Is the Hilton the worst place to do business in Swindon? 

After 40 mins, £8.50 for two coffees and £6 to park SwindonWeb definitely thinks so

 

Fancy a quick meeting in Swindon?

 

The type of place where you can have a coffee, use your laptop to check something online and talk for an hour.

 

Then we recommend you don't use the Hilton hotel just off junction 16 for anything like that unless money means nothing to you.

 

After being charged £8.50 for two regular lattes (yes, £4.25 each) and £6 to park two cars for 40 mins - plus an offer of £10 to use the wi-fi (which we turned down) - a couple of questions similiar the title of this piece came to mind.

 

1. Is the Hilton selling the most expensive coffee in Swindon?

2. Should you expect free wi-fi in a hotel if you're buying a drink?

 

And.... most importantly,

 

3. How bad an advert is the Hilton for doing business in Swindon, considering how many people must agree to meet there given its proximity to the M4.

 

When we offered our feedback to a manager at the hotel concerning our experience, we received a polite if ambivalent reply.

 

“We do offer packages for business meetings,” she told us.

“But I can’t comment on how much you have paid today. I've never had a coffee here in the lobby or used the wi-fi.” 

 

We look forward to hearing people's comments - especially if you were one of the two smartly dressed gentlemen also remarking on the extortionate cost of two cups of coffee as we left.

 

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