Budget hotels discussion

[michaelh]

The last time I dined in one it was not cheap, but the food was fairly expensive.

Their competitors like Mitchell's and Butlers do a much better job at pub food. It may be a bit more expensive but at least it is freshly cooked and a varied menu

Freshly cooked? Or freshly micowaved from frozen?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Freshly cooked? Or freshly micowaved from frozen?

Most pubs use foodservice food but the quality of it does vary. I found the Whitbread chains to be Wetherspoons quality at much higher prices, and they were invariably understaffed so bar queues were long.

 

[jon81uk]

I find sticking the 'Do Not Disturb' hanger on the door from the moment I check in to the moment I check out does the trick in keeping the cleaners from potentially deciding to come in and if I saw that as another customer I would assume I had been given the incorrect room too!

Some places in the USA will have secuitiy come and check the room instead if the Do Not Disturb (re-worded as room occupied) is left on for multiple days. This is following a shooting in Las Vegas and also people setting up meth labs in rooms.
Not sure if any UK hotels have that sort of policy, but at those US hotels having the sign up doesn't mean no one is going to walk in, just its more likely to be security at 3pm rather than a cleaner at 9am.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Sep 2026 ==

Freshly cooked? Or freshly micowaved from frozen?

Most of the pub restaurants are grill places, so the majority of the menu will be grilled (burgers, steak etc) or deep-fried (chips, breaded chicken etc) with some sous-vide stuff like ribs which might be microwaved. Wetherspoons probably do a little more like curry which is microwaved.

 

[eyebrook1961]

Had two nice nights away with my wife this past weekend - Hampton by Hilton in Stockton on Saturday (£101.15 brekkie included) and HIE in Boro on Sunday (£59.00 brekkie included)
(Hampton is a higher quality but would need to be at the price).
Thoroughly enjoyable - like have a long walk bimbling about and just walking into whatever food place takes our fancy

 

[styles]

Some places in the USA will have secuitiy come and check the room instead if the Do Not Disturb (re-worded as room occupied) is left on for multiple days. This is following a shooting in Las Vegas and also people setting up meth labs in rooms.
Not sure if any UK hotels have that sort of policy, but at those US hotels having the sign up doesn't mean no one is going to walk in, just its more likely to be security at 3pm rather than a cleaner at 9am.

Certainly a lot of the chain hotels have a policy that regardless of do not disturb signs or any other requests, they'll clean rooms at least say once a week. Not so much because of the risk of the room being used as a sniper vantage point or to cook crystal, but because they don't want the room getting so dirty it requires a specialist clean, and to check nothing is damaged.

I have had two stints of spending two months staying full time in the same hotel and I spoke to the cleaner and agreed a once a week clean. I prefer just having my own undisturbed space which I keep clean, but understand the hotel's need for a policy on it.

 

[route101]

I might do after all this press information, but if I'm honest I've stayed in hundreds of hotel rooms and never had anyone walk in so it's never been a thought for me. I doubt anyone would really want to walk in to my room whilst I'm in the shower.

Its happened a couple of times to me while I was in the shower, keen cleaners wanting in. When I hear the cleaners starting in the corridor I half expect them to enter.

 

[Busman652004]

I've twice been given keys for an occupied room. At a Travelodge in Aberdeen I walked in on a couple sat on bed and eating their dinner. It could have been worse. At a definitely not budget hotel in Leicestershire we were met by a very angry Scotsman. Ironic as we were there from Scotland too.

 

[RuddA]

Sign in the Rotherham Travelodge, taken yesterday.

Picture shows the internal door hand and lock above, with a sticker above reading "Twist to double lock. Lock will automatically release when opening the door handle from the inside".

 

[Bletchleyite]

In a Premier Inn tonight and they have added a sticker too albeit smaller. They also asked for more details of my booking than before, though I won't post what so as not to help someone seeking to gain access to a room they shouldn't.

(Attached image shows PI door handle with small round "Turn to double lock" sticker)

 

[Baxenden Bank]

In a Premier Inn tonight and they have added a sticker too albeit smaller. They also asked for more details of my booking than before, though I won't post what so as not to help someone seeking to gain access to a room they shouldn't.

(Attached image shows PI door handle with small round "Turn to double lock" sticker)

The machine receptionist still has the three basic options.

Has anyone stayed at the Preston Central PI? Quite close to the station and with a mysterious (in use) sixth floor. Lift buttons go to 6, the plastic plate listing room numbers goes to 5xx, which is the 'Premier Plus' floor. Also one of those locations with the reception on the first floor. When checking out I left my key in the plastic box on floor one then found I couldn't access the stairs to get to the ground floor as you need a key!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Has anyone stayed at the Preston Central PI?

Yep, it's one of the seedier looking ones but very usefully located for the station as you say and almost always dirt cheap. Never went to floor 6. It has a security guard checking who is entering on the ground floor at night and asking for names, I guess due to issues of prostitution and drug dealing - lovely place Preston is these days!

