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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think expensive hotels are always a disappointment

83 replies

Arabidopsis · 27/08/2015 21:23

My work includes fairly frequent hotel stays and I'm always a tiny bit excited when I end up being booked in nicer hotels than the nearest travelodge. That's until I get there, they always end up being a massive disappointment.

Business orientated hotels with crappy wifi and gyms/pools that are only open during the hours people are most likely to be in work. Can't get Film4 on the TV or a whole number of freeview channels. One tiny milk container in a room for 2

I'm sure these places only survive on the back of businesses picking up the bill, surely nobody would spend £130 on a room where the only extra over a travelodge is a few toiletries?

OP posts:
CakeNinja · 27/08/2015 22:55

We stayed in a hotel a couple of weeks ago as part of our holiday.
£870 for 3 nights for us and the dc, we didn't even have a bloody minibar in our room Shock

Original poster
Arabidopsis · 27/08/2015 23:02

£130 a night is not an expensive hotel

It is if it's in Scunthorpe (insert grotty place of choosing)!

OP posts:
jay55 · 27/08/2015 23:19

Premier inn do a really good job often on par with the mid range chains who need to up their game.

But some super fancy 5 star places are awesome and id live in if I could.

RoosterCogburn · 27/08/2015 23:21

The only time I've stayed in a really expensive hotel was when a connecting flight was cancelled and the airline paid.
I was shattered after delays and a long flight so when we were bused out into the nearest city I was expecting the worst.
I ate the best steak I have ever had and collapsed into an amazing bed - they even called the room to ask if I wanted my clothes laundered before the 5.30am pick up next morning (this was at midnight) I was very appreciative because the airline had provided a little bag complete with paper pants.

manicinsomniac · 27/08/2015 23:21

YANBU

Spending lots of money on places to stay makes no sense to me. It's only a bed for a night. I only ever do Youth Hostels, cheap B and Bs/airbnb or Travelodge if neither of the other two options are possible. I'd rather have the money to do things on holiday than have a slightly nicer bed and shower.

However, I am slowly coming round to the idea that this is an unusual attitude for someone over 30. So, if it is just me and the kids, then it's budget all the way. But if I expect other people to go to places with me I have to compromise a little on the starkness of the accommodation! Wink

Canyouforgiveher · 27/08/2015 23:35

www.salamanderresort.com/accommodations/guestrooms
this is the nicest hotel I've stayed in for work. They got an incredible deal on it though.

There is a boutique hotel in London we love that we pay over the odds for. Otherwise, I usually try to get the best deal.

PiperChapstick · 28/08/2015 00:12

YANBU.
I once paid £150 to share a room at a Copthorne hotel for a hen night. I was expecting true luxury for a £300 room. It was very shabby chic, I've stayed in nicer Travelodges. I nicked the toilet ores to compensate Grin

Then again I paid £75 for a night in theHotel MGM in Vegas and it had a hot tub in the room, full kitchen, remote control curtains etc. depends how good a deal you get really!

PiperChapstick · 28/08/2015 00:12

*toiletries

PiperChapstick · 28/08/2015 00:15

Also I meant Mandalay Bay not MGM

Postchildrenpregranny · 28/08/2015 00:16

Have rarely paid more than one hundred £ (the number one on my keypad just died) or the equivalent for a double room anywhere in the world and have stayed in some very nice places, just not the big chains

ClearBlueWater · 28/08/2015 00:19

How do you source a 'secret hotel deal' pls?

shadowfax07 · 28/08/2015 00:35

I once stayed in a hotel in Reading on business that was so bad I begged to be moved to a Premier Inn or Travel Inn!

The room was so narrow I could touch both walls if I stretched both arms out, it was next to the staircase and you could hear every step, it didn't have enough plug sockets either. It overlooked the extractor fans for the kitchen, and got so hot I had to ask for a fan which meant if I wanted to be cool, I couldn't watch the (not even freesat) TV. I had to limbo to get my shoulders wet in the shower cubicle, hand to dance around the loo to wash my hands and to add insult to injury, the free toiletries were coconut scented crap.

wickedwaterwitch · 28/08/2015 00:48

£130 isn't expensive Imo

A proper expensive hotel (£300+ a night) is definitely worth it (to me) as long as the bed is comfortable and the service and location are great.

futureme · 28/08/2015 00:54

Gosh id say for 130 you want more than basic. Travel lodges are 50 most places arent they and often 19/29/39 if booked in advance!

