Budget hotel near Harry Potter Studios - Watford? Hemel?

[TheGirlOnTheLanding]

After an inspired suggestion by someone on here, we're booked to go to HP studios and now need to get cracking and book a place to stay. It's a very long drive for us, so we'll need to stay two nights so want to be in a fairly comfortable family room but ideally want a budget hotel. Does anyone have experience of the Premier Inns in either Hemel Hempstead or Watford, or have a recommendation of similar nearby?

Thanks in advance.

Anyone? Sorry, dull topic I know but I trust you lot more than TripAdvisor.

Premier inns are usually fine
I live slightly further up the m1 do you want places to visit? Mind you it all costs munney :(

We stayed in a Travelodge in Central London and then got the train to Watford Junction and the Studio bus. It was easy and much nicer to be in London itself.

I stayed in the Premier Inn last year at Luton south for a week. It was great.

Thanks all. Owllady, I don't know how much time we'll have to do anything else - we'll be driving pretty much all day the first day, HP tour the day after, then drive home the next. We're booked in the mid morning tour, so if there's anything nearby worth a visit late afternoon then yes, please let me know, it would be great to have an idea if we're at a loose end later on.

Remus, we're saving London for another trip - want to avoid driving into the city - so we'll be best somewhere a short drive from the Studios and the M1.

Pleased to hear Premier Inns family rooms are ok though - we've occasionally stayed in them pre-kids but never as a family. They're everywhere round that area so we're spoilt for choice!

Living very close to Watford, just wanted to mention that Premier inn Watford on Water Lane is very well situated; less than 5 mins from Watford shops and round the corner from Watford High Street Station which is about 50 mins into London Euston (slow service). It's a short hop on a bus to the Junction to catch the tour bus.

Also when you pay for an adult breakfast you get free children's breakfast, although you are not far from the Tesco Extra over the road which has a Giraffe (it's Tesco's flagship store so very civilised). If you time it right, you can get a family room for £29 for 2 adults and 2 children.

Having been to the HP experience - it's fantastic, although very tiring - you could easily be there 3-4 hours.

What are the ages of your DCs?

We went last summer and stayed at the Hilton, we booked through booking.com and at the time was cheaper than Pemier Inn! Breakfast was included, there is a Toby Carvery next door as the hotel restaurant was quite expensive (in our opinion)

We always go for Premier Inn when we have the kids with us, much nicer than Travelodge & they love the breakfasts (tip you get 2 children free with every adult do when we're staying fir more than a couple of days dh & I alternate between having the full breakfast & the continental)

As I said earlier, last year we stayed for a whole week as dd was doing a dance summer school in Harpenden.

Over Xmas when we stayed in a Premier inn both adults had to buy full breakfast to qualify for kids' free ones, but we always used to opt for a full + a continental. Not sure if this is a policy change (hard to police as it's a buffet) - I am happy enough with toast with marmalade and Costa coffee!

The premier inn empire is based in that area (well dunstable ), that's why there are loads of them :) it will be fine given your drive down, dat at studios, sleep drive back. They are comfortable, it will be fine :)

Watford have loads of Premierinn's. What area are you coming from as it might be an idea to travel home a bit so the journey the next day isn't as bad.

another vote for Premier Inn in Watford. kids eat free with buffet breakfast so really good value. it was a 10ish minutes drive to studios from there

DD and I stayed at this Best Western hotel in Watford last summer. The food was surprisingly good.