I always stay at the Cayo Arms 5mins walk from Mill stadium on Cathedral Road by Sofia Gardens(cricket). Small lovely hotel with popular pub underneath, but for some reason you can always get rooms there ,whatever's on. Strangers to the city always go for the big hotels!
http://www.cardiffpubs.co.uk/Pub.php?Pub=Cayo

Has anyone got any other Cardiff pubs or guest houses they can recommend I'm planning a weekend break with the girls for some serious shopping and gossip! Any tips on treats for us too??

Thanks Backpacker, might just give them a ring!

Lots of nice hotels in SWansea too with regular bus and train services into the Capital.

Don't know if this hotel was already mention but try Novotel in cardiff. i stayed there when i went to see a concert and it was quite resonable price and they have a swimming pool, restaurant etc. The rooms were very nice too!

there is also a really nice pub/hotel called the beverly about 15 mins from millenium stadium

Adabell....

the big sleep hotel http://www.thebigsleephotel.com/home.asp?hotelid=1
is ideal for a base for a girlie trip , shopping, a few wine bars etc .. its very centrally located & reasonably priced. it does get booke dup quickly when events are on at the stadium

have you tried holiday inn, theres an express outside newport, at junction 28 of m4, only 2 junctions from citycentre!

http://www.holidayinn.co.uk

For reasonably priced accom in the centre of the city and 1 min from railway station try travel lodge, city centre.

Hi everyone, my wife and her mate are planning a girly weekend in Cardiff, mid may for two nights, fri/sat... they are 40-somethings but like to have fun... any suggestions as to a good hotel (centrally placed, with parking) that won't break the bank?.... and good places to eat/hang out...

Thanks in advance

ATB,J.

Cardiff has developed two tourist areas - the main centre or the Bay. City centre has usual chain hotels from Travelodge to Hilton, shops etc. The bay has a number of hotels and loads of restaurants and bars. Parking will probably be easier in the Bay and it's only a five minute bus, rail or taxi journey between the two.

Bar Cwtch which is in the cellar of a boutique hotel is one of our favourites:

http://www.jolyons.co.uk/index.htm

Mary Street/Westgate Street near the stadium has loads of bars.

At railway station end of Mary Street is Mill Lane with numerous restaurants - Le Brasserie is an institution in this area and is a good place for a steak.

If they want the true Cardiff eating experience I suggest a pub crawl down Mary Street from the Castle to the railway station, then chips and curry sauce from Tony's on Caroline Street - for the full experience this must be done after midnight!

I remember going there once and someone had parked on Caroline Street (I don't think you can now as its gone all upmarket!), but they had left a window slightly open. Being people who want to look after their environment and not litter the street the car became a convenient litter bin and was slowly filling up with chip papers!

Minsky's show bar is somewhere they should pay a visit for a fun night out, its drag queen acts. But everyone who goes is there to have a laugh, my friends and myself all love it and then my mum and her friends all go! This is then followed by chippy lanes curry and chips as already mentioned!!

Future Inns have a hotel in Cardiff Bay. Cardiff Bay is where I would opt to stay if I was visiting Cardiff ( I live here). There is a whole host of things to do in the bay. You can get a boat trip around the bay and barrage, you can get off over the barrage side and eat the lovely El Puerto restaurant. You can get a train or bendy bay bus into the City Centre and hit the shops, museumn, Castle etc and by night the clubs and bars.

You'll fill two days no problem.

Have fun

Sarah

My daughter usually stays at the Big Sleep, and have a look at the Marriot. They sometimes have great offers on. Both are central hotels not far from the train station. Can recommend Minskys brilliant for a fun night out.

Going to see Take That next week at the Millenium Stadium. Any advise on parking would be appreciated.

Not sure as to do Park and Ride, or park nearer. The gates open at 4pm but we shall be arriving in Cardiff at approx 11am.

The nearest public car park to the main gate is NCP's Wood St multi storey which is about 200yds away and hidden behind Weatherspoons. There is actually no longer any access from Wood St and you have to go in from St Mary Street near to the Central station taxi rank. Their website says 4-24 hours is £12. However, they also run Central station's own car park which is just as close and show that at £7.80 per day (presumably they mean calendar day so you'd have to be back by midnight). Neither is shown in the correct place on their map!! Can't say I've seen a specific park and ride bus in Cardiff - where were you planning on coming from?

I am so envious, Sunseeker1. What a show that is going to be!
Wonder if Robbie will be there?
Have a great time and let us know how it went!

Coming up from Devon, so a trek!
http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2870%2C4048%2C4198&parent_directory_id=2865

Was looking at the above, wondered if that was worth using?

I see, it's a special Park and Ride for events rather than a daily service. Well Junct 33 is well past the city centre so if I were you I'd head for the NCP's Wood St multi storey (which is actually in Great Western Lane). It will cost you £2 more but save a lot of time after the concert. In the unlikely case of it being full at 11:00 you can have a look at the station car park round the corner. Come off the M4 at Junct 29 and sort of head for Cardiff Bay along Newport Rd, the signs should send you left onto the A470 when you are hitting city centre traffic, after a few junctions the Bay signs will point left and Penarth points right at a rather modern office development with a central square, go right and there should be a roundabout at the other end of the sqaure, go right again (under the railway) and first left at the lighst before the traffic restrictions start. If Wood St is full come back to the roundabout, go right and then right at the lights for the station.