Accommodation suggestions and reviews

[Blindtraveler]

That is a really good find, especially for people like me. Not really wanting to stay in student infested Lancaster with its comparatively short supply of accommodation and higher prices

 

[trainophile]

Very envious, the Midland has been on our bucket list for years, but somehow it always seems a couple of noughts too expensive. However the way the Travelodge is going with soaring prices it probably means the Midland will become a serious contender at some future point. I wonder if the sea facing rooms are dearer than those that don’t.

Most of the accommodation in Morecambe is along the coast in the “west end” area, and although it’s mainly pretty good (I have had two lumpy mattress experiences in different hotels) it’s quite a hike from the station and the town centre. Not that there’s much in the town centre, it’s more of a village street with a couple of covered arcades. Pleasant enough for a short break, and a handy stop-off if you’re heading to Scotland, being a 10 minute train ride from Lancaster.

 

[Haywain]

the Midland has been on our bucket list for years, but somehow it always seems a couple of noughts too expensive.

The winter offer that has just finished was pretty good, with dinner, bed & breakfast at (or possibly from?) £99 for two people. Maybe keep an eye open for a similar offer next winter?

 

[Kite159]

Ibis, Reading

Located less than 5 minutes walk from the station, so a good location compared to other hotels in Reading. Room was quite quiet as the rooms seem to be set back from the main road, overlooking another hotel. Room was a bit tired but was perfectly functional as a twin room, even if the beds were a bit on the narrow side. (better than a fold up camp bed you get in some Travelodges!)

Certainly an useful place to stay

 

[D6975]

Ash House Farm at Acton Bridge.
I stayed here for 3 nights in April 2025. I had a big room which had a microwave and a fridge. Real milk provided to go with the tea/coffee which is so much better than those UHT things that you normally get. Breakfast was generous and very good, they keep their own free range chickens so the eggs were particularly nice and I brought half a dozen home with me. We were made to feel very welcome by Alex and we’ll be staying there next time we’re taking a trip up this way. It's a fair hike from the station, about 2km NW. There's a footbridge over the line though which is only a few minutes walk SE from the Farm.

 

[Haywain]

Potbank Aparthotel, Stoke-upon-Trent

After my previous visit to Stoke (post #1,218) I was delighted to find that the North Stafford Hotel was unavailable on this occasion. Looking for a suitable location and price on Booking.com led me to the Potbank, with a room at £50 for the night. The site is the former Spode pottery works and the accommodation is an a converted part of the works, close to the entrance. This turned out to be good vale for a very clean, comfortable and spacious room. In the room there was also a kitchenette with a small induction hob and sink, a fridge and a microwave, so self-catering would be an option if staying for more than one night. This is also a fairly easy walk from the station, although on the opposite side of the canal and the hideous Queensway, with an unpromising and somewhat run down approach. Although Stoke-upon-Trent isn't very attractive, it is nearer to where Stoke City play and convenient for the railway station with the real city centre (of Stoke-on-Trent) being in Hanley. In summary, I would happily stay at Potbank again, but need to do more research on a good breakfast option.


Incidentally, Sleeperz in Cardiff (post #1,601) has now been rebranded as Four Points Flex by Sheraton (catchy, isn't it?!).

 

[sheff1]

I try to avoid Blackpool but needing to be there recently I booked the recently opened Holiday Inn next to North station. Couldn’t fault anything and reasonably priced.

Large Sainsbury’s opposite if you want supplies. Unfortunatey the also opposite Raleside Brewhouse was closed for refurbishment.

 

[Willie Bee]

....not to mention trains, which are quicker still. The airport PI is just across the road from Edinburgh Park station.

I'm considering booking a 2-city trip for the end of the year, Aberdeen and Edinburgh

We've stayed at the PI Hub hotel in Haymarket a few times, including a few weeks ago and always found it to great for our needs, in one of their 'bigger' rooms.

The prices are getting a bit steep now, so I took a look at the Edinburgh Park PI, which is about £20 cheaper per night and of course, with a much bigger room.

What's more, my wife likes TK Max, so she could pop over the road, while I stay in bed .. a briliant idea !

QUESTION

Has anybody here stayed at the Aberdeen Premier Inn .. if so, would you stay there again.

