Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Small, friendly hotel in the heart of bustling Cardiff city centre, The Royal is a stones throw from the Principality Stadium. Just 250m from Cardiff Central train station. Cardiff Castle is 400m away. Since 1866, the hotel has been at the corner of St Mary Street, Wood Street and Westgate Street. We're adjacent to the main shopping area with more than 1000 stores, individual outlets and various shopping arcades. All bedrooms have air conditioning & air heating, free WiFi, Freeview TV's, Iron & Board, Hairdryer, Kettle with Tea & Coffee. Discounted parking is available at the NCP carpark 250m from the hotel on Westgate Street (opposite the stadium). The hotel provides a discount code on checkout. Free breakfast & multi night discounts when booking direct with hotel. We are a small hotel, we can only store bags for limited periods of time. We store bags free of charge from 12 midday on arrival day and until 2pm on departure day. Otherwise we charge a 100% charitable donation
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Royal Hotel Cardiff garners praise for its spacious, clean rooms with notably comfortable beds, although some guests suggest a refresh is due. The hotel's cleanliness and variety of amenities, including a praised breakfast selection and unique touches like on-site honey, contribute to its reputation for good value, despite occasional parking and event pricing concerns. Its central location is a boon for exploring the city, and the service receives accolades for staff friendliness.
While the atmosphere is generally regarded as elegant, some find it slightly dated. Effective soundproofing ensures a quiet retreat amidst the urban buzz.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Spotless
Noise level
Mixed
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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We googled places to stay in Cardiff for Pink, this hotel Was the closest to the stadium and the train station , it wasn’t cheap but the location was first class.
First impressions were a beautiful, old Building steeped with history , the front entrance wasn’t the most appealing , infact it wasn’t anything like we expected from looking at pictures a dark , dirty stair welll with , a stair case of 50 steps ,we chose to take the climb instead of the lift that looked a bit antiquated . There was no mention either of it being above a really lively Irish bar , not that it worried us as we’re going out but it was loud . In reaching the reception the staff were polite and helpful, the reception was plush and clean.
We used the lift to get to our room on level 4, the room was basic , and cold , we put the heating on immediately. The coffee and tea were in the wardrobe as was the Kettle, very strange . The bed was rock hard and quite uncomfortable , we knew we would Pay more on a concert. Night. But on googling the room we had was almost £200 cheaper any other evening . Leaving the stadium Amongst thousands of people , the walk to the hotel was about 5 minutes , fantastic and Convenient .
Breakfast … where do I start … we arrived at 930 , breakfast is until 1030. There were 8 other people in the restaurant when we arrived , a few which left within minutes , one young lady was attentive and helpful , I asked her if we could have four poached eggs with breakfast and was told they were too busy , something I chuckled at as half the place was empty , The breakfast buffet was mainly empty , I asked if they were refilling it and was sharply told by a male staff member they were “Doing it “ The plate warmer only had a few plates and they were stone cold , the warmer wasn’t. Even On
We got some toast , I had brown because my hubby had the last two slices of white bread , They bought out a huge paella type pan with three fried eggs in it, the couple Before us had them , so we took our toast and went and sat down to wait for more eggs , eventually they bought out three more …. Three all broken , they went to another couple who Was waiting , they then bought out a few musrooms after I asked and I asked if sausages would be coming out soon. All in a a it 15 minutes so far , They bought out 3 more eggs , which quite frankly was farcical in the huge pan and again they were all broken , it was a joke .
There were 3 bits of bacon so me and hubby shared those , at 1020 they bought out a whole tray of bacon . But that time we were leaving anyway the coffee was cold , even out of the machine and in all Honestly Premier inn across the road or Wetherspoons would Have had a far superior breakfast
I would recommend this for location only , we Certainly would Only Go back if it was our last option
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:If you want amazing location this is your hotel , if you want a lovely evening out with a great...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 22 Jun 2024
Dear C1610RIvanessaa Thank you for your valuable feedback and comments following your stay with us last week, during the Pink concert on the 11th June. I was truly sorry to hear that we failed to meet your expectations during your stay on one of the busiest days last week. Unlike other establishments in the city, our accommodation rates were not inflated excessively, as we are fully aware that some areas of the hotel are in need of refurbishing and renewing. Your valuable feedback and comments about the breakfast and service have been taken further and discussed with the breakfast team to raise awareness and to further improve our service standards. Please accept my sincere apologies for the shortfalls you experienced whilst staying with us. All the best
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I found this hotel online after searching various booking websites and not finding exactly what I wanted as a Christmas surprise for my young son, I wanted something special. I booked directly using the website, getting a discount, a bottle of wine, breakfast and a £5 voucher (for the bar) for a great price.
I wrote a request on my booking for some treats for my son and I received a phone call to arrange this.
