having an old boys(40+) trip to Birmingham in (sat eve) march 2014 as its central to all of us (london/manchester)
Broad street is the main area with all the bars etc, yes thats what we want ! Window shopping is free…
Travelodge ?
Any others ?

Thanks in advance

Budget?

Blimey there’s loads- copthorne, Novotel, jury’s, premier inn are all on broad street or the Hyatt for a bit more top end

£mid budget £60 I guess its only being slept in and that will be in a drunk state

Make sure you pop into the welington if you like beer or cider. Such a vast range including the new purity dark ale (cycling inspired) called boneshaker 🙂

Get on prem inn for their advanced bookings, we stayed 2 weekend ago for 29 quid. Clean, good bar and warm. Prefer the one at Brindley place over canal side as the room are bigger.

As above, I don’t think you can beat premier inn for the money if you can get a good deal. Brindley place one good. I’ve stayed in a few of them before never found one of these £29 deals though!
Round there it’s all much of a muchness. We always used to stay in one of the many hotels on Hagley road and there were some right dives…

Since moving to the middle of brum, I’ve been on broad street a handful of times and hate it, there’s much better around. You’ll probably find a cheap room in jury’s inn if you want to be right on top of the action. Novotel again cheapish, both around £50-60 a night. If there’s a few of you you could try an apartment, there’s one by me called city nites which you can get a 2 bed for around £100 normally, by the time you’ve used beds, sofas and chucked a couple of airbeds down you’ll get a few in and it works out quite cheap.

Make sure you pop into the welington if you like beer or cider.

+1:)

nickdavies

where do you suggest we go 5x 40yr old married men who are hip and cool tuka tuka tuka (Austin Powers)

The Victoria or it’s sister the Island Bar

The (aforementioned) Wellington

The Flapper (for all your alterna-rock needs)

The Old Joint Stock for if you feel swanky (’tis a lovely place, and backs onto The Wellington)

The Old Contemptibles for similar.

Brewdog Birmingham for a hipster ale experience (I presume – it’s always so full I’ve not bothered going in).

And for a novel experience, why not try the bar inside the new library – you could then take said beers/wine/champagne out onto the roof garden!

Broad street has always been a nasty, fighty place at the best of times, but at least used to have a range of bars – the place looks like everyone’s just given up on it now. Brindley place is still okay, but I’d not bother going any further.

Maybe wander down to Digbeth or The Arcadian and go in any that you like the look of..

hip and cool tuka tuka tuka (Austin Powers)

Well based on that description i’d probably suggest the Jester Bar…. 😉

Joking aside broad street really is becoming a proper hateful dive, for something similar but less full of fighty 18 year olds who can’t hold their drink i’d say wandering down to the arcadian area via pubs on the way you think look good would be a good shout. There’s some great little places if you explore, spud face mentions a few above i’d add the post office vaults to that list.

If you really want to add the broad st. fix do it sat in the Tap & Spile until silly o’clock after a night out. Just remember to get in before the ‘lock’!

Edit: That’s a new one for the swear filter..

The beer is good at Brew Dog, but i usually end up at the Vic if we’re down that side of town as Brew Dog is always packed and the Vic is bigger. I’d also 2nd the Welly for a decent pint and its sister venue the Post Office Vaults.

There are a load of bars down at the Arcadian playing loud mainstream dance music if thats your thing. Le Truc is good for food and cocktails and not to ****/try hard (or playing loud dance music).

If you are down by the Jewellery Quarter there is the Rose Villa Tavern (owned by the same people that run the Vic and Island), The Lord Clifton, and The Church which is my fav of those.

I’d avoid Broad St – for all the above reason. Though I avoided it when it was at its peak due the the terrible music and hen/stag parties that went. Brindly Place has a few bars in it and the Mail Box does too – plus if its nice you can sit outside by the canal.

Have you looked at http://www.blochotels.com/bloc-birmingham.html Don’t know how the price works out but its a little out of out the way (though minutes from the bars in the Jewellery Quarter)

The Yardbird is worth a visit for a slightly older clientele. Good beer, funk and jazz music and a cracking atmosphere. Jam House is similar but a bit less cool and a bit more swanky. For beers, The Old Comptibles is awesome but my favourite at the moment is the Post Office Vaults, a Mecca for European beers, they had 400 varieties at my last visit.

thanks guys