Reading! Is there much to do?

[MozzchopsThirty]

Thinking of booking malmaison for a romantic night away.

Is there any great restaurants/bars in reading without doing the whole city nite out thing (live in Cardiff anyway)

the Old Siam in Kings Walk is nice. Other than that, Reading is just a big town with plenty of shops. If you head over to Caversham, the Griffin is a nice old pub by the river

Restaurants - There's a nice carluccios beside malmaison; London street brasserie (on the little bridge just outside of the oracle) is v nice. You'll need to book as it's small. Oracle walkway itself has loads of restaurants but they're more of the chain type ones. I like Jamie's Italian, Strada and wagamamas. There's a Bills cafe too which is nicest for breakfast/ lunch. Bars - cocktail bar called mix on kings walk (just to the side of London street brasserie). There's a bar called zero degrees which is okay. My favourite bar was Sahara but it's closed now! But malmaison bar is fab anyway. If I were going I'd book malmaison, go out to mix for a cocktail before dinner at London street brasserie, then back to the mal hotel bar for a few. Then breakfast either at the hotel or at Bills.

Unless you are getting a spectacularly good deal and intend to spend the vast majority of your time in the hotel I'd go elsewhere. If it has to be Malmaison then I'd consider the Oxford coming from Cardiff. Reading isn't what it used to be. It's just a big, scruffy, town with a pedestrianised shopping area (and utterly ridiculous parking fees - but if you are at the hotel I don't suppose that will bother you).