To ask what is the best BUDGET hotel you've stayed at (UK preferably)

[Couldhavebeenme2]

Inspired by another thread with eye-wateringly expensive hotels, what are your best BUDGET hotel/accommodation experiences? Especially for us who have had a wonderful surprise when eeking out every last penny to treat ourselves/the kids to a break away from the daily grind!

Mine was YHA York in lockdown - the room had a mezzanine which the kids were thrilled about, and got to sleep upstairs where they could see the stars through the velux window (OK I am bigging this up but hey ho, completely exceeded my expectations for £29 a night for the 3 of us)

Premier inn

They 3 different softness of pillows! Cool

Premier Inn or Holiday Inn Express.

Stay away from Ibis Budget. There's budget, then there's BUDGET...

I’ve stayed at lots of Premier Inns, all of which have been good. I’ve stayed at three travellodges, all of which have been kind of grubby and dirty and tired.

I agree that IME Travelodge is not great. Last one we stayed in was apparently one of their 'new, improved' offerings. Frankly, it was a let down. Room was small, only room for bed and one plastic 60's style chair. View was looking across a trading estate. Despite it's 'newness', it felt tired and grubby. Would not choose Travelodge again unless there was absolutely no alternative.
We got a good deal on a couple of Best Western hotels a couple of years ago. One was in Chippenham - would definiitely go there again if I could get a deal. The other was near Stratford-upon-Avon. Beautiful old building, sympathetically refurbished rooms. Beautiful grounds. Can't go back as it has been taken over by a certain holiday company who, from the pictures, have turned it into another of their very generic style hotels. Shame.

Sorry to be boring & agree with everyone else,, but Premier Inn, every time. They are in a completely different league to the other budget chains. The only downside is that while their pricing is often very cheap if, for example, you want to stay next to an A road on the outskirts of Leicester, they can be very expensive in central London or in tourist hotspots.

Ibis is usually lovely. The Ibis Budget in Manchester was great, as is the Leeds one.

Premier Inns ! Love them. Cheap, good food, spotless, comfy beds, great locations .

Village Hotel Chain
I’ve stayed in a few of them for £30 a night last year and this year when they have there deals on which inc free parking Wi-fi gym pool and sauna access
Nice big hotel with in house Starbucks
If you can get a room At £30 they beat premier inn and travel lodge easily

@Couldhavebeenme2 the rooms with the mezzanine used to be the staff accommodation. My sister lived in one of those rooms when she worked at YHA York. Really shortsighted of the YHA to get rid of staff accommodation.

Ok own up OP, did Premier Inn sponsor you to start this thread?

YHA St Pancras is very good. The location is fab and I loved having breakfast overlooking my favourite station.

Travelodge in Halifax. It’s in a converted mill and it’s very nice. Perfectly located for Saltaire, Hebden Bridge, Howarth, Yorks Sculpture Park. Just lovely.

I wish I could remember the name of it - I'll need to look a bit harder - but dh and I were in California (I used to live in Northern CA) and we travelled down to Los Angeles, where I have some distant family. We stayed in a hotel that was sort of near LAX (Marina del Rey). It was pretty cheap but had this amazing pool and every day at 5pm they did unlimited cava, a hot food buffet and cake! Every day. All you could eat and drink for 2 hours. We had a grand time (we were students at the time). My family was aghast when I told them where we were staying. It's considered a really dodgy area.

On the morning we checked out and left (4:30am), we had to go out the alleyway in the back (one way system) and there was a car blocking our way at a house that was clearly having a party. I had to get out and ask the people on the porch to please move their car. They were drinking and very clearly all had handguns in the tops of their trousers. They couldn't have been more polite about it and apologised for blocking the alley and happily moved the car! But even living in the US (I normally lived in very hippie liberal middle class areas), it was the first time I ever saw an actual handgun on the body of an actual person.

Unlimited cava, snacks and cake was amazing though!

I love Ibis and Ibis styles. But Ibis budget is not for me.

I love Premier Inn. You always know what you're getting, it's cheap, it's fine, they have them everywhere.

Premier Inn. Always. Cheap, clean, comfy. Close to Kew Gardens and with a great Japanese restaurant across the road.

However, their prices have tripled due to demand for staycations this year.

I’ve booked 3 nights just outside London for four of us costing £155 including breakfast- feels like a good deal to me.

YHA at Elterwater.

No noise, great views and fresh air. Not good for theatres or doing City business though.

The last couple of Travel Lodges I’ve stopped in were absolutely minging.

Not the cheapest, but Hilton and Radisson do great breakfasts. The Melia chain do the biggest and best breakfasts in the world!

Premier inn....stayed in loads and in every one the bed has been comfy, decent shower etc. The only issue I've ever had was a faulty hairdryer once.

Staycity in Liverpool. Right across from the Liver building, super modern, clean, slept 3 of us, breakfast was awesome. Teens v impressed.

I'm in a £29 per night Premier Inn room right now. On my own. No kids, no cat, no snoring DH.

@Couldhavebeenme2 we have stayed in some lovely YHA especially Boggle Hole and the one bear Liberties in London was good for the money, for views and a sense of adventure some of the Scottish Youth Hostels are really special.

Can anyone recommend somewhere for a solo traveller in the Dale's somewhere?
That isn't too pricey? Planning a solo jaunt mid summer hols to stay sane!

YHA Brighton. If you stay in a private room you'll never know it's a hostel.