ChristineDePisan · 28/08/2015 01:01

The most expensive hotel I've stayed in is also the very best hotel I've stayed in (the Carlyle in NY - bliss!)

But I agree that there are a lot of mid-level business hotels that need to step up their game

ChanandlerBongsNeighbour · 28/08/2015 02:20

DH and the children and I just stayed in a luxury 5* hotel in our local city, it wasn't planned, we were out for the day and decided to extend the trip. We popped in early evening on the off chance they'd have a family room available. It was AMAZING!! Our room was HUUUUGE with sofas, dining table, two double beds, full bathroom! We made the most of it and had a fabulous night! All for £129!!! The price made it all the more enjoyable although I kept expecting them to say the price was a mistake and double it or something!!

MrsTedCrilly · 28/08/2015 07:26

Wow how the other half live! I'd say £130 is expensive for one night and I'd be expecting more than basic. Usually pay around £40/£50 for a standard room!

Icimoi · 28/08/2015 07:31

I don't like staying in big modern hotels where all the rooms are essentially the same little boxes with identical facilities. I used to have to travel to Bristol on business and got fed up with hotels like that; ultimately I found a cheaper Best Western boutique hotel that was a little away from the centre but which was absolutely fantastic and never stayed anywhere else after that when I had to go to Bristol.

londonrach · 28/08/2015 07:34

Just realising why i dont stay in uk. The prices are shocking. Seriously £130. We stay in very nice small hotels in germany for around £40-50 per night. Mil was saying yesterday she not going to bother with b&b again as they over priced and hotels are better value. Seriously £130 for a hotel room! (Sits down in shock)

roughtyping · 28/08/2015 07:35

My favourite hotels have been the most expensive ones we've stayed at - Cameron House on Loch Lomond (room was beautiful, lots of biscuits and tea selection, great breakfast), and a Hilton at Disney World in Florida (lazy river, again a beautiful room, brilliant staff).

Not something we can afford regularly so was great that they turned out so well!

thehypocritesoaf · 28/08/2015 07:38

I'm just back from an expensive hotel. Every few hours the maid made the bed and left rose petals here and there. I found it quite peculiar.

mummytime · 28/08/2015 07:54

Premier Inns are very nice - especially the newest ones.
With a "posher" hotel you mainly get a Spa/Gym etc., and maybe a concierge (who are great usually). Not necessarily anything else that much better.
Of course a really expensive hotel can give you fabulous service.

Even somewhere like Scunthorpe could have a real luxury hotel tucked away somewhere, but it would be 5*, and either a real "premium" brand eg. Four Seasons, or a "Country House" type. And it would be highly unlikely you'd be booked in there by business unless: you are very senior/need to be impressed or everywhere else in a reasonable distance was totally full.

Admittedly DH says the best service he's had was in India, and the room rates were very cheap compared to the UK.

MackerelOfFact · 28/08/2015 08:06

There are plenty of places where £130 per night would be absolutely top whack for what anyone would pay to stay in the area. There are plenty of places where you couldn't get a hotel room £130 at all. That's not the OPs point! The point is it's about four times the price of a neighbouring hotel and there's very little difference!

BrianButterfield · 28/08/2015 08:13

Agree Premier Inn are superb for the price. I'm with the OP, actually - I'm practiced at getting deals on hotel rooms but have certainly stayed in many where £130 would be the rack rate for a room and they would have been distinctly underwhelming for the price. I've also got £50 a night rooms on the Internet and been completely impressed by them!

Pootles2010 · 28/08/2015 08:18

I've stayed in a properly expensive hotel once - and it was in the US, and they know how to do these things properly. Was $800 a night Shock but my god it was good. That was just a standard room, btw.

I swear the staff were mind readers, they just knew what you wanted before you knew. The food was unbelievable. The bathroom was bigger than my living room. And the pool! My god, the pool.

I went with work, and would never ever be able to afford anything like that again, but was nice to try it just the once!

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