Hotel Chains Discussion

[D6130]

I attended the Pete tong Ibiza classics show at the hydro in Glasgow last night and lodged overnight at the the Britannia Inn by Charing cross station. When this was Premier Inn it was always a disappointment as you go in expecting certain standards and come up empty. As another operators hotel you don't necessarily have the same expectations and given that the room I had was both in better condition and cleaner than the last time I stayed there in summer 21 I was not disappointed. I didn't mind not having the expensive £7 Wi-Fi as my own 5G data was almost certainly better and breakfast was tasty this morning. Only criticism was that the soap and shower gel had just been freshly replaced and the housekeeper haven't made sure that they were actually working before leaving the room which lent to a certain amount of fiddling with them to make them do this.

The 4 p.m. check-in and 10 a.m. check out our frustrating but this is a known fact when staying with Britannia so you can hardly complain when you know what you signed up for at point of purchase

Coincidentally, I too stayed at the Charing Cross Britannia Inn last night for the Forum curry - also for the first time since the Summer of 2021 - and like you I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and cleanliness of the room which, while needing a wee bit of TLC in the odd corner, was perfectly adequate. One improvement since Premier Inn days was the fact that a rubber anti-slip mat was provided in the bathroom. Oh....and all three lifts are working again. The check-in is a slight pain, with only one receptionist working instead of the previous two....and I noticed that, although she was wearing a Britannia uniform, she still had a Premier Inns lanyard for her ID card. I arrived at about 16 25 and had to wait about ten minutes to check-in....mainly because a group of what I can only describe as 'Disney Princesses' in front of me in the queue were messing around and making ridiculous requests for room facilities, which were dealt with patiently and politely by the single receptionist. I didn't try the breakfast as I thought it rather expensive for the limited range of veggie items available. Instead I went to the excellent little privately-owned and run café across the forecourt next to the piano bar. Shame I didn't see you at the hotel, otherwise I could have posted in the "Seeing other Forum members unexpectedly" thread. You missed a great curry in good company by the way!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Coincidence indeed. I got there at 3:35 and and as they had rooms ready allowed me to check in so missed your Disney princesses but they were all using the three lifts at 10:05 this morning when we all checked out at once. I rolled back from the game at about midnight and found the new check out time not at all to my liking, I'm normally in the habit of waking up in time for breakfast and then going back to bed for a few hours before a leisurely shower and shave and lunchtime check out. The Scottish girl on reception this morning said that she could not understand it at all and and that they were trying to get it changed but as this appears to be Britannia wide policy I can't imagine this happening anytime soon

Bathmat an improvement yes although no bedside shelf of any kind in my room, I can put up with this but I guess it would upset some

 

[DelayRepay]

A few weeks ago, I posted about my stay in a Best Western hotel, where I arrived to find the room freezing as the window had been left open.

Last night, I stayed in a Travelodge. When I arrived at about 4:30pm, my car said the outside temperature was zero, snow was falling and there was a light covering of snow on the empty parts of the car park. On checking in, I found my bedroom window open. The electric heater was on, but set to minimum so the room was cold.

I am curious as to whether leaving windows open is a 'thing', having encountered it twice now. I know it was historically part of the Covid guidance, but when I arrive at a hotel in the depth of winter I want a warm room, not one where I have to sit wearing my coat for half an hour while the heater does its stuff. Also dread to think how much electricity they are wasting through this practice. Presumably the heater would have been on all night with the window open in any rooms which were unoccupied.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Nothing against the room being aired and in fact quite like the safety factor that gives me but certainly it's a bit of a disappointment that these windows are being left open and heaters either left on wasting energy or not left on and the window being open so that the room is cold for the incoming guest

 

[Peter Mugridge]

A few weeks ago, I posted about my stay in a Best Western hotel, where I arrived to find the room freezing as the window had been left open.

Last night, I stayed in a Travelodge. When I arrived at about 4:30pm, my car said the outside temperature was zero, snow was falling and there was a light covering of snow on the empty parts of the car park. On checking in, I found my bedroom window open. The electric heater was on, but set to minimum so the room was cold.

I hope you marked them both down heavily in the reviews afterwards?

