Austons Down

Had a fantastic experience here. Excellent customer service and after staying in a few hotels it's the only place i would stay in Solihull going forward. The rooms were well insulated and very quiet. All the staff very friendly and genuinely went out their way to help. Breakfast was again nice and fresh and the staff were on hand to help or you ask for a hot drink or clear your table. I've stayed in a few hotels and this has been one of my favourites. Well done the team at Crowne Plaza.

The food at the restaurant was good overall. We had the slow-cooked beef ribs and the fish and chips—both were delicious and well-prepared. However, the sauce was a bit too SALTY for our taste. However, the overall dining experience was affected by a very strong scent in the restaurant. The air was heavily perfumed with what seemed like a chemical fragrance, which made the space feel stuffy and a bit overwhelming. Combined with strong perfumes from some hotel guests, the atmosphere became uncomfortably scented. It would greatly improve the experience if the restaurant used less artificial aroma and allowed for better air ventilation. A lighter, fresher air environment would make the comfortable setting and great food even more enjoyable.

We stayed for 4 nights in April 2025. We were a family of 4 with 2 young kids. The hotel was absolutely fantastic in almost every way. Amazing breakfast! Very comfortable rooms. Excellent beds and bedding. But the staff were the highlight; they were attentive without being overbearing and they helped with everything that we needed. We swam in the pool. It is slightly tired feeling, but still very nice to have it there as an option. The kids pool is a safe depth and very much appreciated. One minor fly in the ointment: The room door handles are ridiculously low. I know that this is for disabled people to be able to access them, but they are so insanely low that I pulled muscles in my arm and shoulder from opening them. I am 1m93cm tall. Perhaps the UK needs to consider tall people as disabled / the opposite of disabled and start discriminating towards us....? Not the hotel's fault, but it was really shocking to see the handles so comically low.