I've seen an earlier post here recommending Travelodge in Aberdeen, so maybe that would be worth trying. I've never been to a TL before

 

[trainophile]

I'm considering booking a 2-city trip for the end of the year, Aberdeen and Edinburgh

We've stayed at the PI Hub hotel in Haymarket a few times, including a few weeks ago and always found it to great for our needs, in one of their 'bigger' rooms.

The prices are getting a bit steep now, so I took a look at the Edinburgh Park PI, which is about £20 cheaper per night and of course, with a much bigger room.

What's more, my wife likes TK Max, so she could pop over the road, while I stay in bed .. a briliant idea !

QUESTION

Has anybody here stayed at the Aberdeen Premier Inn .. if so, would you stay there again.

I've seen an earlier post here recommending Travelodge in Aberdeen, so maybe that would be worth trying. I've never been to a TL before

Travelodge is okay if you don't expect the Ritz. They are known for their very comfortable beds, and I've never had a bad one yet. You don't get any frills, just a small kettle and cups, teabags etc., which you can ask for replenishments of if they haven't got a supply in reception to help yourself. I was a bit cold in the night when the weather was particularly cold - twice I ended up buying a cheap throw in the local area which made all the difference. They don't supply extra blankets or anything, although in the worst of the winter some rooms (in the Scarborough one anyway) had a free standing electric heater to supplement the wall mounted heater. The wall mounted heaters are pretty good, you control them yourself and unlike the aircon/heating controls at some Premier Inns they aren't complicated! Ensuite bathrooms are standard, unfortunately they are stuck in the shower curtains era instead of screens, and - here's a tip - check that the shower gel/shampoo dispenser is working before you strip off and get in! Always take a bottle of your own wash stuff with you, as quite often the dispensers are broken or empty.

Never been in the PI in Aberdeen, but the TL is only a few minutes walk from the station. Both chains have become stupidly expensive recently though, so I'd book your accommodation before you book your train tickets!

 

[bspahh]

Its worth checking reviews for Travelodges as they vary in quality. Often they are fine. The one horrible room that I've had in the last 20 years was a Travelodge, and I would have avoided it if I had read the Tripadvisor reviews.

Don't just look at the star ratings, but read the comments. For me, red flags are dirty or mouldy rooms. I rarely bother with the catering. If I'm arriving by car, I don't mind if there are grumbles about accessiblity by public transport. If I'm coming by train, I don't care about the parking.

Some might not have air conditioning, which might be a problem in a heat wave.

 

[dave87016]

I usually stay in premier inns but after my experience at Aberdeen Central Travelodge I would happily stay in them again , my bedroom window opened , and there is a fan in every bedroom which clinches it for me despite being a bonus as a love a cold /cool room regardless of the weather

The staff are great and basically you have everything within 5 mins walk

Sorry I forgot to insert quote from post #1,658

 

[ChrisC]

I stayed for 9 nights in Aberdeen at the beginning of May last year whilst exploring the area by bus. I found accommodation in the centre of Aberdeen quite expensive but ended up getting a reasonable price at the Ibis. It’s only a few minutes walk from the station on the quayside with rooms on the back overlooking the harbour. It was basic as you would expect at an Ibis, but no more so than a Travelodge. The bed was comfortable, it was clean and well maintained and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. Breakfast was good too, including the haggis. It’s worth considering as an alternative to Premier Inn and Travelodge. I would stay there again.

 

[route101]

Stayed at Heathrow T4 Premier Inn. First time staying at this Heathrow T4 Premier Inn. I wasn't flying out LHR, but quite often the airport Premier Inns are much cheaper than central London ones. Its easily accessed via a covered walkway and if you are lucky you will get a room facing the airport. Give yourself plenty of time if you need to get over to Central Heathrow Bus Station, took over 30 minutes as you need to wait for trains and lifts etc.

 

[Butts]

Stayed at Heathrow T4 Premier Inn. First time staying at this Heathrow T4 Premier Inn. I wasn't flying out LHR, but quite often the airport Premier Inns are much cheaper than central London ones. Its easily accessed via a covered walkway and if you are lucky you will get a room facing the airport. Give yourself plenty of time if you need to get over to Central Heathrow Bus Station, took over 30 minutes as you need to wait for trains and lifts etc.

Sometimes it's quicker to get the Bus from right outside = stayed there last week.

 

[317 forever]

I'm considering booking a 2-city trip for the end of the year, Aberdeen and Edinburgh

We've stayed at the PI Hub hotel in Haymarket a few times, including a few weeks ago and always found it to great for our needs, in one of their 'bigger' rooms.

