Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Premier inn - financial trouble and rooms

80 replies

Teacherteachernotapreacher · 17/12/2023 07:35

I’m talking myself round in circles here and hoping you can all help!

have 4 nights booked in a premier inn in London over Xmas period. Have had it booked for ages and will pay on arrival. Have two rooms booked as there are 5 of us - 2 adults and 3 chn aged 7, 10 and 11

have recently had some unexpected financial disasters which mean we are not doing well financially.

would cancel the trip but have things booked that I can’t get refunded and it’s also the chns and husbands surprise Christmas present (they don’t have much else except chocolate and socks)

Can’t contact the hotel directly as it just rings out using the premier inn number when I get transferred.

Would they notice/mind if we all squeezed into one room? And if we did, could we still get all three kids a breakfast for free? (And then they’d know anyway as they was what room you’re in)

it would save a fair bit making the trip less stressful for me. But then I’d stress about lying about the number of people in a room.

what would you all do?

OP posts:
greenacrylicpaint · 17/12/2023 09:43

pot noodles, couscous you can 'cook' in the room with the kettle. add (tinned) veg and you have a half decent meal.

Iudncuewbccgrcb · 17/12/2023 09:44

I think the OP means it's £45 per person per night. She has divided the cost of the two rooms added together between 5.

So £112.50 per room per night

NearlyMonday · 17/12/2023 09:46

cestlavielife · 17/12/2023 09:41

You will be miserable squashed in one room espec if using as base to eat takeaway food etc . Use two rooms. Put on credit card and enjoy a break. Use the local tesco. Look for uber eats and deliveroo deals sign up for £10 off etc.

This. Not sounding like much fun for anyone.

Mountaindhew · 17/12/2023 09:49

Keep the rooms. £45 is amazingly cheap as others have said.
You can also maximise your time - drive down early and leave London late after full day - its the holidays so what if you get home very late/ early hours.

LittleBearPad · 17/12/2023 09:50

Iudncuewbccgrcb · 17/12/2023 09:44

I think the OP means it's £45 per person per night. She has divided the cost of the two rooms added together between 5.

So £112.50 per room per night

Edited

Still a bargain for London

CissOff · 17/12/2023 09:52

Re take aways, Premier Inn have always given me plates and cutlery when I’ve asked.

It’s also usually good value to upgrade to the meal deal so you get dinner for about £15 extra.

mylittleprince · 17/12/2023 09:52

What else do you have booked? I would suspect you'd be able to sell tickets fairly easily especially if you bought them a long time ago and it was cheap. If it's the HP studios you'd sell them instantly there is always people looking for tickets for that as it sells out so far in advance.

CherryBlossom321 · 17/12/2023 09:58

I wouldn’t. It’s a fire safety risk, and how would you explain the presence of an additional child having breakfast, if confronted? It also means an uncomfortable stay for at least one family member for several nights. Just no. Personally I’d pop it on my credit card, enjoy the experience, and spread the payment.

ectoone · 17/12/2023 10:00

Iudncuewbccgrcb · 17/12/2023 09:44

I think the OP means it's £45 per person per night. She has divided the cost of the two rooms added together between 5.

So £112.50 per room per night

Edited

Each room is 45 each a night.

I think you could be right, I misread this initially.

EdgarsTale · 17/12/2023 10:05

That sounds awful all cramped into one room. Also if there’s a fire, they’ll think there’s only 2 children to save, so be very careful.

Original poster
Teacherteachernotapreacher · 17/12/2023 10:31

These are all really helpful thanks. One room is 45 and one is 55 per night so 110 for both rooms for each night.
it’s in Hampstead so not mega central but easy enough to get in and out. There’s parking there for 16 for 24 hours.
I think I’ll keep the two and just get meals right down by taking your tips thanks!

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 17/12/2023 11:00

That’s a great deal for Hampstead!

rookiemere · 17/12/2023 11:09

The Premier Inn meal deal with breakfast is good value and the portions are huge with a starter and main. You might be able to do some sharing amongst yourselves .

I don't know anything about parking in London but you could maybe check on Just Park and see if you can get someone's driveway for cheaper nearby.

LittleBearPad · 17/12/2023 11:11

The Heath is lovely for a walk and Kenwood will be decorated for Christmas and should be free entry. There’s a great playground at the bottom of Parliament Hill (great view of London) too if you end up that way.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 17/12/2023 11:19

That is an AMAZING rate for London Premier Inn!

10yDrama · 17/12/2023 11:24

Honestly I vote for doing your best to shave £180 off what you spend whilst in London and other stuff over the next few weeks and keep what you've booked.

£45/night for the space and extra bathroom, breakfasts and not having to sneak about/change plans and lose that money is a bargain.

I think it would be a false economy to alter your hotel booking.

Rainbowshit · 17/12/2023 11:47

If you ask they will definitely say no. Plenty of people sneak a third child in. Uncomfortable for 4 nights though.

hangingonfordearlife1 · 17/12/2023 11:53

all these people saying they would mind- they won't even notice, majority of them are now self check in. leave kids in car get key and then go to room separately. literally nobody cares!! i worked on reception in liverpool for 5 years. An extra child is not going to matter when there are people with literally 3 extra adults sleeping on floors on some stag/hen dos

LaurieStrode · 17/12/2023 12:17

Having the two bathrooms is worth a lot.

ClockHolly · 17/12/2023 13:35

@hangingonfordearlife1 thats really interesting. If you ever suspected a family had 3 children in one room, would you or your colleagues say anything or just leave them be?

Calmdown14 · 17/12/2023 14:05

Get the Too Good To Go app. Really good for the next day's picnic and if you have a car it will stay cold in there overnight. We take a little cool bag anyway.

Better to save on food than stress about being asked to leave the hotel.

Or it means you can do cheaper early offers on food out and just have a sandwich later.

Take snacks and refillable bottles with you. One if the little squeezy concentrated cordials. It's this stuff that really stacks up over a few days.

Angrycat2768 · 17/12/2023 14:08

Oh yes too hood to go is excellent for this. There will be loads of restaurants on it in London.

FestiveFrederica · 17/12/2023 14:20

Hampstead is lovely! That's a great price. I was thinking you'd be somewhere horrible and in the middle of nowhere so was going to say cancel and postpone the activities. Things like theatre tickets you can usually move in an emergency. I've had to do it.

But if you'll be in hampstead with lots of activities booked, I'd go and keep the two rooms. Save money elsewhere like meals and transport.

cestlavielife · 17/12/2023 21:07

Great location
Get the no 1 bus into town if you only do buses the cap is cheaper per day
Dont buy at budgens/kavanaghs, but take bus to morrisons in chalk farm or go up to tesco in hampstead. C11 or 268 bus to the aldi in finchley road 02 centre. Cheap and cheerful cafes on queens crescent or stalls in camden . the community cafe in swiss cottage or pasticcios finchley rd
https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzs8whPBBTmA9ktj7

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzs8whPBBTmA9ktj7

FrancisSeaton · 17/12/2023 21:09

How on earth did you manage to get a room in London this close to Christmas for 45 pounds? Massively jealous and impressed