Budget hotels discussion

[signed]

What, in case you nick stuff?

Yep, or trash the room

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Yep, or trash the room

In which case £40 wouldn't even cover the cost of a new shower head, fitted and working! Plus they already had my details for any damage claim by me having paid in full in advance. It was an actual card payment, not an authorisation. The morning after I saw someone having a repayment made if I recall correctly. Personally I can do without that aggro when I arrive, so Ibis have not been troubled with my presence since and they never will, across their entire range of brands, even if I win the lottery and live it large in luxury spa hotels.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yep, or trash the room

If that's a new Accor policy (certainly not come across it before) my time staying with them is at an end. Not because I'm going to trash a room, but because it reintroduces check-out faff - I'm certainly not leaving the premises without a card receipt on paper for its refund, I'm not trusting that it'll just work and potentially having trouble later. One thing I like about prepaid budget hotels without minibars etc is that you just go when you're ready, no queue of indeterminate length to check out and pay.

I know some hotels do it for cash payers which is probably fair enough, but for card? Fat nope from me.

 

[signed]

If that's a new Accor policy (certainly not come across it before) my time staying with them is at an end. Not because I'm going to trash a room, but because it reintroduces check-out faff - I'm certainly not leaving the premises without a card receipt on paper for its refund, I'm not trusting that it'll just work and potentially having trouble later. One thing I like about prepaid budget hotels without minibars etc is that you just go when you're ready, no queue of indeterminate length to check out and pay.

I know some hotels do it for cash payers which is probably fair enough, but for card? Fat nope from me.

I am very doubtful that this is a brand policy. IMHO it’s just that particular franchisee policies.

Else you’d see it in every hotel webpage in the terms, there is no way that such a large group wouldn’t cover their asses legally

 

[TheSmiths82]

Travelodge Birmingham Carrs Lane in City Centre, had a few drug users from the smell from when I stayed.

That was one of the few hotels I didn't feel safe walking back to at night. During the day it there was a lot of beggars hanging out by the Tesco next door and on the grass lawn. It looks like that grass area is now being built on so that might discourage the anti social behaviour. I then stayed in the Newall Street one a few months later and I really liked that one, the area was quiet and some really nice bars near by while still being walking distance to the main city centre area.

 

[STINT47]

I stayed in an Accor hotel in London back in March that took a £100 pre authorisation on my card to cover damages. This was an Adagio so more of value in the room but still it was unexpected.

If this happens I recommend doing a thorough check of the room on check in and reporting any damage or missing equipment to staff immediately.

On check out take photos of the room. When your gone the cleaner will check it and report any issues to management who will then decide how much to charge. Your photos can then cone in handy.

Having used Adagio in Germany and Belgium I have never encountered this so perhaps its something not allowed under EU law.

 

[Kite159]

.

That was one of the few hotels I didn't feel safe walking back to at night. During the day it there was a lot of beggars hanging out by the Tesco next door and on the grass lawn. It looks like that grass area is now being built on so that might discourage the anti social behaviour. I then stayed in the Newall Street one a few months later and I really liked that one, the area was quiet and some really nice bars near by while still being walking distance to the main city centre area.

The Splodge on Newhall Street is my preferred one for Birmingham city centre, just enough away from the city centre area to make it reasonably quiet outside (there are some where I suspect will be noisy from roads).

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I stayed in an Accor hotel in London back in March that took a £100 pre authorisation on my card to cover damages. This was an Adagio so more of value in the room but still it was unexpected.

If this happens I recommend doing a thorough check of the room on check in and reporting any damage or missing equipment to staff immediately.

On check out take photos of the room. When your gone the cleaner will check it and report any issues to management who will then decide how much to charge. Your photos can then cone in handy.

Having used Adagio in Germany and Belgium I have never encountered this so perhaps its something not allowed under EU law.

It's the sort of dubious practice engaged in by dodgy car rental companies. Totally invent a fault / damage after return by the customer then argue until the ends of time to avoid paying back the pre-authorised amount, deposit, whatever. Hoping the customer will a) not have any evidence and b) give up not wanting all the hassle. Them getting money off you would be difficult, you getting money back that they have already taken is just as difficult.

 

[m0ffy]

It's one of the few places where I'd choose TL over PI. It's a big building, an old phone exchange I believe or maybe an old factory, and the rooms are huge with massive windows. Great place.

It’s not the only one - Stratford upon Avon is also in a telephone exchange. It was a very strange exchange to work in as the first floor equipment room was accessed through the hotel and all the usual door markings and signage were PI branded.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

It’s not the only one - Stratford upon Avon is also in a telephone exchange. It was a very strange exchange to work in as the first floor equipment room was accessed through the hotel and all the usual door markings and signage were PI branded.

Chance for a new trivia thread. The Manchester Central Travelodge (not Central Arena AKA Strangeways View) is a former GPO/BT building. Rooms at the back have a scenic view into the exchange and there is a substantial, heavily barbed, fence on the roof between the two. The Shrewsbury town centre PI was built on the site of a GPO/BT office block.