The prices are getting a bit steep now, so I took a look at the Edinburgh Park PI, which is about £20 cheaper per night and of course, with a much bigger room.

What's more, my wife likes TK Max, so she could pop over the road, while I stay in bed .. a briliant idea !

QUESTION

Has anybody here stayed at the Aberdeen Premier Inn .. if so, would you stay there again.

I've seen an earlier post here recommending Travelodge in Aberdeen, so maybe that would be worth trying. I've never been to a TL before

I found Premier Inn at Aberdeen reasonable at Easter 2017.

 

[Blindtraveler]

My advice for Aberdeen would be shop around, you can do an awful lot better than Premier Inn and indeed probably t l as well but it all depends on your dates and times.

 

[185143]

EasyHotel Basel

That was an experience. Booked a small double room for Saturday night. Cheap by Swiss standards (£67).

Got there and checked in on the self service machine. Except it didn't work so I had to go to another hotel a few minutes down the road as per the machine's instruction and wait for their receptionist to arrive. They were helpful and sorted the problem. So back to the EasyHotel to complete the check in.

Got a message to say I was checked in but my room number wasn't confirmed, go to the other hotel for assistance. So I did.

They gave me my number and back to the EasyHotel I go. Except my room key won't let me into the building. They let me in remotely, but then it wouldn't open the door to the lifts. So back to the other hotel I went!

At that point, the receptionist there had also had enough and checked me in there at no cost to myself. Can't complain as it was a nicer room and from looking online about £50 more expensive. Slept very well there despite the horrendous beer prices in the pub I ended up in.

Euro Youth Hotel, Munich
Had another carry on trying to get into my room! Took multiple attempts to get in with the room key card they'd initially issued. Aside from that, no complaints at all. Round the corner from Munich Hbf and a very cheap bar (€3.90 a pint). Book direct and you get a free half on arrival. €51 a night for a private room, hostel accommodation also available. Basic but does the job.

 

[Willie Bee]

My advice for Aberdeen would be shop around, you can do an awful lot better than Premier Inn and indeed probably t l as well but it all depends on your dates and times.

thanks !

I've been looking online and the Ibis Hotel gets good reviews and if I become a member, the price is about the same as the Travelodge Standard Plus room rate.

Maybe I should try out Ibis.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

I have just come back from the Isle of Man.

I can recommend the Trevelyan at Douglas - a bit old fashioned architecturally, but spotlessly clean, excellent breakfast, reasonably priced and run by nice people. I was lucky enough to get a room with a sea view, which was a bonus.

 

[Willie Bee]

My wife and I have stayed at several Premier Inn hotels recently and have always been pleased.

However, today I had a problem trying to amend a booking. I actually just wanted to add an extra day to our stay, which you would think would be easy enough.

The website states that you can amend the booking online, up to 28 days in advance, but as I've never done it before, I thought it best to speak to the P.I. Reservations Department.

A bit of background .. my original 3-day stay had cost me £174, but for the same rooms now, the total would be £158 .. so much for booking early. With the extra night, the website was showing as £213, so I just needed to pay an extra £39

Reservations kept mentioning dynamic pricing and came up with a price of over £260 .. far from the £213 I could see on my computer.

I asked for the telephone number of the hotel. I phoned but somehow was put back to the same chap again, in the Philipines, but he was able to transfer me back to the hotel.

Their price was even higher, over £300. I explained that I could just book the 4th night online for £55 and the total would be £229, well under their £300 price .. but I would be missing out on the price discount (£158 now for 3 nights, not the £174 I paid)

I was then transferred to Guest Relations .. based somewhere in Southern Asia.

I explained once again and the adviser, a very helpful woman suggested I just make a new booking for the full 4 days, at the £213 and she would cancel off my original 3 day booking and refund me the money in full.

This is what I did, but it just goes to show you need to be aware that online prices can differ greatly to telephone prices.

 

[dave87016]

I went to Travelodge Aberdeen central again last night booked it last Thursday £41 for the night this time it was a standard plus room it was good and comfortable call me strange but I honestly would just prefer a normal standard room .

I went down for breakfast at 0745am and I got it from the Buffet and it was piping hot

I have booked 4 nights for September arriving on a Tuesday and departing on the Saturday for £198 including full unlimited breakfast which I think is reasonable as without breakfast it’s £158

I shall be doing a highland rover on that stay in the hope to get the last remaining 3 powercars I need for haulage stretching back to their FGW railway days plus totting up the mileage on them

 

[SuspectUsual]

£198 including full unlimited breakfast which I think is reasonable as without breakfast it’s £158

Well, the more you eat, the better value it is!

