To bloody love budget hotels

[Onesieisthequeensselfie]

Like premier inn, travelodge, ibis etc.

I have to travel lots for work and have a choice of accommodation booked for me or be given the equivalent in cash and book it myself.

Budget hotels are absolutely brilliant!!! Clean room, often conveniently located and, bonus, some extra left over to put towards a nice holiday.

BUT, I do admit to being a bit embarrassed if colleagues ask me where I'm staying and just mumble something about a little boutique hotel locally and quickly change the subject.

AIBU to be embarrassed and should I be out and proud to wave the premier inn flag?!

[mzS1990]

I've stayed in many lovely hotels..... But I do love a travelodge. They are always clean, comfortable. Like your the first to sleep in the room!

[Blueberry234]

Recent convert to Premier Inn, especially as the one night we had a minor issue with bathroom fan not turning off. I mentioned it in passing to reception next thing they had refunded the room. For that simple fact we will return

[GnomeDePlume]

I think that what the boutique hotels are offering is an experience. Which is lovely when you are on holiday and have the time to enjoy it. For work you just want the room to work, you tend not to want service in the sense of hot and cold running room butlers.

Another memory of staying in a hotel in Hamburg which was a triumph of the designer's art. Problem was I couldnt work out how the hell I was supposed to close the blinds/curtains as there seemed to be no way of doing this. The windows faced onto the offices opposite. I was worried that I was going to wake up and find that I was staring at the early shift.

I was seriously thinking about sleeping in the bath except that as part of the design concept the bathroom walls were made of slightly frosted glass.

Fortunately someone knocked on the door to offer to turn down the bed. I declined that service (I am a grown up, the only person who gets to fiddle about with my bed in a hotel room is me) but rather plaintively asked how to close the blinds. She reached round the side of the bed fitment, pressed a button and the blinds appeared from nowhere and closed.

Premier Inn would have been a godsend.

[AvaLeStrange]

Love Travelodge...would much rather stay there and have more spare cash for eating out and doing things.

The one in Covent Garden is DD's favourite place ever...multi coloured windows, all you can eat breakfast and Ben & Jerry's vending machines in the lobbies .

[ohdearme1958]

When not in the UK I stay in very nice hotels. Five star or above. But give me a Premier Inn any day for convenience. In fact I'm now fed up of hotel living all together and on my 3 holidays this year it's been Airbnb all the way. It's fabulous.

[wanderings]

Premier Inn is my favourite. Sometimes when they're in converted older buildings they're fascinating - in Stroud, Gloucestershire there is a stairway to nowhere in the dining room. We used Premier Inn once in a New Year emergency (neighbours partying, and early shift on 1st Jan!).

[Onesieisthequeensselfie]

Barbara, I totally feel your pain. Once, my colleague and I ended up staying in a "5star", booked by the company, that in reality resembled the "Shining" hotel, no word of a lie, my colleague and I were the ONLY guests in a massive, once grand, sadly in demise, hotel that had a very weird and creepy vibe not helped by a strange "butler" who kept asking if we wanted porridge in the morning.

[Onesieisthequeensselfie]

BTW, I luffs your name!

[ohdearme1958]

just spent a nice night at the Travelodge on the M6 Lancaster. Seriously. Had a nice view and everything (luckily facing the other way to the motorway

I stayed there 3 weeks ago on my way to Scotland. We were a family group of 9. It was nice and my room looked out on to a smashing field which was great as where I live there is next to no greenery.

[BennyTheBall]

Me too.

I travel for work and am more than happy with a cheap hotel because they are actually quite nice.

I would never stay in one for a weekend away though.

[ohdearme1958]

Stayed at a Premier Inn near Stanstead and was v impressed with it. Nice room, restaurant, bar and great breakfast. So cheap and got a great deal on the parking whilst on hols too

I stayed there 2 months ago on my way to Italy. It was very nice. Really comfy.

[beelover]

I like TL and PI but have to say I had the best sleep of my life in a premier inn just outside Ipswich, 10 hours straight and I am not normally a good sleeper. We nearly missed breakfast we slept so well, I am really tempted to buy one of the beds they use now.

[Duckstar]

Premier Inn my favourite when travelling. I travel all around country and always go for Premier Inn as I know will get good quality room. I use to do last minute and you'd book an apparently 4 star hotel and be stuck in some back room with all the furniture nailed down.

Glad to hear Travelodge are improving. Stayed in the Ilford one 5 years ago. As DH said, all we needed was a chalk marked outline of a body of the floor and it could have been used as a scene for CSI...

[Onesieisthequeensselfie]

Bee - I know what you mean. The beds are really comfy. Do you actually know what kinds they are?! If so, please share! I'd absolutely get one too.

[Tartsamazeballs]

Mostly love travelodge because they are all dog friendly! Admittedly it's £20 extra for the dog but it's still pretty good.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

Premier Inn are great, not so keen on Travelodge, I've stayed in a few and they really haven't been very clean. Holiday Inn Express are good too.

[MrHannahSnell]

Premier Inns are great. Not so keen on Travelodge tho' and I've generally been disappointed by Holiday Inn. Clean room, low cost ant PI give you free parking all day on the day you check out, so you can settle up, go to a meeting and not have to faff about moving your car. Just leave it and come back later. Brilliant.

[expatinscotland]

YANBU. Premier Inn, Travelodge and Ibis budget all the way.

[springwaters]

No. YABU. I spend 200 nights a week in hotels. After many years it is luxury all the way. Living in hotels in generally crap- I don't want any less than the standard at home.

The travelodge have rubber sheets- just think why

[Onesieisthequeensselfie]

200 nights a week??!!
I think you are in a different universe! Which explains your YABU

[springwaters]

whoops- 200 a year. 3 night a week most weeks then about 10 weeks on holiday (some mixed with work)

[Balletgirlmum]

I book hotels for other people. premier Inn & Tragelodge are my first choice because they are clean & comfortable. Premier has the edge as often food etc is better. Travelodges we struggle for breakfast.

[JulesJules]

Love Premier Inn, we stayed in the one in old County Hall, London. Really clean comfortable room, amazingly comfy bed. They are Hypnos beds - John Lewis sell them.
Spotlessly clean, great shower and all you can eat buffet breakfast. Ideal

[JudyCoolibar]

The one downside with Premier Inn is that unless you pay you get second class wifi and can't even do things like listening to the radio via a computer. I really think hotels need to start working on the basis that wifi is just as automatic a part of the service they offer as electricity and hot water.

[Balletgirlmum]

I've never had a problem with the wifi & Premier.