With over 90 different items to choose from, breakfast at the Radisson Blu Birmingham is a fantastic start to the day.
Radisson know just how important a good breakfast is. And staying overnight at a hotel is the ideal opportunity to treat yourself to a hearty breakfast, setting you up for a great day.
In fact, Radisson think breakfast is so important that they’ve been working with nutritionist Sophie Bertrand. Their menu now features over 90 different items that you can combine to create the ultimate hotel breakfast.
Sophie has come up some great suggestions for breakfast, whether you’re in town on business, running a marathon, or just recovering from the night before.
I was recently invited to stay overnight at the Radisson Blu Birmingham before attending the launch of the new breakfast menu.
Read on to hear all about the delicious breakfast that I tucked into, and to take a look around this modern and luxurious hotel.
How to find the Radisson Blu Birmingham
The Radisson Blu hotel in Birmingham has a city centre location that makes it really simple to get to. It’s perfect for a city break in Birmingham.
Getting to Birmingham is incredibly easy, whether you’re travelling by car or by train.
If you’re travelling by car, Birmingham lies at the heart of the UK’s motorway network. You’ll need to leave the M6 motorway at junction 6, the hotel is just a few minute’s drive away.
There’s no parking at the hotel itself, but there is an NCP Car Park located in St Jude’s Passage directly behind the hotel.
If you’re travelling by train, the Radisson Blu is just a five minute walk away from Birmingham New Street station.
And of course, if you’re flying in from overseas, Birmingham is served by its own airport. You can easily get to the centre of Birmingham from Birmingham International Airport either by car, or by taking a train from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street.
Breakfast at Radisson Blu
We all know that a good breakfast is a great way to start the day. But do you find that often you’re too busy for more than toast and coffee?
Nutritionist Sophie Bertrand has come up with a range of breakfast suggestions that are perfect for different daily requirements.
So if you’re in town for a day of meetings, you might choose the ‘Endurance’ breakfast of toast topped with bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes and and egg. Paired with a bowl of porridge, fruit and seeds, this will set you up for a busy day ahead.
Or if you’re setting off on a long journey, why not try the ‘Long Haul’ breakfast? Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast with a fruit and oat smoothie will give you the slow release energy you need to keep you going.
And those who enjoy a sweet start to the day will love the ‘Sweet Tooth’ breakfast. This features a tower of light pancakes, topped with sweet berry compote, bacon and syrup, or oranges and chocolate sauce.
But with over 90 different items on the Radisson Blu Breakfast menu, there’s much more than this on offer.
Inside the Collage Restaurant
Breakfast is served in the hotel’s bright and airy Collage restaurant. This is also dinner is served later on in the day.
It has a bright modern design with concrete pillars, and pop art cushions on the sofa in the waiting area.
One side of the restaurant has ceiling-to-floor windows which fill the space with natural light. On the other there’s a massive mural which is dominated by an oversized image of 1950’s Elvis Presley.
A jam-packed breakfast buffet
Once seated, you can explore the breakfast buffet, which is filled with all sorts of delicious goodies.
Of course, you can go for a Full English breakfast if that takes your fancy. The hot plate is filled with all the traditional favourites like bacon, sausage, eggs and hash browns.
Or if you like a continental breakfast, then you can pick from a wide range of cold options.
There’s a delicious assortment of cheeses and cold meats on offer, as well as plenty of fresh fruit and large bowls of cereals to choose from.
And if you like yoghurt with your fruit and cereal, there are both dairy and non-dairy options.
And the Radisson Blu breakfast also features fresh bread with an assortment of jams and marmalades, as well as delicious pastries.
Guests who follow a gluten-free diet are well catered for, with individually wrapped gluten-free alternatives to the regular baked goods.
And of course there’s a range of drinks including fresh fruit juices and copious pots of tea and coffee.
You can even squeeze your own fresh orange juice, and there’s a stand with all the fixings for a zingy Virgin Mary to kickstart your day.
Breakfast Cooked Especially for You
You can also order breakfast from the A la Carte menu. These are prepared to order, and some of the options can be adapted to suit specific dietary requirements.
Some of the items were brought out to our table for us to try. These include sweetcorn fritters served with crisp bacon and chilli jam, and a bagel topped with smashed avocado and poached egg.
We also tried the Radisson Blu twist on Eggs Florentine. This had mushrooms as well as spinach on top of a toasted muffin, all topped with a perfectly poached egg and creamy hollandaise sauce.
And I was very impressed by this vegan version of the Full English.
It was absolutely delicious and would make a very satisfying meat-free alternative.
It includes a soya-based black pudding, and carrot and coriander sausages. The meat-free ‘bacon’ seitan had a sweet taste along the lines of maple-cured bacon.
The eggs were replaced with tofu, and grilled tomatoes and mushrooms completed the plate.
Everyone on my table agreed that it was a very tasty plate of food.
