At first glance, man this place has so many cool things to do! They are VERY well decorated and…read morehave lots of fun eateries. They have outside and indoor eateries, and they have an arcade and an escape room. However, that's about where the praise stops... We came here from a nearby hotel to eat dinner. It was a short walk, the lake was pretty. We chose Zizzi's as it looked like a fun Italian choice (we later learned this place was a chain restaurant, so that was a bummer). I'll write up my restaurant reviews in detail on their pages instead, but in short, the places we ate all all seemed to be short staffed, in a rush, and not very open to service. We ate at Karaage also. Everything was pretty overpriced, especially when we considered the escape room option. They have a 'sky garden' that wasn't very impressive. And being an American visitor, I was eager to try anything but American cuisine, but half of what Resorts World offered was American cuisine. Overall I wouldn't recommend Resorts World, but if you're staying at the Hilton nearby, boy, this place really is your only dinner option.

Resorts World is a really cool entertainment complex, it is opposite Birmingham NEC and within…read morewalking distance from Birmingham International Railway Station. The area looks and feels pretty good, it is set alongside the river, and the glass building still feels modern to this day, it is still relatively new having opened in 2015, but it still doesn't feel that old. There are many places to eat and drink: Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Miller and Carter, Nando's, Pizza Express and Starbucks are just some of the options here. If shopping is more of your thing, there are many Outlet stores with brands including Nike, Next and The North Face, the selection of stores isn't too impressive although it is a welcome addition as this isn't designed for shopping, and is an entertainment complex after all. It is over multiple floors, I did find the layout to be confusing, I do feel more of a plan could be helpful, I did notice a couple of people wandering around and looking confused, in and out of lifts/escalators. The building is owned by Genting, who run the casino here. Resorts World can still be seen as a family complex, as you can still walk around the complex without having to go through the casino. 4* - Resorts World is a great addition to the surrounding area and Birmingham as a whole, it's a pretty cool place despite the issues mentioned.

A first-floor series of connecting, partly-covered avenues has the site come across as a mix…read morebetween old-fashioned precinct and the world's worst mall. On a jet of air fashioned from 1,000 utterances of 'bab', it's as if the souks of Morocco have been transported to Brum, but with chips, Jammie Dodgers and betting slips where once there were figs and mint tea. This is not necessarily a criticism, but it is hard to tell what year it is. Here, an otherwise disparate group of enterprises have been brought together under one brand; a sense of unity among the rag-tag which is loosely supported by a multi-storey car park, shared escalator and website. Familiar names - mainly fast food, bookies and vendors of shirts worn by those on whom people have a flutter - are to be found, along with independents whose frontages have not changed since 1982. Hamsters, greetings cards and lots of things for under a quid are among their wares. A really good chippy is the best of the bunch. A new and modern annex, which has an almost atrium feel, is a surprise find, but it would seem initially to only serve as an entrance from another compass point rather than a source of a better retail experience. It does, however, comprise an Asda supermarket which is one of the chain's best designs regionally. It helps cut down on the trolley-clashing, marbles-losing frustration usually experienced in two of its sister stores, Minworth and Tamworth.

I have regularly visited Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre for many years. The last time was 7/2/13…read more Many years ago I worked at Coventry Building Society for 7 years. I have today received a parking ticket of £75 for shopping in the town centre for more than 3 hours on my last visit! I telephoned the shopping centre to be told that a new company has been employed and have installed CCTV. The town centre shops are disappearing one by one. Asda is killing off the shops and I will never return there now having this parking fine. I parked where I always have in the carpark at the bottom of the escalators. This car park is always empty now. I have the same shops closer to where I live and will use them from now on. What a ridiculous thing to advertise a free car park for the shops as the website boasts.

Worst customer service!!…read more My friend ordered a dress made to measure from this boutique. She ordered the dress 7weeks in advance and was told it will be ready in time. When we went to the shop the man who owns the shop showed us the dress which was the same dress she saw on the mannequin 7weeks ago. The dress had marks and few beading missing. The dress which she wanted hadn't arrived and the owner lied saying the dress in front of us was the new one she ordered. The owner lied so much he had no idea after a while what he was saying. The owner is the rudest person I have come across screaming at the customers. Customers needs did not come first. Owner didn't want to listen to the customer and lied over and over again!! Do NOT shop from this boutique. You won't get what you pay for. BEWARE!!

