About Premier Inns?

[KimberleyClark]

They’ve gone downhill IMO. Stayed in the one in Bodmin on the way to and from Cornwall. The first room we had the curtains were full of holes which we only noticed on waking up, on the way back, different room, one curtain was hanging almost half off the rail so couldn’t be closed. Nothing to drink water out of except the glass tea mugs. We stayed in one in Bromsgrove a few months back and the lift was out of order the whole time. I had a medium size suitcase and we were on the second floor. And they no longer do cooked breakfast buffet, you have to order it which I don’t like as I prefer to choose my own. And the continental breakkfast selection was very poor.

I just scrolled upthread after I posted, 100% agree!

Travelodge - at least Premier Inn they is a vaguely consistent base standard. Some Travelodges are so bad it’s basically Russian roulette to book them.

No there are still loads with a pub adjacent rather than in house! We stayed at one in Luton airport just last week, and our local one you go to the Brewer’sFayre. Can’t remember exactly where but a little town near Birmingham too had the same set up when we stayed there for a wedding.

Just used the PI at Newhaven and had a lovely room. Clean, had everything I needed and bathroom was fine. Lots of hot water in the morning. Reception/check in was very friendly. It is in the middle of a major overall, so other floors might be grotty, but I was happy enough. No A/C though but had a couple of fans which worked well to keep the room comfortable as it was a v hot night.
If I can I try to use Motel One, a German chain with a few venues in the UK.

I try to go for the premier inn plus now. I have stayed at the Pickering one a few times which is great for the price

I LOVE a good Premier Inn. The one in Ealing Broadway and the one in the Brewery quarter in Cheltenham are AMAZING. Not because they're particularly spectacular hotels (AT ALL), but the staff is bloody brilliant. Utterly friendly, super service minded and just enormously pleasant and professional.
(And yes, I send them feedback re. this everytime I stay - usu. for work, 1-2 month).
The one on the outskirts of Guildford was rubbish accommodation wise, but again, the STAFF made all the difference. Whoever does their training: It works! and certainly has me coming back. (although not to the Guildford one, that was too grim)

It depends on the individual Premier Inn, but the criticisms you're making certainly don't apply across the board.
My most recent stay was at Woking Premier Inn, I've stayed there a few times recently and the rooms have always been immaculate and a cooked breakfast available.

Love PI County Hall in London.

Pontefract Premier Inn is lovely.
We've had to start booking travelodges now if we take dd. She's 18 and 6ft tall and no longer passes as a child.
Definitely not a Travelodge fan.

If premier inn would take more than 2 adults per room they'd do a roaring trade!

Some are really nice but the restaurant is not great, others have a lovely breakfast but shabby room. Some of them have always had hot breakfast that you need to order, but many are back to buffet.
The last one I stayed in had only a small selection of continental breakfast and the hot food buffet looked poor. The room was very nice though.
What really annoys me about PI is the one hand towel per room rule. At least give us one each when the room is occupied by more than one.

If I can just mention too that a few of the ‘brand new ‘ travel lodges are vastly improved if you book a ‘plus room’ - there is a brand new one in Gunnersbury ( no parking though) and it was very tidy and the plus rooms on a par with premier inn- maybe they are upping the game with the brand new ones - greasy spoon over the road is decent too plus a very good ‘toastie cafe’ just along the road- tube 2 minutes. Worth checking out if you need a London stay on the peripheries - very quiet at night too.

I stayed in one in Manchester a few weeks ago too and it was great although there weren’t any tumblers, just glass mugs for hot drinks.

Yes I agree Crikeyalmighty. Travelodge used to be very much a last resort for me but I think they've upped their game in the last few years. There are still some really grotty ones but the best Travelodges are very similar to Premier Inn now and a a Travelodge at the top end of their range is often better than an old and tired PI. They also have the advantage of allowing 3 adults in one room. I wouldn't want to share with any of my young adult kids for a longer stay but for one night to break a long journey or something it's fine and I do begrudge getting 2 rooms when we're going to arrive late, go to sleep and be off early again next morning.

Not stated in one for years as they’re not dog friendly, I remember them generally being clean and good value for money with really comfy beds

The quayside one isn’t that bad, but dodging the Kittiwakes is a skill. But they are protected so aren’t going anywhere.

We are booked into a PI in Fort William later in the summer, stayed there two years ago and it was the best one we’ve stayed in, so hope it hasn’t gone downhill!

I agree that they are variable
Liverpool Lime Street was OK
Falkirk seen better days
Inverness a good one
Stirling OK
North Shields OK

Stayed in the Belfast one recently and it was fine. Good sized room, clean, breakfast was nice.
Bloody expensive for what it is but I think that's down to the city centre location and it was absolutely rammed with stag and hen parties.

I stayed at the PI in Newcastle Quayside in June 2018. It was hot like it was last week. No air con. Just some poxy 6 inch fan which did FA. There was a very small window which I could open. No point as the PI is next to the Tyne Bridge footings where kittiwakes were roosting. They make such a racket plus they stink.

I agree new PIs - either build new or newly done up from an existing building are better.

I just read this after posting my experience with that PI. When did you stay there?

They are a nightmare though. I was in Lowestoft Suffolk this weekend just gone, and they even built offshore structures for them to try to encourage them to roost elsewhere but it hasn’t worked. Oh my god the noise and the mess in the town centre, not to mention the stink!

Some of the PI are definitely due a revamp, often there are two or so in a city so definitely worth doing the research as to what one might be the best.

I love a PI, I just wish they had rooms for two adults and three children once the third DC is out of a cot. I tend to stay in them when I am taking the DC on my own, usually a couple of times a year.

The staff in the Brighton one are fabulous! They are always so busy (probably understaffed) but they are always so friendly and helpful and so happy! I always leave good feedback as they make the stay special, by being so happy!

We stayed at a PI in Edinburgh recently. It was revolting. We moved from the first room as it was unclean. The second room was worse, and had encrusted faeces on the side of the bath abd on the toilet roll dispenser. We were late for a gig so just put up with it, and left first thing. I will never stay in one again. It was very expensive too.

January this year. I refused to shower and we left earlier than planned.

@Pinkrosesyellowroses same for us 😁