 

[Bungle73]

What the hell is going on with Premier Inn prices?? They want a minimum of £290 for two nights in York in December! This for a rate with no meals that can only be cancelled 28 days before hand. Sorry, but I'm not paying substantially more than I've previously paid for a four star hotel in a prime location for a budget hotel that isn't.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What the hell is going on with Premier Inn prices?? They want a minimum of £290 for two nights in York in December! This for a rate with no meals that can only be cancelled 28 days before hand. Sorry, but I'm not paying substantially more than I've previously paid for a four star hotel in a prime location for a budget hotel that isn't.

I've noticed they've gone rather mad on weekends in most big city hotels (the ones by motorway junctions still seem to be quite cheap). My prediction is that they're trying it on and that prices may drop nearer the time if they don't fill them, so if your dates aren't essential then hang fire and see!

 

[Huntergreed]

Premier Inn prices have risen significantly since before the inflation crisis.

I used go be able to secure a PI room for £29-35 in most places if I booked early enough. I now struggle to find anything under £45-50

 

[Bungle73]

I've noticed they've gone rather mad on weekends in most big city hotels (the ones by motorway junctions still seem to be quite cheap). My prediction is that they're trying it on and that prices may drop nearer the time if they don't fill them, so if your dates aren't essential then hang fire and see!

It's weekdays I'm looking at. Not too tied to dates, but I'm wanting to be there when the Christmas stuff is going on. When I looked around the same time last year for last December they only wanted around £60 for two nights. I chose to stay at my usual haunt, the Dean Court, instead. This year I thought I'd look at a cheaper option, and it would make a change. I was thinking I may book 3 nights instead if it's cheap enough, but just 2 nights on its own is too much for what you're getting.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Premier Inn prices have risen significantly since before the inflation crisis.

I used go be able to secure a PI room for £29-35 in most places if I booked early enough. I now struggle to find anything under £45-50

Hotels were classically mostly run by minimum wage staff. Minimum wage has gone up a lot and it's still hard to get people on that pay, so maybe their costs have rocketed too, I suppose. Plus there'll be the issue of getting back what they lost during COVID.

On the other hand, now they've removed mid-stay cleaning (something I never saw much point in; I don't clean my house daily nor particularly like some random hotel cleaner poking around my stuff, or putting that pointless decorative long mat thing back on the bed so I can remove it and chuck it in the corner again) you'd think their housekeeping costs would have reduced.

 

[route101]

Yes noticed the high prices too. Bit of a bummer if you work Mon to Friday and want to go somewhere for the weekend.

 

[edwin_m]

What the hell is going on with Premier Inn prices?? They want a minimum of £290 for two nights in York in December! This for a rate with no meals that can only be cancelled 28 days before hand. Sorry, but I'm not paying substantially more than I've previously paid for a four star hotel in a prime location for a budget hotel that isn't.

Two possible factors, off the top of my head:

1. If the resurgence in rail numbers is led by leisure rather than business travel, then the same may apply to hotels.
2. With the uncertainty on inflation, wages and labour supply I wonder if they are nervous about what their costs might be in 11 months time, and pricing up to cover this risk.

 

[philjo]

What the hell is going on with Premier Inn prices?? They want a minimum of £290 for two nights in York in December! This for a rate with no meals that can only be cancelled 28 days before hand. Sorry, but I'm not paying substantially more than I've previously paid for a four star hotel in a prime location for a budget hotel that isn't.

What dates are these? The Uk snooker championship is on in York the first weekend of December and the Christmas markets also attract a lot of visitors. Premier inn tend to have high prices if there are major events scheduled for a particular location. E.g. when I was looking in Leeds for the Ashes test match dates the Novotel was cheaper then the premier inn next door. Sometimes nearer the time the prices are lower. I gather some hotels are factoring in anticipated energy costs in their future prices.

 

[route101]

With regard to prices I did book a Travelodge the day before, Birmingham Moor St Travelodge for around £30 for the night.

At around £30 a night not much to complain about except the weed smell around the hotel.

 

[WizCastro197]

With regard to prices I did book a Travelodge the day before, Birmingham Moor St Travelodge for around £30 for the night.

At around £30 a night not much to complain about except the weed smell around the hotel.

Seems normal around mot large cities sadly. £30 is great for booking the day before, maybe it was that price as a little reward for putting up with the smell.

 

[RuddA]

Seems normal around mot large cities sadly. £30 is great for booking the day before, maybe it was that price as a little reward for putting up with the smell.

