Welcome Break Cardiff Gate Services M4 in Cardiff

Worst kept service station toilets I've ever been to. On the way back to Ireland I stopped to take a break & use the toilet facilities before getting some food. Half of the gents was shut off with a barrier. That's fine, it was a quiet time of the day, so why keep it all open (less cleaning). Cleanliness-wise, no issue, it was clean & smelt okay. What was really disappointing was firstly despite the "caution hot water" notices on each sink, not a single hot tap worked. In fact, some were hanging off & one was even taped up (so staff know about the problem). Secondly, not a single soap dispenser had any soap in it. The final thing that then prompted me to write this review was the fact that the only two accessible hand-dryers didn't work either (& there are no paper towels). All in all, far from the 'Welcome' you'd expect from a Welcome Break. Management at this establishment should be ashamed. All things that should be easily fixable.

Usual motorway service and prices.

A welcome break at Cardiff Gate

Great friendly staff and good food

Small and friendly with all the usual eateries. Possibly the best cleanest motorway services toilets i have ever come across.

Good place to stop for a break though will say the weather wasn't freezing but was cold inside we had to pop our coats on. There were a few places inside WHSmith, Starbucks, KFC and burger king, An arcade and Waitrose plus toilets.

Toilets of the year 2025? Seriously? Of the ladies toilets that were open, there was a range of no toilet paper, broken or missing wall tiles, no soap. Tired, old, cold, horrible.

Quite small, was disappointed with the Waitrose shop not having a single ready meal (I was heading to a holiday cottage & wanted something to have for my dinner on arrival).

It's not obvious but there's more parking available further on into the site. In addition to fast food there are 2 franchises selling sandwiches. Waitrose had a gluten free sandwich option but it was cheese (no good for vegans or anyone dairy intolerant!)...

It was overpriced and not very clean

Horrible services, tried to fine us for being several minutes over the 2 hours regardless of whether we had paid over £50 for coffees, food and other snacks...absolute joke next time we will drive 2 minutes more to the asda just down the road where they have coffee stands and cheaper food

Popped in to go to the toilet on my way to visiting my Mum in Swansea. Not the first time I have visited these services. Plenty of parking available at the time I arrived. Has a Burger King, Waitrose and WH Smith.

Lovely place, lots there and well set out Prefer Costa though

Ladies washrooms in a terrible state. No lock on the cubicle door. Toilet bowls blocked, soap dispensers empty and some taps not working. Someone not doing their job! As a result decided not to eat here

Stopped to use the loo and honestly wish I’d just gone in a bush. The loos absolutely stank, 3 of the cubicles I tried were filthy with dirty loos, I finally found a slightly cleaner loo (not much), held my breath and went for it. On coming out, the soap dispensers were hopeless, and half the taps were taped off and not working. Filthy and run down. Possibly a public health hazard.

Good service easy food and drink and fuel

Needed break after a long drive

I'm going to give this for but it doesn't deserve it because it really needs an upgrade. Having said that it's usually easy to find a parking space, the toilets are clean and you don't have to queue usually the WHSmith Greggs Costa Coffee and a Burger King inside the building if I remember correctly. There's also a BP service station on site for HGVs and cars and it's not busy so you don't have to wait ages to get your fuel.

Service station, needed the facilities

Visited today to take my legally required tacho break. Went to Burger King to get some food met the most obnoxious rude arrogant young man. Waited 5 mins for him to appear to be told there's only 2 of us so you'll have to wait mate. I replied directly I've been waiting for 5 mins Yeah whatever mate You ain't been here 5 mins Be about another 5 mins anyway I got uber orders to deal with Really shocking service I have no choice under the law but to stop at designated times just because I look like a workman he is in customer service, manners cost nothing

Very nice services. However I came here to have a break from driving. Once parked all you can hear is the irritating advert to win a car. It continues to rev without a break. Very annoying.

It’s OK, spent most of our time in Starbucks

Convenient services, clean and well maintained.

A small but pleasant parking lot. There is everything you need for a break.