 

[route101]

It's the sort of dubious practice engaged in by dodgy car rental companies. Totally invent a fault / damage after return by the customer then argue until the ends of time to avoid paying back the pre-authorised amount, deposit, whatever. Hoping the customer will a) not have any evidence and b) give up not wanting all the hassle. Them getting money off you would be difficult, you getting money back that they have already taken is just as difficult.

Can you refuse to give over your card for the deposit?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Can you refuse to give over your card for the deposit?

Presumably you can, but would either need to leave a cash deposit or not check in, assuming it's part of the contract that they reserve the right to do so, which it probably is.

I'd probably rather leave cash to be honest, at least the same actual cash can be returned on checkout without having to trust they'll refund a card payment. I don't however get the idea of it when you can just do a preauthorisation which just times out if not taken.

 

[ChrisC]

I stayed in an Accor hotel in London back in March that took a £100 pre authorisation on my card to cover damages. This was an Adagio so more of value in the room but still it was unexpected.

If this happens I recommend doing a thorough check of the room on check in and reporting any damage or missing equipment to staff immediately.

On check out take photos of the room. When your gone the cleaner will check it and report any issues to management who will then decide how much to charge. Your photos can then cone in handy.

Having used Adagio in Germany and Belgium I have never encountered this so perhaps its something not allowed under EU law.

I had this happen around 5 years ago when I stayed at the Holiday Inn at Media City, Salford Quays. I was asked to pay a £50 deposit on arrival and I got it back a few days after I had checked out. I’ve never been back to that hotel so I don’t know if they still do this.

I was already a member of their loyalty scheme and had stayed in numerous IHG hotels, including Holiday Inns, before that stay and had never been asked for a deposit before. I mentioned this on check in but they just said it was the policy of that hotel. I’ve quite regularly stayed in various IHG hotels since then and have never been asked to pay a deposit again. I’d forgotten about until it was recently mentioned in this thread.

I‘ve just had a quick look at Tripadvisor and some recent reviews of the Holiday Inn at Media City, Salford Quays, refer to the £50 deposit.

 

[Buzby]

I‘ve just had a quick look at Tripadvisor and some recent reviews of the Holiday Inn at Media City, Salford Quays, refer to the £50 deposit.

What about the ‘tourist tax’? I’m just back from a pre-paid Liverpool stay arranged through Booking.Com. My confirmation stated the cost was fully inclusive of all charges and taxes. On check-in they demanded I pay a £1.50 pn ‘charge’. Not only that, it HAD to be paid by card, not cash. Misleading and unwelcoming, and I won’t be back.

 

[Bletchleyite]

What about the ‘tourist tax’? I’m just back from a pre-paid Liverpool stay arranged through Booking.Com. My confirmation stated the cost was fully inclusive of all charges and taxes. On check-in they demanded I pay a £1.50 pn ‘charge’. Not only that, it HAD to be paid by card, not cash. Misleading and unwelcoming, and I won’t be back.

It's very common in Europe for the tourist tax to be on top when you arrive (often for cash) but I think here the intention is that it's included. Did you book it before the tax was introduced perhaps?

 

[route101]

Are some Holiday Inns, Hiltons etc like franchises?

I know Best Westerns are.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are some Holiday Inns, Hiltons etc like franchises?

I know Best Westerns are.

I think the majority of "traditional" hotel brands have a significant number of franchises. I'm not sure about Travelodges and Premier Inns though.

A notable one is that the Holiday Inn in Blackpool is owned and franchised by Blackpool Council!

 

[TheSmiths82]

I am pretty sure TL and PI are operated by themselves but especially in the case of Travelodge they don't often actually own the hotel building, they simply operate it. I think Travelodge do have some franchised hotels outside of the UK though. The fact that Accor are often franchises explains why I have had such different service experiences in Ibis hotels.

 

[Iskra]

Presumably you can, but would either need to leave a cash deposit or not check in, assuming it's part of the contract that they reserve the right to do so, which it probably is.

I'd probably rather leave cash to be honest, at least the same actual cash can be returned on checkout without having to trust they'll refund a card payment. I don't however get the idea of it when you can just do a preauthorisation which just times out if not taken.

Forumites will probably find that a security deposit is in the T&C’s for many stays outside of PI & Travelodge, however it’s usually only actually enforced if you are checking in late at night or are giving off a concerning aura or being rude or difficult with Check in Staff. I stayed at a hotel last week where it was policy, but I wasn’t asked for one.

 

[Buzby]

Did you book it before the tax was introduced perhaps?

I wasn’t told of the implementation date, but it makes a mockery of ‘all charges paid’ - if it was booked and paid before then they have no right to modify the contract!

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Can you refuse to give over your card for the deposit?

I refused to pay and was allowed to book in.
I stayed in a number of Ibis (all town/city centre) and Carlisle was the only one where I was asked for a deposit.

 

[Kite159]

..

Presumably you can, but would either need to leave a cash deposit or not check in, assuming it's part of the contract that they reserve the right to do so, which it probably is.

I'd probably rather leave cash to be honest, at least the same actual cash can be returned on checkout without having to trust they'll refund a card payment. I don't however get the idea of it when you can just do a preauthorisation which just times out if not taken.