Didn't smell anything when I stayed there a year ago. Not TL's fault, but it wasn't nice for my daughters to look out of the hallway window and see dead birds stuck in the netting covering the derelict buildings next door.

 

[Bungle73]

What dates are these? The Uk snooker championship is on in York the first weekend of December and the Christmas markets also attract a lot of visitors. Premier inn tend to have high prices if there are major events scheduled for a particular location. E.g. when I was looking in Leeds for the Ashes test match dates the Novotel was cheaper then the premier inn next door. Sometimes nearer the time the prices are lower. I gather some hotels are factoring in anticipated energy costs in their future prices.

Tuesday to Thursday of the first week in December. I checked out the preceding and succeeding weeks and there is no difference.

 

[dgl]

£55 per night at Hanger Lane Premier Inn over the weekend in a couple of weeks time didn't seem too bad, naturally more centrally located hotels were much more but with two tube stations within 500m and within around 30 mins to oxford circus it's easy/quick to get to.

One thing I do like about Premier Inn and Travelodge is that on the search results page they show you the cheapest total price for the nights and rooms you've searched for, others show you the cheapest room per night, making price comparison more difficult.

 

[Cletus]

York's Premier Inns have always been much more expensive than you'd expect.

If you don't need to be in York itself then their hotel in Bradford is usually the one to go for. Regularly £29.00 a night there.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Some, although definitely not all of the Premier Inn price rises can certainly be explained away by 1 very important, to me at any rate factor. They're upkeep and maintenance is generally speaking an awful lot better. It's unusual to check into a Premier Inn room where something is is broken or not working from the word go. I've had various mid-stay failures of fans or hvac or or soap dispensers or kettles but 99 stays out of 100 the room performs exactly as it should from the moment you first enter it. Can't say the same for Travelodge ware are a first trip to the room is generally followed by at least one visit back to reception to either complain or get stuff that's missing or both

 

[DelayRepay]

Some, although definitely not all of the Premier Inn price rises can certainly be explained away by 1 very important, to me at any rate factor. They're upkeep and maintenance is generally speaking an awful lot better. It's unusual to check into a Premier Inn room where something is is broken or not working from the word go. I've had various mid-stay failures of fans or hvac or or soap dispensers or kettles but 99 stays out of 100 the room performs exactly as it should from the moment you first enter it. Can't say the same for Travelodge ware are a first trip to the room is generally followed by at least one visit back to reception to either complain or get stuff that's missing or both

That explains why PI are more expensive than Travelodge, but not why PI have increased their prices so much, because it's always been the case.

I do agree that PI rooms are generally of a better standard and better maintained. I also find that when you do have a problem at PI, they are quick to sort it out. I once spent a weekend in a Travelodge without a working bathroom light. They couldn't move me as there were no other rooms available, there was nobody on site who was able to change a lightbulb, and their maintenance person wasn't available at weekends. The best they could suggest was to use my phone as a torch, or leave the bathroom door open!


There is a PI that I stayed in regularly before the pandemic and their car parking was always free (they have their own car park). I stayed there for a night over Christmas and they wanted £6 to park (although the very nice guy on reception let me park for free on the basis they weren't busy ) Not sure how common this is but it's another example of the cost of staying in PI being higher than it used to be.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That explains why PI are more expensive than Travelodge

Oddly at the moment I'm not universally finding that to be the case. For the last couple of bookings I've done, PI has been cheaper. Significantly so in one case.

There is a PI that I stayed in regularly before the pandemic and their car parking was always free (they have their own car park). I stayed there for a night over Christmas and they wanted £6 to park (although the very nice guy on reception let me park for free on the basis they weren't busy ) Not sure how common this is but it's another example of the cost of staying in PI being higher than it used to be.

I've not come across chargeable parking in out of town PIs but it does seem to be the norm in urban ones. It's worth noting that at some (e.g. Wigan Central) it's cheaper to park at a nearby public car park, there's one directly opposite that one for example.

 

[Bungle73]

York's Premier Inns have always been much more expensive than you'd expect.

If you don't need to be in York itself then their hotel in Bradford is usually the one to go for. Regularly £29.00 a night there.

As I say, it was ~£60 last year though. Has to be in York as I don't drive, and I want to be able to come and go.