Perfect Pancakes
And I rounded off my very decadent breakfast with a plate of the Radisson Blu’s amazing pancakes.
These were light, sweet and fluffy, drizzled with syrup and served with greek yoghurt and a berry compote alongside.
They were some of the best pancakes that I’ve ever tasted. I did try to get the recipe for them, but it’s a very closely guarded secret!
It would be a shame to rush such a delicious breakfast, and luckily checkout at the Radisson Blu isn’t until noon. So if your schedule permits, you can linger over breakfast and then relax in your room for a little longer.
A Room at the Radisson Blu Birmingham
And a room at the Radisson Blu is so comfortable, you won’t want to leave in a hurry!
I stayed in a Premium room up on the 16th floor of the hotel, with views out over the city and beyond. And I was very impressed by how spacious a Premium room at the Radisson Blu is.
The modern design takes the large concrete pillars of the building and turns them into a design feature. And the ceiling-to-floor windows that span an entire wall of the room makes it feel even more airy and spacious.
I had a large and very comfortable king-sized bed, with crisp white linen. The rich red of the soft furnishings really stood out against the neutral tones of the grey and white decor. The overall feeling it imparts is one of modern luxury.
There’s a mini-bar and a coffee machine as well as the standard hospitality tray. And the hotel provides free high speed WiFi throughout.
Through in the compact bathroom, the crisp modern decor continues.
There is a powerful shower over a large bath. And of course there’s a range of complimentary toiletries for your convenience.
I was particularly pleased to see that they included bath salts, and happily took the opportunity to have a long soak in the bath.
Although I was up on the 16th floor, there was still a little noise from the streets below. But really, that’s to be expected in a city centre location, and it wasn’t enough to disturb my sleep.
Take a Look around the Hotel
Even before you step through the door at the Radisson Blu Birmingham, you know that this is a modern and luxurious place to stay.
You step into a large modern reception, where the friendly staff will welcome you into the hotel.
I was really impressed by the standard of service throughout my stay at the Radisson Blu. Every staff member I spoke to seemed very approachable and keen to help.
Once you’ve settled into your room, you can relax in the bar which leads off from reception.
They serve a range of cocktails as well as the usual beers, wines and soft drinks. It’s a great place to start your evening.
Meanwhile, you’ll find the Collage Restaurant up this flight of stairs.
As well as serving the fabulous Radisson Blu breakfast, they also serve contemporary British food at both lunchtime and in the evenings.
And the hotel also offers a fitness centre, dry cleaning and meeting rooms.
All of this makes the Radisson Blu a perfect place to stay either for a city break or if you’re in Birmingham on business.
Things to do near the Radisson Blu Birmingham
With such a convenient location, you’re spoilt for choice for things to do when you’re staying at the Radisson Blu.
You can go shopping in one of the city’s large shopping malls, like the Bull Ring or Grand Central. Or if you prefer, there’s a wide range of independent shops to choose from.
The city has theatres, music venues, bars and night clubs. There are also plenty of museums to keep you occupied if the weather takes a downturn.
For a different view of the city, why not take a trip around Birmingham’s canals on board a narrow boat. Did you know that Birmingham has more miles of canals than Venice?
And of course there are restaurants covering pretty much every cuisine you could think of.
When I stayed at the Radisson Blu, we ate out in one of Birmingham’s many excellent Indian restaurants.
Birmingham is believed to be the birthplace of the balti. And if you fancy trying an authentic balti, it’s well worth heading south of the city centre to the area known as the Balti Triangle.
Meanwhile, the award winning Pushkar restaurant in Birmingham city centre is well know for its delicious food.
We began the meal with a delicious selection of meat and vegetable starters. And then I chose a garlic-laden Saag Paneer for my main course.
Radisson Blu Birmingham: My Verdict
I had wanted to stay at the Radisson Blu for a long time. It’s dramatic blue exterior is very eye catching and you can’t help but notice it when you visit Birmingham.
So after such a build up, I was very relieved to find out that it lived up to my expectations.
The modern exterior is matched by the clean, dramatic lines of the decor inside. I love how the concrete pillars have been turned into a design feature, and the fantastic light that comes from the wall-to-ceiling windows.
Yet despite the sleek modern decor, the hotel never feels cold or unwelcoming. In fact, the welcoming reception at Radisson Blu was among the best I’ve had at any hotel.
And the amazing breakfast was the cherry on top of the cake. It rounded off a wonderful visit with a menu that will satisfy the heartiest of appetites, and which shows full consideration to guest’s individual dietary requirements.
Whether you’re visiting Birmingham for a business meeting or for a weekend of leisure, this hotel is definitely one to consider.
The Details
Radisson Blu Birmingham
12 Holloway Circus, Queensway, Birmingham, B1 1BT
Visit the Radisson Blu website
0121 654 6000