Upon arrival at the hotel (we used the main entrance at the front and the stairs up to reception, but used the lift after that haha) we were welcomed and checked in without fuss. We were in a superior room on the 5th floor which was like a loft room, very spacious. Upon entering the room we saw a table with the wine, a large bottle of water, snacks and a welcome card for my son. There was also more drinks and snacks in the fridge, along with a generous hospitality tray.
The room was clean and comfortable, with a large, comfy bed and two seater sofa, TV with Netflix etc and a clean bathroom, with complimentary toiletries.
We were left to enjoy the hotel and come and go as we pleased, all the staff we encountered were friendly.
Breakfast was a buffet and was plentiful, served in a lovely dining room. The croissants were huge!
We were able to leave our bags until later in the day and when we picked them up we used our voucher in the bar, before we went to catch our train.
Overall a great stay in a lovely hotel. I enjoyed telling my son the history of the hotel and how the bar got it's name,also there were several historic pieces dotted around to read and look at. We will be back!
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Book direct for the best price. Use the entrance at the back of the hotel for a step free entrance.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 7 Jan 2025
Dear Kristi32 Thank you so much for your wonderful and glowing review and feedback following your recent stay with us. I was thrilled to read that you and your son's stay was enjoyable and memorable. Your comments about the breakfast, your superior room, our great staff and our facilities will be shared with the team. May I also take this opportunity to wish you the very best for 2025. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future. With kind wishes
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We stayed here in December for a long weekend to visit the Christmas market. The hotel is in a good location for the railway station and nightlife. Our room was very spacious and clean. The bed was really comfy. A completely bottle of wine was waiting for us. An iron and bored ,hairdryer and tea and coffee were available every thing you need. A five pound voucher was also given to spend in the hotel bar. A full breakfast was available with a great selection to suit all. I would definitely recommend this place the staff were very pleasant from the start. It was nice to receive a warm welcoming on entrance.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 31 Dec 2024
Dear nicktC310ZY Thank you so much for your wonderful & glowing review and feedback following your recent stay with us. I was thrilled to read that your stay over one of our busiest weekends in December, gave you the 'Royal Experience'. Your comments about the breakfast, your superior room, our great staff and our facilities will be shared with the team. May I also take this opportunity to wish you the very best for 2025. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2025. With kind wishes
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Stayed at this hotel 7 years ago, and it is just as good as it was then. Spotlessly clean, nice decor and reasonably sized bedrooms. The added touch of vases of flowers in the room was a nice even if they were artifical ones. Decent priced Bar in a comfy lounge. Breakfast was tasty with a good choice and tables laid out beautifully. Pleasant friendly staff. They do charge £4 to leave your luggage between 2 and 5pm on day of departure but the money does go to a local children's hospital so worth it. Hotel is very central to shops restaurants etc and only 5 minutes away from the train station. Would definitely recommend this hotel if you are visiting Cardiff.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear GlosUKJohnson Thank you so much for your wonderful & glowing review and feedback following your recent stay with us. I was thrilled to read that you had such an enjoyable stay and that, after your last stay 7 yearsago, you weren't disappointed. Your comments about your room & its facilities, Fitz's Bar, our breakfast and our great team of staff will be shared with the team. We look forward to welcoming you back again in the future. With kind wishes
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Myself and adult son stayed in the Royal for a Rugby weekend. The hotel was great. Its well positioned for anything and everything in Cardiff. Our room was pretty big, the beds comfy and the room had all the extras you might want like a safe, kettle with tea, coffee and hotchocolate. There was also a hair dryer and iron. The hotel its self was quiet despite it being a really busy weekend. Breakfasts were also very good with a wide selection which would cover anybodies needs. Staff were friendly and helpful. We drove there and the road to it were easy. Parking was also no problem and the hotel offers a massive discount if you use the NCP car park which is near-by I would stay again and would also recommend it.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:There is a very good discount for parking the hotel can give on check out.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 18 Mar 2024
Dear Escape51626215770 Thank you for your wonderful review and lovely comments following your stay with us over the Wales v Italy 6 Nations Rugby weekend. I was thrilled to read that you and your son had such an enjoyable stay with us and that you were looked after by our great team of staff. Your comments about the breakfast, the bedroom, the staff and our facilities will be shared with the team. Take care and we hope to welcome you back again in the near future. With kind wishes