I paid £264.10 at the Dean Court last year, for a Small Double room (but I got upgraded) with a room overlooking the street (and therefore, just, the Minster), and that included a multiple selection cooked to order breakfast. It's also in probably the best location in York. And it was cancellable until a few days beforehand

Why would I pay more for substantially less?

 

[MikeWM]

York's Premier Inns have always been much more expensive than you'd expect.

If you don't need to be in York itself then their hotel in Bradford is usually the one to go for. Regularly £29.00 a night there.

Yes, the York ones are always rather more expensive than most - presumably because they are fairly small and in high demand. I did manage to get a room in Blossom Street North on a Monday night for £63 last spring with about 6 weeks notice, which is more than I'd usually pay for a PI room but I didn't mind for a one-off.

Agreed with Bradford (but don't tell everyone!). Though their wifi offering is worse than in any other PI I've stayed at - you don't seem to be able to get it at all in most of the rooms. That was the case pre-covid and was still the case when I was there last spring. So if that matters to you, this may not be the best one to go for.

Halifax is another option that always seems to be far better value than most surrounding places.

 

[D6130]

Agreed with Bradford (but don't tell everyone!). Though their wifi offering is worse than in any other PI I've stayed at - you don't seem to be able to get it at all in most of the rooms. That was the case pre-covid and was still the case when I was there last spring. So if that matters to you, this may not be the best one to go for.

Halifax is another option that always seems to be far better value than most surrounding places.

Yes....and both have an hourly direct train to York - and more frequently by changing at Leeds. You would probably save money. as the train fares would be less than the additional cost of staying in York. However, this would be at the cost of having all the attractions of York on your doorstep. I'm afraid it's the same story with all historic tourist honeypot cities.

 

[MikeWM]

Yes....and both have an hourly direct train to York - and more frequently by changing at Leeds. You would probably save money. as the train fares would be less than the additional cost of staying in York. However, this would be at the cost of having all the attractions of York on your doorstep. I'm afraid it's the same story with all historic tourist honeypot cities.

Well, yes, and the Blossom Street ones are particularly well-located for a midnight trip to see what's going on at York station

 

[WelshBluebird]

If your wanting to stay in York I'd personally look at other hotels and B&Bs. There's plenty of choice thanks to how touristy the place is. Maybe my standards are lower (as ive said before in my experiences I really don't recognise the massive gap between Travelodge and PI mentioned by people on this thread - to me they have been pretty much identical on average) but I've been more than happy in the Ibis York central and two different B&Bs for the times I've stayed there.

As for prices in general, I've said this before but since COVID prices really have rocketed across the board. Not just PI, but the other chains too. And that increase does seem to be more on weekends too.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ibis are perfectly fine as a budget/midrange brand too, they just aren't as common in the UK. Standard is basically Premier Inn level though their "modubogs" are a bit Marmite. Breakfasts I find far better than PI. They are my default outside the UK.

 

[Silver Cobra]

What the hell is going on with Premier Inn prices?? They want a minimum of £290 for two nights in York in December! This for a rate with no meals that can only be cancelled 28 days before hand. Sorry, but I'm not paying substantially more than I've previously paid for a four star hotel in a prime location for a budget hotel that isn't.

I noticed very similar when looking at options for a stay in Blackpool in June. For a four night stay from Monday to Friday in the latter half of the month, Premier Inn want £311 for the non-refundable option or £373 for the full flex option. In comparison Travelodge want only £143 for non-refundable or £189 for full flex. While I would love to give Premier Inn a try (and will actually be doing so in October in London), it's pretty much a no-brainer for me to take up Travelodge's offer in this case. I've stayed at the South Shore Travelodge in Blackpool in the past, so I know what to expect from there.

Though saying that, the price gap between Premier Inn and Travelodge isn't always so vast. For my aforementioned stay in London in October, the average difference between the two for a four night stay was only around £25-40, hence it being my opportunity to give Premier Inn a try.

Ibis are perfectly fine as a budget/midrange brand too, they just aren't as common in the UK. Standard is basically Premier Inn level though their "modubogs" are a bit Marmite. Breakfasts I find far better than PI. They are my default outside the UK.

Something I have noticed is that Ibis and Holiday Inn are very rare to find in UK seaside resorts. Those seem to be predominantly Premier Inn and Travelodge territory.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There just aren't many Ibisses generally (!) and they are in quite random places.

Holiday Inn, despite its name, is primarily a chain of business hotels in the UK.