Smaller service station, with a few grassy areas to walk dog. Standard units, Costa, burger king, KFC, WHS, waitrose. Electric charging.

It was a good place to take a break whilst on the road.

Plenty of parking and space to sit with your food and drink

Used the EV chargers. They were fast and there were lots of them.

It's your typical truckstop place and it's good it has a waitrose if you want healthy options rather than the usual greasy food at these places.

Absolutely disgusting, floor was vile, toilets looked like shit was rubbed up the wall as cleaner, all the tables sticky, pushed together like there's been a toddlers group, looks like it too with a few staff and nothing clean Absolutely vile 😡😡😡

Don't stop here if you want a proper meal, it's all fast food & coffee, pulled in here after 3 hour drive, very disappointed ☹️ I needed the loo, so ⭐⭐ is appropriate, just.

Burger King young man who was serving ran his hand through his hair, touched his nose kept touching his face. Do they not teach hygiene it nearly made me sick when he sort of picked his nose!!

Nice place to stay for business or pleasure Affordable

Burger king is an absolute ripoff 2 chicken royal meals £22.50

Good clean toilets and shower facilities.Quiet parking area with lots of food franchises to choose from.

A small but well-equipped passenger service area. Parking for about 20 truck sets is located at the back. Passenger cars in front. Inside there are Burger King restaurants, Starbucks, shops, an ATM, and a game room. The toilets are clean, the shower too. Cost £31 with £10 voucher SNAP doesn't work. Nice service, I recommend!

Needs an upgrade, feels tired and uncared for. Cleaning staff worked hard, Burger King only had one front staff on which made it slow, some of their ordering screens didn't work.

Had to stop here after a massive traffic jam on the Motorway 🛣️. M4 going East

Nice clean service with all you need Food drink and clean toilets

Very expensive to buy food from here but I had the best bacon, leek and cheese pasties I've ever tasted in the bakery inside.

A convenient stop offering a good range of services at the usual inflated prices. Worth a stop for a break and refresh.

It’s a great place to stop for electric car drivers. There is a hub of EV chargers. Also a small Waitrose and other facilities Loos etc. There is an Ibis which also has chargers which you can use if you are staying there. The Ibis is good for overnight stays.

Great service station easy access to the M4

Stopped had a KFC all round very satisfactory. Clean toilets.

Excellent I was looking for a motorway service that had showers and this place did located in the woman toilet but also Jens toilet have then. Lockable unit space. And mirror and perfect shower

Services itself is ok, but paid for parking only to find they only have a shower in the men’s toilet!! Do women not need showers??? Not impressed

Very busy as holiday season, clean and tidy , food was great

Bucks and Burger who could ask for more 🤔 😋

Very clean services, was pretty busy in and a bit pricey but smashing whopper from burger king served with a Smile by the Burger King mo (and props to the staff behind) and now back to our travels

2nd ever time stopping at these services and both times Ive ordered at burger king. Both times heard the staff at bk swearing in the back of the kitchen with no regard for customers out front. Small children were present this time though and even though the parents of the children didn't hear it It didn't promote professional service at all

All you want in a break of journey. Clean toilets, fast food, ample free parking.

Great EV facilities with plenty of charging points available.

Coffee and a break Does what it says on the tin

Drive through for kfc never sure if open or closed ...never any signs up. Pricey here but has an M&S, KFC and STARBUCKS. Would benefit from a nicer outdoor area.

Caravan parking is behind the services, in with the wagon parking.

Sadly no card payments - IT breakdown.

Lovely friendly staff clean and excellent choice for nice food and cooked well served with a smile the one I stopped at before was terrible so I kept going ,only thing is the direction sign needs improving as easy to take wrong road ,sign says business park and is not clear at the roundabout if you don't know area

Your normal service station, clean and plenty of places to eat

It's clean, staff all seemed friendly. I wasn't there long enough to offer more of an opinion than that

Only uses the fuel station, today I felt peckish OMG the cheapest sandwich off all time is egg crest normally around £1 to £1.80 ish... Here it is a whopping £4.40....bloody rip off

Was smelly and didn’t look clean

The services themselves are fine, no issues, clean and well presented. The food options however are an absolute rip off. In the KFC in particular the staff are very unprofessional. I ordered my food and was straight to the counter when my number was called and the server slammed the food down on the counter. Zero customer service, might as well have just thrown it on the floor for me to collect

Clean toilet and shower facilities

The only positive is the fast chargers for EVs! Grubby, dirty toilets, only place to get breakfast was Starbucks which has a huge queue. Definitely not worth a stop.