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My wife and I stayed here as we were visiting Cardiff for her birthday. We were warmly greeted by the reception staff and as we were early,were told to leave our case with them until the 3pm check in time. We had asked for a high floor/quiet room as we knew that St Mary Street can be noisy at night due to clubs and bars in the vicinity. Our room was on the fifth floor and we were not disturbed at all,in fact we slept really well. The room was very spacious and clean,in which there was a sofa and very large TV. The bathroom was also very large and the toiletries were very nice. Breakfast was excellent,with a great selection of both hot and cold food on offer. The bacon/sausages etc were replenished regularly and as such were not dry as can be the case with some buffet breakfasts. The staff at breakfast were also very helpful and polite,but a special mention to the reception staff,Mohammed,Tom and Marcus who were very helpful with regards to directions etc. A useful tip,take advantage of the special rate offered by the hotel for car parking on Westgate Street and also to avoid steps,use the hotel entrance,also on Westgate Street. We will definately stay here next time we visit Cardiff.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:As in the main review ,make use of car parking and hotel entrance on Westgate Street to avoid...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 13 Nov 2023
Dear N6092GOjohnc Thank you so much for your wonderful review and lovely comments following your stay with us. I was pleased to read that you had such an enjoyable stay with us and that you were looked after by our great team of staff. Your comments about the breakfast, the room, the staff and our facilities will be shared with the team. Take care and we hope to welcome you back again in the near future. With kind wishes
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We recently spent two nights at the Royal. By booking direct on the hotel website, we were able to have free breakfast. The price for 2 nights was so reasonable that I was apprehensive about what we would find. I needn't have worried, everything was great. Our room on the 7th floor was warm, quiet and soundproof. Comfy bed and soft towels. We loved the towel rack which we could switch on to warm our towels. Breakfast was good with plenty of choices. Coffee from the machine was not piping hot but warming our mugs with hot water first solved that problem. All staff were friendly and helpful and we will certainly be back to the Royal on our next trip to Cardiff.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 2 Feb 2025
Dear ElaineandH Thank you so much for your wonderful & glowing review and feedback following your recent stay 2 night stay with us. I was thrilled to read that we exceeded your expectations and that you had an enjoyable stay. Your comments about your room and its facilities, the breakfast and our great staff of team will be shared with everyone. We look forward to welcoming you back again in the future. With kind wishes
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Stayed here for three nights with my best friend for a little holiday , the staff were all so friendly and happy to help with anything. The room was air conditioned a big bonus considering the weather was so hot , the room was clean roomy and everything you need was there and replenished every day . The breakfast was just wow buffet style and lots of it full English, fruit , cereal continental breakfast and more the captain Scott room where we had our breakfast was big , tables were very nicely laid out . Thank you to all the staff for a very pleasant stay I would recommend this hotel to all and I will return if in Cardiff again . I would use the lift as their is quite a few stairs to reception .
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Use the lift
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 8 Sept 2023
Dear 981joannab Thank you so much for your wonderful review and lovely comments following your stay with us this week. I was pleased to read that you had such an enjoyable stay with us, that you felt looked after by all our staff, and that our breakfast exceeded your expectations. Your comments about the breakfast, the room and the staff will be shared with the team. Take care and we hope to welcome you back again in the near future. With kind regards
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Such a lovely hotel absolutely fantastic value for money. We chose the small double as it was only one night, and it was great tbh. Lovely modern room bathroom clean obv small but perfectly adequate. The breakfast was amazing everything you might need was there, frankly I do not know how they manage it all for so little. Our room was £51 for two of us inc the amazing breakfast and also £5 given back as a voucher for the bar. Location also brilliant, 4 mins from station, literally middle of all the bars, restaurants, shopping so yep a great deal and everything on the doorstep. Just a warning don't be fooled and take the stairs up to reception, not just one flight about 5 we found out the hard way, use the lift lol
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 3 weeks ago
Dear susantL1070UL Thank you so much for your wonderful & glowing review and feedback following your recent stay 1 night stay with us. I was thrilled to read that you had such an enjoyable stay. Your comments about your room and its facilities and the 'amazing' breakfast will be shared with the team. We look forward to welcoming you back again in the future. With kind wishes
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The room was very spacious, beds were really comfy - I can not fault the cleanliness of the bed linen and towels.
This is the third time of staying here and it is still absolutely brilliant.
Staff are really cheerful and helpful.
So central to shops and places of interest.
Breakfast is served in a beautiful setting with a great selection.
Don't forget to grab yourself a pot of honey, collected from the hives on the hotel roof.
I will be back
Diolch.
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jon Swingler, General Manager at The Royal Hotel Cardiff
Responded 26 Nov 2024
Dear Go53310653671 Thank you so much for your wonderful review and kind comments following your recent stay with us. I was thrilled to read that you had another enjoyable stay with us. Your comments about the facilities, the room, our breakfast and our great team of staff will be shared with the team. Take care and we look forward to welcoming you back again ( for the 4th time ) in the near future. With kind wishes
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There are more places to choose from in the Cardiff area.
PRICE RANGE
S$97 - S$159 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
royal hotel cardiff
LOCATION
United KingdomWalesSouth WalesCardiff
NUMBER OF ROOMS
60
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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