Self catering in a Premier Inn?

[Mrsemcgregor]

So in a moment of somewhat madness I’ve booked a Premier Inn in the Peak District for 3 nights in October half term. We are an outdoorsy family who love to walk in all weather so I’m not worried about that side of things.

We will eat out of course but I’m not sure I want to eat out for every single meal and the hotels own restaurant is currently closed (may be open again by time we go).

So what are your best hacks for eating in the room? There is a supermarket very close so supplies won’t be an issue. I’m thinking pastries for breakfast, what’s the best way to get a decent cup of coffee using a hotel kettle? Can I buy milk the night before and pour it directly into a thermos? What can I take from home to make it easy?

I fully intend to ensure the room is left completely free from our food stuffs and won’t be doing anything smelly and will be taking all rubbish with me.

Shameless place marking as I'd like some hacks for this too.

Nothing helpful to add except, wow, I want an aeropress! It's like a sci-fi cafetière

Hope you have a lovely time OP, it's a beautiful part of the country.

We travel a lot from the UK and stay in Premier inns a lot for odd nights. Breakfast can be croissants, coffee, multiple cereal and milk, just buy paper bowls and spoons. Supermarkets do good cheap breakfasts. We have bedroom pick nicks with salad and fruit bowls, sandwiches, yogurts buns and of course wine. If there's a bar they will give you ice. Obviously you can order pizza etc to be delivered. The cleaners are used to it. We just pack all the rubbish up neatly and open the window.

Don't forget you can get take away breakfast, try looking on 'Just Eat' with the hotel's post code. Often the places that do breakfast also do sandwiches / biscuits / crisps so you could get a cold dinner delivered with your fry up.

You can make pasta and cous cous with boiling water from a kettle.

I'd take fruit, porridge pots and a picnic set. Don't forget the corkscrew.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned pot noodle yet ( or have I missed it ? ) ok not exactly restaurant standard but quick and importantly hot if you have got caught in a down pour hot food is much nicer than sandwiches.
I also second coffee bags but stay away from Taylor's it's a abomination

while you are out and about .
Tescos you can get a bag of mini cheeses indvidual wrapped , chedders, peparami, and a few pickles and you have a mini ploughmans and a pack of none meltable biscuits/ sweets

For in the hotel a roast chicken, a bag of mixed leaves, some cherry tomatoes and nice bread and butter.

DD has stayed in some hotels recently - they bought things in at times and ate it in the room. They just used the long life type milk that comes in hotel rooms for their drinks. They has a take away one night - and they has pizza delivered to just outside the hotel on another!

Don't forget to pack a corkscrew or bottle opener if you want an alcohol drink in the room - and maybe a couple of plastic wine glasses.

I think for breakfasts they just had the breakfast bar/biscuit type things.

A travelling salesman in the US wrote a blog on this a while back, hot-dogs and canned goods using the kettle as a water bath (cooked in the tin) bacon and eggs on the iron.

The full thanksgiving dinner was a work of genius.

Used to work at Premier Inn, you're not allowed microwaves or fridges! Some may overlook it, but work on the expectation that you'd be told to remove it.

Takeaways definitely allowed, the driver can call you when they're downstairs. I'd eat something hot during the day, then cold foods, Pot Noodles etc in the evening. Also the PI breakfast is good value as children don't pay.

We've stayed in premier inns and Travelodges before. We tend to use supermarket cafes and wetherspoons for breakfast as they are cheaper.

They don't clean the rooms at the moment while you are in them so you could probably get away with fridges etc, we took bin bags and extra toilet rolls too. I know they would probably provide them if we ask but it was just easier to get our own. We also took some cleaning wipes.

Decent teabags
Bottled water for tea/coffee - makes a massive difference
Proper milk
Pastries for breakfast
Deliveroo

Think about having your main meal out at lunchtime for a day or two then just a cold collation in the room in the evening.
Electric cool boxes are great as they can also often be used in a car so ideal for keeping drinks/sandwiches cool during the day.

Just don't do what I did once - leave t plugged in for hours and then come back to find a flat battery! Some cars automatically switch off the power socket when the engine is switched off, but apparently not all, as I learnt to my cost. DS was late for school that day.

Fun fact about those mini variety packs of cereal, you don't need a bowl. Apparently they are designed so you can just pour milk straight into the packet. Would probs still need a spoon though!

Take some mugs or cups. I was very cross last week in two hotels to be given paper cups only in the room

These for coffee on your travels www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/shop/drinks/coffee/ground-coffee/one-cup-filter-and-coffee-bags

DP and I stayed in a PI for two weeks due to family illness. There’s lots of wise advice here about food. Don’t forget wine, chocolate and snacks, as the vending machines in reception are expensive. And a bottle opener. Take also picnic set, cutlery, small sharp knife, fairy liquid, tea towels. Consider an extra bath towel each, coloured so they won’t be confused with the hotel white ones. Take a larger mug each. I used the hotel glasses for wine but take larger plastic beakers if you think you will need them for soft drinks etc. Have fun!

Don't take a toaster. They set off the smoke alarms.

So many good ideas!! I love it!

Is anyone else feeling hungry now?

We just left milk outside overnight on the windowsill - absolutely fine for the morning (August time down south).

PI breakfast is great value for a family as kids eat for free.

They've always been good about putting stuff in the fridge or freezer for us although it was dairy free milk and medication in a cool bag.

Instant pot? Roast chicken, potatoes and veg

We take our tassimo machine when we stay in a hotel. I drink coffee black anyway but you can buy pods like cappuccinos, hot chocolates etc. If you don’t want to worry about keeping milk cold.