 

[dave87016]

Well, the more you eat, the better value it is!

True but I don’t eat a lot I usually get 2 bacon 1 sausage a bit of scrambled egg , a few mushrooms and beans

 

[03_179]

Travelodge - Glossop
Mill Shopping car park, Victoria St, Glossop SK13 8HT
13th May 2025 / 14th May 2025.

Spent one night at Glossop when I went on my quest to clear MerseyRail lines.
Arrived at about 18:45.
Pleasant chap on the reception who informed me that I could use my card to open the main doors after 10pm. I had asked this because I intended to get the train that uses Dinting platform 1 then terminated at Glossop at 00:06. I'm a sucker for a rare line.

Almost adjacent to the hotel is a Wetherspoons so you can get food and a libation if needed.

It's about a 8 minute walk (Downhill) from the station to the hotel.


The room cost me £49.99 for one night which I thought was a Bargain.
The room was compact with a double bed and shower room.
There was little to view out of the window apart from tress but I wasn't there for the view.
The bed was very comfortable and I got a good night sleep.
It was also nice and quiet.

There is a Greggs about a 5 minute walk away that opens at 06:30 on weekdays so that was helpful next morning when I took an early train to Manchester and then on to Liverpool

I would definitely stay there again as it is decently placed.

 

[SuspectUsual]

True but I don’t eat a lot I usually get 2 bacon 1 sausage a bit of scrambled egg , a few mushrooms and beans

Make yourself a couple of bacon sandwiches for your lunch while you're at it

 

[03_179]

Travelodge - Swansea Central
Princess Way, Swansea, SA1 3LQ, UK
2nd April 2025 to 5th April 2025

The wife and I made this base for our trip to South Wales and do the Heart of Wales Line.

The room cost us a total of £179.97.
A nice room that did have a look over the road outside but to be honest it was quiet.
It is well placed and there are a number of places to eat locally in the next street or within a 10 minute walk.
It is a 10/15 minute walk (Downhill) from the station to the hotel. Remember it's a bit longer if going up hill with a large suitcase!
A comfortable bed with a shower room and a large TV.

I would definitely stay there again as it is decently placed.

 

[03_179]

Wetherspoons - The Shrewsbury Hotel
Bridge St, Shrewsbury SY1 1PU
6th April 2025 - 1 night

Having travelled up from Swansea we had booked The Shrewsbury Hotel for one night. It's about 15/20 minutes (downhill) from the station to the hotel.

The room cost us £118 for the night.

I'll split this review in to two parts the pub and the hotel.

Pub:
AWFUL. Long wait for drinks. VERY long wait for food that turned up cold! Tables sticky and dirty. this was when we arrived on the Saturday afternoon.
Breakfast: Menu as normal but the food was less than hot. No coffee machine working. One machine for such a large pub. Rather than broken I suspect they hadn't bothered to get it up and running.

Hotel:
Clean. Tidy. The room we had overlooked the front of the pub. The lady on reception informed us they stopped serving drinks at 23:00 but the pub did not close until 1am.
The bed was very comfortable and we both had a good night sleep. A small bathroom with shower was just right for us. If we were staying a few nights we may have felt a little cramped but in general it was a nice room.

There is a few good places to eat but we went to an amazing restaurant called Avatar. One of the best meals we've had in ages.

I can say we'd stay at the hotel again but avoid the pub at all costs.

 

[Butts]

True but I don’t eat a lot I usually get 2 bacon 1 sausage a bit of scrambled egg , a few mushrooms and beans

From Lancashire and no Black Pudding ?

 

[dave87016]

From Lancashire and no Black Pudding ?

Guilty as charged m’lord don’t think they do it at Travelodge . I’m not particularly a fan of Black pudding if im
honest but mushrooms are a necessity as I hate a English breakfast without them

 

[Butts]

Guilty as charged m’lord don’t think they do it at Travelodge . I’m not particularly a fan of Black pudding if im
honest but mushrooms are a necessity as I hate a English breakfast without them

Sorry didn't notice it was a TL rather than a PI you stayed at in Aberdeen.

Are Travelodge Breakfasts still cheaper than Premier Inn - ie under a tenner ?