Or do Premiere Inn towels smell rank now?

[ThenUm]

So have stayed in many PI in different places with work. The last three visits the towels:

1. One smelled so bad I could smell it in the bathroom. When I unfolded it there was a brown blob. It smelled yeasty. I assumed it was a minging guest that used the room before me.
2. The towel had a hole in it and looked badly laundered - off white and badly folded.
3. Towels look clean but one has a fainter yeasty smell than in example 1.

Incidentally I’ve also had recently;

no batteries in remote.
TV not tuned in
tap not switching off properly.
light switch not working.
unclean cup.

which makes me think new ownership? Cost cutting to stay in the game.

What’s going on? Anyone with inside info know? Anyone had similar?

ok it was about 18 months when I last stayed in one. The towels absolutely stank. I can remember the smell now. Like a smokey musty weird smell.

Have stayed in the PI opposite Old Trafford (taking nephew to a match) and it was fine but not the nicest one I’ve stayed in, that’s the one in Fort William.

I love an independent b and b. Premier inns do have their place as you know what your getting, or should know.

I stayed in one for a few nights this weekend. No issue with towel smell, though they did only give us one and we had to go down and request another - had to ask twice in the end before we got it though.

We stayed in one of the Hubs this time - all fine, clean etc though run on very limited staff. Was good value, especially for centre of London, however and a great location for our sleep base.

I've found that standards are so variable whatever chain you use, travellodge being the worse in terms of variability (from really nice to terrible) that said I've never had serious issues with premiere inn though I have had to ask for more towels (they had only provided one large one small) and replacement towels due to being damp and smelly, I think that was due to not tumble drying long enough. I haven't bothered with breakfast in recent years as it's definitely gone down hill

The Hub we've just stayed in was in Soho.

The PI in Luton (not the airport one) was really not great. The whole place smelt strongly of cannabis and there were a whole bunch of people just hanging around outside and in the stair wells.

The one we use near Manchester Airport always seems fine. Clean, staffed, maintained. I suspect most people are there just for one night before early airport dashes.

We tend to use PI as they normally pffer a fairly standardised quality and can be good value, for when you just want a base to sleep at. Though in more recent years we have noticed some don't seem quite as decent - such as the one at Luton.

We visit Manchester quite regularly to visit DHfriends and family,and stay in a Holiday Inn Express which is also fine and good value.

Been staying in premier inns fairly regularly since I was a child and I do think they've majorly gone downhill in the last couple of years. Stayed in a few different ones and they all felt grimy and dated. They're not the "nice" budget option any more imo.

Looks like OP works for Holiday Inn.

So we now have; chemical smell. Vinegar. Salt. Vomit. Rank. I’m vindicated!! I’m not going mad.

Thanks all. I might take my own towel next time as the regular one I stay in is closest to where I work and it’s got a bath.

Ha ha ha. I was looking up who owns PI to see if it’s changed and it’s Whitbread and they own some Holiday Inn Express too.

We've done three diffeent location in last 6 months - all city centers all fine no smells no lack of cleaning.

It is usually premier inns or Ibis for us - Ibis staff even in budget hotels do tend to be more friendly and helpful.

I hope they aren't going down hill - we partly book with them because we know what we are getting.

@ThenUm . I’m home from Gosport . Towels were neither exceptional or unexceptional. Didn’t smell fresh exactly but did smell clean in a function kind of way . Bed was lovely as always . Gosport Premier Inn was a bit basic but then I only paid 82 pounds for a Saturday night so not complaining .

Thanks for feeding back. There is hope.

I love.ptemier inn and we've literally stayed in around 50 over the last 3 years! and a splattering of travel.lodge!

I think premier inn are consistently excellent. Comfortable beds and clean linen. I think you've been just v unlucky!

Travel.lodge is always his and miss, but they are a good alternative to premier inn when we want to bring our dogs with us! Some are ok!

I stayed in the Premier Inn Penrith on Friday night, in a plus room. My colleague was in a standard room. No problems with the towels smelling strange.

IIRC, wasn't there a television exposé about how badly and unhygienically the rooms in Premier Inn hotels were cleaned a few years ago? The cleaners were given unrealistic targets for how many rooms they could clean and weren't paid for working more than their contracted hours so they, understandably, raced through the rooms and cut lots of corners. Some of it was truly grim.

I would bet this isn't a problem unique to the one hotel chain, though.

Yes Cardiff is the worst! But Cardiff bay is much nicer!

I am back and hand and bath towel both smell awful!! I’m def not imagining it!