When looking for somewhere to stay the night before I ventured off to The Gadget Show, I kept clicking back on the the tab that housed the website of Staying Cool Apartments in Birmingham. Though it wasn’t the closest option suggested for proximity to the NEC (about 15 minutes by train), it’s location was nothing to be snubbed; in The Rotunda, it is practically piggybacking the Bullring. That, on top of five star reviews? You better believe it was booked post haste.
Sincerely, I could not have had a better experience.
Zipping towards the top of the cylindrical building, I felt myself smiling as soon as I entered the room. Though the space is ‘just’ a studio, the interiors are bright, light, trendy, and all illuminated by floor to ceiling windows that give you an exceptional bird’s eye view of the city.
While a lot of hotel rooms feel like someone else’s space, Staying Cool is kitted out with everything you would possibly need in your own home. For long-stays? Gargantuan and paraben-free beauty supplies, a washing machine, Monopoly, Scrabble, a pack of cards, coffee table books, and more. I particularly enjoyed the fact that I was provided fresh oranges for the juicer as well as a pack of Urban Coffee Company house blend for the cafetiere.
Before venturing out to explore the city for a few hours, I unpacked my things, cracked the windows, and checked my vibrating phone to find a text from the front desk wishing me a pleasant stay and any help if I needed it. Such sensational customer service – especially when followed by a tweet – is just one of the factors that separate Staying Cool from the rest of the pack.
As two of my best friends travelled up from London to spend the evening (and utilize the oven and wine glasses) with me, we were all as enamoured as each others. The views. The location. The bed (!!). The service.
I am quite literally in a hurry to return (maybe to their apartments in Barcelona next time, eh?).
