My fourth visit since they opened and each time the standards have slipped a bit more. Certainly the staff are friendly enough and if all you want is somewhere to sleep before catching a flight from Cardiif Airport then its a safe enough bet. My issues on this trip were the broadband service - £12.45 for 24 hrs. On the last trip it was not working for one day which stymied my plans to do some work before an important meeting. This time it was refusing to work at all, and although polite, the reception staff were very ineffectual, blaming the provider they used. They didn't appear to understand the concept of customer service and could only suggest I tried again in a few hours time - when it still didn't work. The next day it was possible to establish a connection but only briefly as it kept cutting out. They said they would take up with their service provider but that is hardly the point.

I was also sorry to see black mould growing in the shower in my room. No excuse for this and indicative of poor quality control in the house keeping department.

The management and staff need a good shake up from Holiday Inn HQ to get them back on track.

This really is a very convenient, consistently good hotel. There is nothing in the Barry area worth writing home about and parking at many hotels in Cardiff can be a nightmare. If you are flying in or out of Cardiff Airport or staying west of the city or in the Barry area, this is a good and cheap venue. It is typical Holiday Inn Express but with very good and obliging staff. The rooms are comfortable but the bathrooms are starting to show their age. At the price charged however with a free inclusive breakfast, it is difficult to find fault. The rooms are spacious and have everything you need including the option to request toothpaste and shaving cream etc if you only have hand baggage and are caught up in the ridiculous airport security systems! Beds are comfortable and large and the rooms reasonably soundproof. As mentioned earlier, breakfasts are free but are fairly basic with tinned grapefruit, fruitjuice, cheeses, cereals, fruit and rolls or toast. If you wanted to you could stuff yourself for the day!! One of the bonuses is that in the evening, the obliging staff will let you have plates and cutlery if you want to eat your own food in your room but the hotel has now started to do a limited dinner menu that you can eat in the bar so the cutlery facility may well change. An enterprising local pub 'The Highwayman' has started to offer complimentary transport to and from the hotel if you want to eat at The Highwayman. This looks a great offer that we will try next time we visit. They offer good pub grub and free transport meaning that you can have a meal and a few drinks without having to worry about drink driving. If you have a morning flight from Cardiff Airport the Holiday Inn Express is certainly worth booking as you will have a stressless start to your holiday/flight, a pleasant experience and a deal that will not break the bank. You can even walk from the hotel to the airport in very little time. Book on the Holiday Inn Express website for very good deals and go for a double room with a sofa to get that exrta space and comfortable seating facility. The hotel also does deals on stay and park so do your research and you can get exceptional prices. We will have no hesitation in using the Holiday Inn Express Cardiff Airport again in the near future on our trips to Cardiff. The staff at the hotel deserve praise for their never ending cheerfulness and good service. Well done!

We booked this hotel by mistake, intending to stay closer to Cardiff as we were there primarily for the Rugby.

This hotel met my expectations as to what a Holiday Inn should be like. The distance from Cardiff Central wasn't a problem as we had a vehicle and on game day buses collected us from our hotel and bought us back after the game (for a small fee).

Breakast was basic and there was no provision for a hot breakfast. The hotel did not serve food so you need to ring out for a pizza or indian, or drive to the closest restauarant.

Staff were pleasant and helpful.

Superb value for a couple of nights when in Cardiff for the World Cup Rugby in the Millenium Stadium. Although this hotel is 11km from the city centre the hotel staff lay on local transport, in this case mini buses, every 30 mins at £5 a head - cheaper than doing it yourself on public transport.
The hotel itself was clean, modern and quiet - no aircraft noise at all. Excellent breakfast buffet (although no bacon and eggs) fairly substantial and as much as you liked. Ample free car parking.
The big plus at this hotel were the staff, friendly, helpful and exceptionally informative. We have stayed at hotels 3 times the price this year and been treated with complete rudeness and indifference, so this made our weekend.
We didn't actually use the bar but only because we were so tired both nights, it looked very comfortable with its openplan layout.
If you are travelling to Cardiff for a sports event or concert this hotel would be hard to beat for value and comfort.
We booked through Superbreaks.com for 2 nights as were unable to find a single hotel room in Cardiff for 1 night. It cost us total of £120 for the 2 nights inclusive for 2 people and breakfast. Like everyone we like to feel we are getting a bargain, so were pleased to note the 1 night rate was £110 on the evening we arrived - although it looked like they were fully booked in any case.
If I had to find one niggle and it's a tiny one - the breakfast tables needed to be cleared just a little faster, but it gets done and with a smile.
Hotel not easy to find, even with satnav, but worth the slight detour round the airport perimeter.
We would have absolutely no hesitation in staying here again.