“Would stay here again for convenience sake.”

Our overall experience was a good one with only the minor glitch at arrival. The rooms are clean and modern with all the amenities necessary of an aparthotel. The hotel is located next to a small grocer and within a five minute stroll to the shopping/restaurant district. The housekeeping staff were pleasant and efficient. However, rooms are cleaned on a once a week basis with the day being determined by the floor you are on. In our case, for an eight night stay, we arrived Saturday and had the room serviced on Monday. Would have been nicer to see them on Wednesday or Thursday instead. Finally, there is a difference between a firm bed and a cheap bed. The beds are cheap and uncomfortable. I've travelled throughout Europe and elsewhere. This is one of the first times I've found the bed to be uncomfortable due to it's quality rather than my preferences. And that's a shame. Eight nights of poor sleep does not a happy tourist make.

“I like Number-18 but the rooms could do with updating”

For any City Centre requirements, Number-18 (Max Hotels) is very well located. Rooms on the front of the hotel tend to be a bit on the noisy side if you like to sleep with the windows open due to the traffic passing by, but on the rear, the rooms are very quiet even with windows open. I've spent the last few years staying here whenever I visit Reading, and always find the staff to be very polite and helpful. However, the rooms are beginning to become a bit on the tatty side now and could do with a refurbishment to bring them back into the 21st Century. Local competition for apartments is located just around the corner and also a few hundred yards (metres) along the road, and if you do a comparison, then Number-18 isn't as up to date as the competition, but the rooms here are cheaper. There's a small supermarket just on the corner, and it takes only a few minutes to walk into the Oracle centre. Cooking facilities are provided as are washing, drying, and ironing equipment. Overall, it's a home from home in many respects. As I only stay a few days each visit, it suits me for what I need, but I hope the quality won't deteriorate further, otherwise I might have to go over to the competition.