To think expensive hotels are always a disappointment

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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?

Best hotel we ever stayed in was the Corinthia in Budapest. OMG. We rocked up off of the train via Easyjet with backpacks. We were escorted to our room where we were informed by the lovely receptionist that we were couple of the weekend and therefore had been upgraded to a suite. The suite was bigger than our flat. The breakfasts were wonderful and the spa amazing. We'd booked through travelzoo so only paid about £130 a night.

We stayed in a £500 a night hotel in London, but only paid about £130 for it as we booked it that day.

We were escorted to our room, and given a choice of pillows, bedsheets and mattress, as well as toiletries. Any laundry we wanted doing was free and there was a free unlimited supply of water, soft drinks and fresh fruit in the room at all times.

There was a 'scent box' in the room with a choice of room perfumes, all by designer brands and you couldn't leave the room without a member of staff offering assistance (e.g. to carry your bag, get you a taxi etc). All the beauty services were available 24hrs a day and would come to your room if necessary, they had the full Sky package and free super fast broadband.

I could happily have lived there....

I must admit that a lot of what people describe as amazing service would drive me mad. Stayed in a hotel in Puerto Rico on business once and after day 1 I was desperate to just be ignored and open doors for myself!

Stayed in a hotel in Mallorca that was just lovely, it was so quiet in the room, and dark and cool. You couldn't hear anyone else in the hotel. Breakfast was fabulous, the pool, the mind reading staff.... And that was less than the £189 I'm paying to stay in a Premier Inn in London next weekend...

There's nothing cheaper. Don't get me wrong, I like a premier inn, but £189!

I really like staying in Ibis when travelling. The Wifi is reliable. Not one post here has convinced me it's worthwhile to spend another £150-£200/night.

HOWEVER, We have a huge budget to blow on a business trip in 3 months time & are looking at hotels now (Brussels). We are 3 women age 48-62?? (indelicate to ask for precise age!!). When not working we want to walk for hours, maybe see an art gallery, have a nutritious meal in evening with nice alcohol & go to sleep. We can't transfer the travel budget to something else, argh.

YeOldTrout - someone I know has just been here: www.hoteltuilerieen.com/

I begrudge paying out for hotels, as they are so unpredictable. We stayed in a 4* in Pisa once that was so uncomfortable, I spent one night on the sofa in the reception area! Price seems to have little relationship to comfort, attitude or functioning WiFi. I've just booked a room in Swansea next spring at £34 a night for a single - at least it won't be a waste of much money!

Four star hotels seem to vary massively in the UK. I stayed at one before an early flight recently and it was lovely. Massive beds, lovely staff helping with luggage and fussing over tantruming DS, plenty of free toiletries Inc those little extras like cotton buds, and a proper coffee machine. Was worth the £120 for a night.

By contrast, we stayed in a four star attached to a theme park and it was worse than a travelodge. Rollaway bed not made up, crap sheets, absolutely no toiletries, and terrible sound proofing. We spent a fortune on that bloody weekend and other than close proximity to the theme park entrance there was nothing going for it.

The ratings system is v confusing sometimes.

I'd rather stay in a dump for a couple of nights and a five star for a couple more than a three or four star for the duration. Four star hotels have ideas above their station, and tend to be chain-y and corporate; proper, luxury five stars are worth every penny. They are my great indulgence.

£130 is a cheap hotel actually. Sorry to break it to you...

You aren't breaking anything to the op. That comment makes you look rather silly patronising imvho.

star ratings are more about facilities than naiceness. Four star will mean that there is a lift and 24 hour reception for example.

What I want in a hotel is clean, bright and modern and prefably a quilt on the bed not sheets and blankets.

What I don't want is busy patterns and old fashioned furniture and decoration.

Some chains like Best Western and Hilton can be very tired and grubby looking, whereas a travel Inn or lodge is usually much better.

However in a lot of locations they are hard to find cheaply and can be close to £100 per night.
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I was always rather dubious about posh hotels. Then on my last visit to India I stayed in one of the Neemrana hotels, the Bungalow on the Beach in Tharagambadi, for the princely sum of £70 a night...

I'm on holiday at the moment and had a drink in the Parador in the Granada Alhambra yesterday. Would have cost £300 for the cheapest room but bloody fab.

I do also have a weakness for boutique B&Bs

The travel inn/premier inn or whatever it is by the London Eye is about £195 a night. That is seriously expensive for what it is!!!

I stayed in the Alhambra once - it was amazing!

Also stayed in the Corinthia london on a cheap deal - and that was really quite lovely. But I wouldn't have paid full price for it...

Sorry soap YABU, 130 is not much is it? I've stayed in some amazing hotels around the world, oberoi, burj al Arab, banyan tree, sandy lane (before DCs!) and I could hardly find something negative to say and they were not 130 a night more like 500 on average!

Bloody hell I miss those days!

I LOVE Premier Inn. I book my own travel and accommodation for work, and theoretically could book myself into a big posh hotel, but I stick with PI.
The rooms are good, the staff are always nice, the breakfasts are brill and I happily sit with a good book and a glass of wine in the bar at night time.

I stayed somewhere else in London (cannot remember where), that cost me more than double what I would have paid in a Premier Inn. The room was tiny, breakfast was not included and cost £18 and the bar was full of very loud businessmen. No ta, Premier Inn for me, all the way!

Any hotel that provides down duvets gets my vote. I was ruined by a stay at an otherwise average hotel in Hong Kong.

Stayed in a very lovely and expensive hotel for work not so long ago. But why at should I have to ask for a wifi code? I was there on business, as were most guests: why is it not in the room?

Massive comfy bed but synthetic duvet . Huge TV but the other end of the room above the dressing table and nowhere near the bed/sofa. So if I wanted to watch it I had to stand by it.

It's all in the basics.

I agree actually Tooool, but I still think £195 is horrendous - without breakfast too!

Worse though is the City Plaza just round the corner - all the "cheap" rooms are internal so no fresh air, no phone signal - seriously rubbish! Cheap is relative there too!

On what planet is £130 not an expensive hotel??

I've paid less than that for a week's accommodation!

Manic try booking a hotel in central London!

£120 or so gets me a night in Premier Inn, with breakfast (according to day and season, obviously).

Who are all these people saying £130 is not an expensive hotel? I think it is!