With so much competition at roughly the same price, the Ibis is a let down. The rooms are small and lack the decor and finish that you get from its competitors. More of a well-appointed cell than any kind of home from home. While I've been working in Birmingham I've stayed at La Tour, Premier Inn, Hotel du Vin, City Quarters, and the only one that the Ibis manages to beat is the truly grim accommodation at The Britannia, and that's only because my room at Britannia didn't actually have any windows. Having got back from a 12-hour shift I ordered the Danish Tosti (sic), essentially a ham and cheese toastie. More akin to stale bread, this was the first albino toast I'd ever eaten. I can only assume they use the same toaster as the one on offer at breakfast, where you have to feed a slice of bread through a half a dozen times before it shows any signs of a tan. Ironing a shirt is an interesting experience. You get a door code to enter the ironing room, and the iron is on a push-button timer, which basically involves pushing the button, ironing for ten seconds, pushing the button... and so it goes on. Staff are pleasant enough, but I'm guessing that they're a million miles away from any real interest from Accor, the hotel chain's French owners. I give it one Gallic shrug. read more