Best Hotels in Bristol City Centre: Our Honest Review of the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel

The Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel

The Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel is a well-established four-star hotel located right in the heart of Bristol, making it an excellent base for both leisure and business stays. We visited just a few days before Christmas, which gave the hotel a warm, festive atmosphere, and used it as a convenient place to stay while spending time with family nearby.

One of the hotel’s biggest strengths is its location. Sitting right on the edge of the city centre and close to the waterfront, it’s within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, theatres, and attractions. Despite this central position, the hotel still feels calm and comfortable, making it a great place to unwind after a busy day in the city.

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The Room Experience

We originally booked the lowest room category but were pleasantly surprised to receive a complimentary upgrade on arrival thanks to our Marriott Bonvoy Gold status. It’s a great reminder of the benefits of hotel loyalty schemes, particularly if you stay with the same brand regularly.

The room itself was spacious, clean, and exactly what you’d expect from a Marriott property. There was plenty of storage space, including drawers and a large wardrobe with a laptop-sized safe, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, and hangers. Bathrobes and slippers were also provided, which added a welcome touch of comfort.

Tea and coffee-making facilities were well stocked with Twinings teas, Douwe Egberts coffee, milk, sugar, and a kettle, along with a selection of biscuits and complimentary bottled water. In this upgraded room, we also had the benefit of a pod-style coffee machine, which was topped up during the stay. Although traditional minibars are rare these days, the room did include a fridge, which is always useful. There is a Tesco across the road from the hotel, so you could save some money by purchasing drink there and keeping it in the fridge. Alternatively there is room service with a £5 tray charge or do what we did and buy your drinks from the bar and take it back to our room!

The sleeping and living area was comfortable and well laid out. The bed was very comfortable and provided an excellent night’s sleep, with bedside tables and USB charging points built into the lamps. There was also a desk with power sockets for working, a separate table and chair that worked well for room service, a large TV, and tasteful artwork. The window overlooked an internal courtyard, allowing in plenty of natural light while keeping outside noise to a minimum thanks to the double glazing.

Superior Grade Room

Bathroom Facilities

The bathroom was modern and smartly finished, with a walk-in style shower, a large mirror, and a magnifying mirror for added convenience. Toiletries were provided, including shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel, along with hand soap and body lotion. Everything was clean, practical, and well maintained, making it easy to start or end the day comfortably.

The Bathroom

Breakfast Delivered to the Room

On one morning, we opted for breakfast delivered to the room to see what was included. The cost was £16.50 per person for the breakfast itself, plus a £5 tray charge for room service. While this is on the higher side compared to eating out locally, it’s fairly typical for a four-star hotel and includes the convenience of dining in your room.

The breakfast was generous and good quality, with pastries, fruit, orange juice, coffee, and a full cooked breakfast including bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, mushrooms, beans, hash browns, and tomato. Everything we tried was enjoyable, and the portion sizes were more than sufficient. The hotel also offers a buffet-style breakfast in the main restaurant, which is a good option if you prefer more choice or are travelling with others.

Room Service Breakfast

Dining, Facilities, and Parking

The hotel is home to a Miller & Carter restaurant, making it an excellent choice for steak lovers or anyone wanting a reliable, high-quality meal without leaving the building. There is also a well-equipped gym on site, spread across several rooms with a good range of equipment. While there’s no swimming pool or spa, the gym more than covers the basics for most stays.

For guests arriving by car, the hotel has a large on-site basement car park with multiple levels. Parking is charged at £17 per night for hotel guests, and you’ll need to register your vehicle at reception on arrival.

Final Thoughts – And Why You Should Check Current Deals

Our stay at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel was thoroughly enjoyable. The staff were friendly and professional, the room was comfortable and well equipped, and the location made exploring Bristol incredibly easy. We paid around £91 per night for our original booking and received a complimentary upgrade, which added excellent value to the stay.

If you’re considering a stay here, now is the perfect time to check the latest prices and special offers on Booking.com. Room rates can vary significantly depending on demand and season, and we often find some of the best deals and flexible cancellation options available there. 👉 Check current availability and the latest offers on Booking.com before you book to make sure you’re getting the best possible price for your stay.

This is a dependable, high-quality four-star hotel that delivers exactly what you’d expect from the Marriott brand. Whether you’re visiting Bristol for a short break, business, or a longer stay, the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel is well worth considering—and with the right deal, it can be excellent value too.

Before you book, watch our full video review.
We take you inside the room, show you the breakfast, and share what we genuinely liked (and didn’t) about the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel so you can decide if it’s right for your stay.

Other hotels in Bristol to consider

Whilst we haven’t stayed at these hotels in Bristol, we have stayed in the same brand hotels at other locations and we are happy to recommend them as hotels to consider when booking your Bristol hotel.

The 3-star Moxy Hotel Bristol – Part of the Marriott hotel group and a good reliable chain hotel. Check the latest room rates on Booking.com.

The 4-star Harbour Hotel & Spa Bristol is a great choice if you are looking for a hotel in Bristol with a swimming pool and spa. Again, no parking at this hotel and like most of the Harbour Hotels, they don’t have air conditioning in the bedrooms, so rooms could get very warm in the summer months. Check the latest room rates on Booking.com.

If you will be out exploring Bristol and you just want somewhere to sleep, you can’t go wrong with a room at the Travel Lodge. Bristol has several Travel Lodge hotels to choose from in the city centre. Check them out on the Travel Lodge website.

Another favourite hotel chain of ours and part of the IHG Group is the Holiday Inn brand. Again, right in the Bristol city centre with choice of rooms all to a good standard. Book your next stay through Booking.com now.

Have we missed your favourite Bristol hotel? Let us know in the comments below where you would recommend staying in Bristol.

Clifton Suspension Bridge