It was typically of a Motorway Service Centre, prices of Snacks or Sandwiches are expensive.

Just a Starbucks, WHS and Burger king. Pretty uninspiring as motorway services go. You need to be desperate.

Good services. Plenty of EV charging availability and a fairly good choice of food.

Clean Bathrooms and good services

Good facilities, good selection of take away food. Good charging facilities for electric cars

Only stopped for the toilet but it had everything you'd expect from a service station.

Could really do with some money spent on it. Toilets are in need of a revamp. Tiles falling off walls, stalls locked due to being out of order. Just gone down hill over the years.

If you’re a female HGV driver this service area has no ladies shower I was given an alternative to wait till 21:00 when the men’s shower is sectioned off and I could see the cleaner and have a shower then. Not really acceptable as I have paid £31 to park. Won’t be coming here again

Stopped for a toilet break. The toilet cubicles were clean but falling apart, desperately in need of some renovation

Was just about ok a bit tired and shabby. Probably won't frequent this establishment again.

Handy stopping point for food and the usual services items. Very clean. Great friendly staff, looking to help.

Called in for a poo, toilets clean

Scary place. Maybe I went there at the wrong time of day (9pm ish) for the loo and a takeaway coffee. Chairs on tables, almost deserted, a feeling of being watched... almost like going to a one horse town in the movies when you walk into the bar and the locals stop talking.

Only stopped for a "bio break" and it was clean enough.

Not clean, long waits, ominous atmosphere, Not impressed.

Typical UK services, could always be better.

always stop on way or back from Buckinghamshire shire

Great services.... good selection of venues tonchoose from

Good service but a bit slow plenty of parking

Nice small services. There are a few shops, a toilet and a KFC.

Typical of all motorway service stations. Everthing ridiculously overpriced and takes advantage that we are mainly holiday makers and have money to throw away. The only good thing I can say is that use of the toilets are free and that is the only reason I will ever pay them a visit.

Just visited the service station for a toilet break.

It's ok, nothing wonderful and very expensive

All shut up except for the whsmith

Quiet service station Got my KFC which was hot and fresh served by friendly staff Clean and bright services

Good clean rest stop. Facilities clean. Staff I met were helpful and friendly

Filled up with 10 litres of add blue only to be told its 35 pounds total rip off should be £10.95 shame on you not recommended . I won't be visiting again

Typical service station... has everything you need.

the usual overpriced experience,

Good service very polite, plenty of items to choose from in shop also .

If you need a Shower or overnight stop go on the the next Services. Especially as a lady, showers are in poor state, the nicer of the two are accessed by a door right opposite the mens urinals. The grubby one thats in an area that smells of mens toilets (pictured) is still down a doorway off the mens toilets. Yuck.

Love this service station its very handy have all yr needs here and good atmosphere

Good selection of food and accessible toilets. It would be goid if Waitrose/ WHSmith sold more toiletries ie deodorant/ body spray, toothpaste and toothbrushes etc for those who had an unexpected stay etc

Lovely staff allowed me to charge my phone and was all really friendly. Lots of shop options in there for what ever you may need.

The worst burger king around staff are terrible food is always poor cold burger double fried onions rings that have literally been there for hours it's a shame as it's my local burger king

Upon arrival trucks are directed to a dedicated truck park which is no more than a cul-de-sac also used by caravan drivers .space is very limited and reversing bleeper galore from drivers who discover no spaces available. Food limited after 21.00hrs and aint cheap but kfc stay open late. Parking on the level but no security. Staff are helpfull and place is spotless