voco Belfast By IHG

voco Belfast Date of stay: 14–16 August Room: 607 As a loyal IHG guest for more than 20 years — historically staying around 70–100 nights per year, and now approximately 30–40 nights per year post-Covid — I feel I know the brand and its standards very well. Our stay at voco Belfast had many of the qualities I have come to expect from IHG: a warm welcome, a spotlessly clean room and friendly, professional service. My wife, daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay, which was only slightly marred by one disappointing evening meal experience. Arrival & Check-In The hotel was very easy to find, which made for a smooth and stress-free arrival. Parking was also straightforward, with a large car park surrounding the hotel, currently charged at £14 per night. Check-in was quick, friendly and welcoming, and the receptionist made an excellent first impression. As an IHG Diamond Elite member, my status was warmly acknowledged and I was offered the usual choice of complimentary breakfast, bonus points or a welcome drink — a small touch, but one that is always appreciated. Room & Cleanliness Room 607 was spotlessly clean, well presented and in very good condition, fully in line with the standards I would expect from IHG. The fixtures, fittings and linens were all fresh, clean and well maintained, and the room provided a very comfortable base for our Belfast mini-break. Dining The evening menu offered a good range of voco-style options, including Braised Irish Lamb Stew with crusty bread, Belfast Beer-Battered Haddock, burgers, steak and meat-free choices. There was enough variety to suit most tastes, and the open-plan bar and dining area created a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Unfortunately, our evening meal was the one disappointing part of the stay. We ordered a seafood chowder as a starter, which arrived reasonably promptly, although the fish was overcooked and the potatoes were still quite hard. After this, however, we waited nearly an hour for our main courses. When the mains eventually arrived, all three dishes were cold. The lamb stew was cold and was also served without the advertised crusty bread. The battered fish had lost its crispness and had become soft and rather gooey, while the pizza was burnt around the edges but was also cold. It gave the impression that the complete order may have been sitting waiting for some time before being brought to the table. This was particularly surprising as the restaurant itself was virtually empty at the time, although of course there may have been a high volume of room-service orders which would not have been obvious from the dining area. That said, I always think the way a hotel responds when something goes wrong is just as important as the problem itself. After a calm and reasonable discussion with the restaurant manager, the matter was dealt with professionally and the affected food was refunded to our satisfaction. Breakfast the following morning was a much better experience, offering a good selection of both continental and cooked options. Freshly prepared eggs were also available at no additional charge, which made for an excellent start to the day. Checkout Checkout was smooth and efficient, with professional and courteous staff ensuring everything was completed quickly. The previous evening's dining issue was also discussed in a calm and civilised manner, and I was happy with the way the hotel handled the situation. Overall voco Belfast is a comfortable, clean and well-run hotel with friendly staff, good facilities and, aside from one unfortunate evening meal, the reliable IHG experience I have come to expect over many years. Most importantly, the dining issue was dealt with professionally and fairly rather than being allowed to overshadow what was otherwise a very enjoyable stay. My wife, daughter and I all enjoyed our time here and would happily return when visiting Belfast again. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — 4/5

Nice hotel, good location, rooms good/ beds very comfortable. Breakfast was not replenished well or staffed well though which would need to better for us to back!

Excellent stay. Great and friendly staff. Sharmin who was working in the breakfast room was so kind and friendly. She made such a good impression. Rebecca at front desk was very accommodating-as she made a booking for us, and went out of her way to follow up with us later.