The biggest issue with paying the deposit in cash is needing to find a member of staff in the morning to actually check out to get the cash back, rather than simply dropping the key card in a slot on reception or in a box.

 

[bleeder4]

Thought I'd share an amusing experience I had in the Inverness City Centre Premier Inn at the weekend. I say "amusing", but the first time I encountered it I didn't find it amusing.

As you probably know, a standard Premier Inn room has a light switch by the door as you walk in, and there is another light switch by the bed.
So I got into bed, reached over to turn off the lights. Yes, the lights turned off, but the extractor fan in the bathroom suddenly came on full speed. So I pressed the switch again. Lights turned on and extractor fan turned off. I did it again. Lights turned off and extractor fan turned on.
So the light switch by the bed had been wired to turn on the bathroom extractor fan when turning off the lights. How barmy is that?
So I get out of bed, go over to the main light switch by the door. Hooray, that switch turns off the lights and doesn't turn on the extractor fan. So I then had to negotiate my way back across the dark room and into bed using the torch from my phone.

Luckily I was only there two nights, so only had to do that getting into bed rigmarole twice. Other than that one issue, no problem with the stay at all.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Thought I'd share an amusing experience I had in the Inverness City Centre Premier Inn at the weekend. I say "amusing", but the first time I encountered it I didn't find it amusing.

As you probably know, a standard Premier Inn room has a light switch by the door as you walk in, and there is another light switch by the bed.
So I got into bed, reached over to turn off the lights. Yes, the lights turned off, but the extractor fan in the bathroom suddenly came on full speed. So I pressed the switch again. Lights turned on and extractor fan turned off. I did it again. Lights turned off and extractor fan turned on.
So the light switch by the bed had been wired to turn on the bathroom extractor fan when turning off the lights. How barmy is that?
So I get out of bed, go over to the main light switch by the door. Hooray, that switch turns off the lights and doesn't turn on the extractor fan. So I then had to negotiate my way back across the dark room and into bed using the torch from my phone.

Luckily I was only there two nights, so only had to do that getting into bed rigmarole twice. Other than that one issue, no problem with the stay at all.

All the PI and TL I have stayed in have bedside lights, reachable from the bed and most also have a headboard light, reachable from just one side of the bed though.

 

[Trackman]

Thought I'd share an amusing experience I had in the Inverness City Centre Premier Inn at the weekend. I say "amusing", but the first time I encountered it I didn't find it amusing.

As you probably know, a standard Premier Inn room has a light switch by the door as you walk in, and there is another light switch by the bed.
So I got into bed, reached over to turn off the lights. Yes, the lights turned off, but the extractor fan in the bathroom suddenly came on full speed. So I pressed the switch again. Lights turned on and extractor fan turned off. I did it again. Lights turned off and extractor fan turned on.
So the light switch by the bed had been wired to turn on the bathroom extractor fan when turning off the lights. How barmy is that?
So I get out of bed, go over to the main light switch by the door. Hooray, that switch turns off the lights and doesn't turn on the extractor fan. So I then had to negotiate my way back across the dark room and into bed using the torch from my phone.

Luckily I was only there two nights, so only had to do that getting into bed rigmarole twice. Other than that one issue, no problem with the stay at all.

Makes you think; with a simple task like that, makes you wonder what the rest of the wiring is like and if it's safe.

 

[route101]

I often make a job of switching all the lights off in the rooms. I can never find the master switch to switch all the lights of. Not always the one by the door.

 

[D6130]

I often make a job of switching all the lights off in the rooms. I can never find the master switch to switch all the lights of. Not always the one by the door.

Me too!

 

[Tetchytyke]

Forumites will probably find that a security deposit is in the T&C’s for many stays outside of PI & Travelodge, however it’s usually only actually enforced if you are checking in late at night or are giving off a concerning aura or being rude or difficult with Check in Staff. I stayed at a hotel last week where it was policy, but I wasn’t asked for one.

I generally find it depends if you booked directly or not. When I've booked directly through IHG they already have my card details on file, so they don't always bother with the deposit. When I've booked through third parties they often do take a pre-authorisation.

I just stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott at London City Airport and they took a £50 deposit. They actually charged it to the card, not a pre-authorisation, which surprised me when I noticed. It would have annoyed me if it had caused me to pay interest on the card. I'm not sure if it was deliberate, though; the receptionist/clerk, bless him, was about as sharp as a spoon.

 

[kkong]

Are some Holiday Inns, Hiltons etc like franchises?

Hilton Aberdeen TECA is franchised by Aberdeen City Council.

 

[boyaloud]

The current offer of a free breakfast each day when booking Premier Inn stays, now has the caveat that the date(s) of the stay can be altered free of charge (subject to paying the difference if needed) until 1pm on the day of arrival. Previously when they've done the free breakfast offer, this hasn't been permitted. Just got a bargain Friday night at Enfield for £39!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 May 2026 ==

The Easy Hotel in Milton Keynes has very cheap rates at the moment, £21-26 most nights booking through Hotels.com. it's not the Ritz but is useful for the area and also for London, the last train back most nights leaves Euston at 0134, so it's really useful for gigs etc.