menu to eat from the comfort of your own room or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, pop to the local supermarket and pick up some ingredients to cook your own home-cooked meal. Feeling particularly lazy? There’s always Deliveroo. We ordered chicken gyros from local Greek restaurant, Taka Taka Magic Roll and they certainly hit the spot.

Craving something sweet after dinner? Take a stroll down Park Street to Mrs. Pott’s Chocolate House. This quirky little cafe serves hot chocolate to order with varying strengths of cocoa content, accompanied by calorific cakes and bakes like the dulce de leche brownie and double chocolate chip cookie sandwiches. Paradise for any chocoholic!

The facilities

In addition to its impressive food and drink offering, highlights of Berkeley Square Hotel include complimentary WiFi, 24-hour front desk reception, luggage storage facilities, laundry and dry cleaning services and an on-site car park. Travel cots can be provided free of charge, although camp beds are chargeable at a cost of £15 each. Pets are welcome at Berkeley Square Hotel, although advance notice must be given and a charge of £10 per pet applies.

All guests of Berkeley Suites are able to access the full range of hotel facilities and services during their stay.

On a side note, if you’re planning on using a public WiFi network to access the internet at any time while travelling, it’s worth considering using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).  A VPN can encrypt your internet connection so that no one can intercept your data when you’re connected to a public WiFi network. For more details, check out ProPrivacy.com’s guide.

Getting to Berkeley Square Hotel, Bristol

Located in the heart of Clifton at the top of Bristol’s Park Street, Berkeley Suites at Berkeley Square Hotel is just a ten-minute walk away from the city centre and Bristol Harbourside. It’s the perfect base for hitting the shops at Cabot Circus or nearby upmarket Cabot Village, enjoying a bite to eat at one of Bristol’s independent eateries or sipping on a drink or two in one of the bars. The hotel’s close proximity to Bristol University also make it a popular place to stay for anyone visiting students.

Berkeley Square Hotel is around a 30-minute drive or 15-minute walk from Bristol Temple Meads train station. The hotel is conveniently located close to major bus routes, so you can hop on a bus if you prefer. Find detailed public transport information on the Travelwest website. Meanwhile, if you’re driving, car parking is available within a secure unit on Berkeley Square at an additional cost of £12; enquire at reception upon arrival for further details.

Essential information

• Check-in: from 2pm
• Check-out: by 11am
• Early arrival and late departure available at a cost of £5
• Whether you’re staying at Berkeley Square Hotel or Berkeley Suites Bristol apartments, you can enjoy complimentary membership at private members-only club for arts and media professionals, The Square; be sure to check it out during your stay!
• You also get complimentary access to Nuffield Gym and Pool while staying at the hotel, so remember to pack your swimsuit if you’d like to take a dip!

Book a room at Berkeley Suites Bristol apartments or Berkeley Square Hotel

[socialpug_tweet tweet="Looking for somewhere fancy to stay in #Bristol? Check out @TheRareWelshBit's review of @BerkeleySuites!"]

A one-night stay in a Deluxe Suite at Berkeley Suites is priced from around £115, although rates vary dependent on availability and time of year. As far as luxury Bristol apartments go, it’s not a bad price.

Alternatively, dependent on budget, you might prefer to stay at the Berkeley Square Hotel, where rooms are priced from just £55.

Enjoyed this post? Be sure to check out my other posts on Bristol:

• The Best Bristol Harbourside Restaurants, Attractions and Hotels
• The Cuban Restaurant – Harbourside, Bristol
• The Ashville Restaurant – Southville, Bristol
• Mercure Grand Bristol Hotel Review
• Casual Eats and Cocktails in Bristol

Share now or save for later