More bargains to be had here.....but you have to be prepared to paw through some seriously packed…read morerails of rubbish to find those hidden gems! I have found the occasional amazing item but my word...some of the stuff you wouldn't be surprised to see in a discount store going for 3 items for a fiver.... I think the real star of the show here is the homeware section.There are some amazing pieces and brands that are a whole lot cheaper than getting them anywhere else in town...this section of the store is also not as ransacked so you dont feel like you are at an indoor carboot sale. A-OK in the main part but depends on what you find......could be a 5* if you find they one amazing item....it's the risk you take.

This a very big store with big houseware, kids, shoes and clothes sections…read more You need to be patient and take your time in looking as there is no point in going otherwise, in my opinion. You can always pick up a bargain and I recommend that you start off in the bargain section working your way to the full price stuff. If you are new to TK Maxx, be warned that it is addictive and annoying and frustrating all at the same time! They have changing rooms but if you need the toilet, afterall you could be there a while(!) go to sainsbury which is just a long a few shops away. They also have a wide selection of bags/luggage and beauty products. You should also note that they have changed their returns policy. It use to be 28 days but is now 14 days. Also, take a bag as they now charge for plastic bags. It's not optional which can annoy some customers as I have witnessed. Lots of parking outside and is about a 20min drive from the city centre

Only recently heard about Clearance Centre, so i thought I'd pop in and have a look around, i came…read moreaway with furniture for all over my house, beautiful furniture for sale, and incredible prices, the cheapest I've seen, will always use in future, highly recommended!!!

I think this Marks And Spencer store is pretty cool, although the store is small and the prices are…read moreinflated (even compared to other Marks And Spencer stores which are a little pricey anyway, but the location within Birmingham Airport's lounge before security is ideal, especially if you're looking to get a drink/snack after a long flight, perhaps you're staying at one of the Airport hotels, or you're looking to kill some time before check-in. The store's opening hours advertised outside are incorrect, the store is listed as being open until 10 pm, however, they currently close at 3 pm. I think this is really early to be closing, there are still many flights departing and arriving long after 3 pm, so this is very early. The "made without wheat" section was limited, but they did have a basic selection of bread and pasta, in the store as a whole they stocked a good range of essentials including bread, dairy, cheeses and ready meals. 3* - It's a cool location for the store, and while the selection is much smaller and much costlier than over branches of Marks And Spencer, it does a good job in the location it is in. I just wish it was open at decent times!

The corner of Coles Lane has something of a tradition of being an 'outdoor' (old-school Brummie…read moretalk for an offie). For years it was a Victoria Wine, then a Threshers before becoming 'The Local' - a disastrous attempt at selling wine, spirits and baked beans in the same small space. After sitting dormant for a while, it's current owner took it on and put it straight. Going under the imaginative banner 'Shop', it's exactly what a corner shop should be and a great example of a community shop. It sells your usual newsagent fare: Chocolate bars, newspapers, milk. I believe it even has a coffee machine in there. I'm afraid I don't know the name of the guy who runs it, but he's a very amiable proprietor who never seems to have a day off and will always say hello or wave to you even if you're walking on the other side of the street. I don't live round there anymore, but whenever I drop by for a paper or a drink if I'm in the area, there always seems to be one of my old neighbours stood in there by the till having a chat and passing the time of day. It's that kind of place, and that kind of place is very hard to find these days.

I find retail parks in general a little boring and too aesthetically industrial for happy shopping…read more Who wants to walk across car parks to get to the next shop? Not me! Stechford Retail Park is no more well designed than any other, so I have to say, I'm not really impressed by the layout. Regarding the shops, it's good that there's a large JJB Sports on site. So you don't have to travel into town to buy sports equipment, which is very handy for locals. Other than this, most of the stores are unnecessary and obvious, like MacDonalds, which are literally littered in every nook and cranny of Birmingham. Come on Stechford, you can do better than that! How about a Wimpy instead? (Whatever happened to Wimpy's actually? Do they still exist anywhere?) I guess the retail park is mainly useful for drivers; it's home to PRG Powerhouse for car electrical products and also Wheel Transport. So if you need to buy equipment for your car, here's the place to do exactly that!