 

[3rd rail land]

Yep, it's one of the seedier looking ones but very usefully located for the station as you say and almost always dirt cheap. Never went to floor 6. It has a security guard checking who is entering on the ground floor at night and asking for names, I guess due to issues of prostitution and drug dealing - lovely place Preston is these days!

If a hotel needs a security guard I probably wouldn't stay there, even if it is really cheap. I guess having key card entry to the building after a certain time wouldn't entirely replicate the benefits of the security guard.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If a hotel needs a security guard I probably wouldn't stay there, even if it is really cheap. I guess having key card entry to the building after a certain time wouldn't entirely replicate the benefits of the security guard.

No, they seem specifically interested in who is coming in - I suspect as I mentioned a prostitution issue.

It's a perfectly standard (if slightly old looking) Premier Inn once you're inside.

 

[johntea]

Security guards are a pretty common sight in any of your more central hotels to be fair, the key card entry doesn't really do much when you could just tailgate someone in and 99% of them wouldn't challenge you!

 

[Tetchytyke]

If a hotel needs a security guard I probably wouldn't stay there, even if it is really cheap.

The only difference between a cheap hotel and an expensive hotel is how noticeable the security guard is.

Stay at a Holiday Inn Express and it's a guy on minimum wage wearing a Carlisle Security uniform asking you brusquely who you are and where your room is.

But stay at a five-star hotel and it's a man in a suit who asks you all the same questions but holds the door for you and calls you sir...

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Yep, it's one of the seedier looking ones but very usefully located for the station as you say and almost always dirt cheap. Never went to floor 6. It has a security guard checking who is entering on the ground floor at night and asking for names, I guess due to issues of prostitution and drug dealing - lovely place Preston is these days!

A couple of online feedback comments suggest undesirables hanging around outside, also people being loud in the courtyard late into the night. Plus the usual comments about slow service or not enough staff to attend to something.

I didn't leave the hotel between arrival early evening (no undesirables visible) and departure the next day. The room I had was on the main road side so no external noise (other than muted sirens) once I fully closed the window and trickle vent. I would give most Premier Inn visits an 8 or 9 out of 10 (nowhere is going to be perfect at the price and locations I am interested in). I would give this one 7 though. The bath / shower was clean but the tiled walls didn't look as though they had been done. The towels and bed-linen were fresh, there was no disturbance from guests other than doors closing, there was some clomping around from the mystery occupants of floor six above me. The mini-fridge wasn't cooling things particularly well where normally they do. The amount of crumbs down the side of the cushions on the bucket chairs was substantial though. Always a good check for housekeeping standards - under the bed, corners and under cushions!

If a hotel needs a security guard I probably wouldn't stay there, even if it is really cheap. I guess having key card entry to the building after a certain time wouldn't entirely replicate the benefits of the security guard.

That tends to be my line for pubs, if they are paying money for a bouncer they are probably expecting trouble, so avoid. I wouldn't take the same view on a hotel (or station, supermarket or office block though). Somebody mentioned earlier the first floor reception arrangement and all-night security guard at the Piccadilly Gardens Travelodge, but I wouldn't stay there because Piccadilly Gardens is an absolute hole at any time of day. Far easier to be just outside the main area.

 

[route101]

Two upcoming Premier Inns for me.

Premier Inn Bath Road near Heathrow

Premier Inn Fulham.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I recently booked the Premier Inn at Barrow in Furness as part of the recent free breakfast offer but am concerned as to where ( and what) the breakfast will actually be now the chain has closed down all their adjoining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pub/restaurants. Has anyone on here had a Premier Inn breakfast since the change?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I recently booked the Premier Inn at Barrow in Furness as part of the recent free breakfast offer but am concerned as to where ( and what) the breakfast will actually be now the chain has closed down all their adjoining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pub/restaurants. Has anyone on here had a Premier Inn breakfast since the change?

Some PIs are keeping the former restaurant in use temporarily for breakfast/dinner, some e.g. Gargrave aren't offering meals at all, and some already have the new restaurant space. I suspect Barrow is likely to be the former, but I don't know for certain. Judging from the website saying it offers food it looks like it will be the former.

Failing anything else there's both a McD's and the roughest Spoons I've ever been in within a short walk.

 

[sprunt]

Some PIs are keeping the former restaurant in use temporarily for breakfast/dinner, some e.g. Gargrave aren't offering meals at all, and some already have the new restaurant space. I suspect Barrow is likely to be the former, but I don't know for certain. Judging from the website saying it offers food it looks like it will be the former.

Failing anything else there's both a McD's and the roughest Spoons I've ever been in within a short walk.

I'm sure they'll mention that in the advert

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm sure they'll mention that in the advert

In all seriousness the ones without any facility don't mention restaurants on the page (but don't say there isn't one, it's just missing), the ones with something say there is one but not what it is. I know this as I was booked to stay in Gargrave and got an email about it, and looked at the page out of interest. It's a bit on the quiet to be honest, I hope they are allowing refund of the non-flex rates if people say they don't want to stay for this reason as it's otherwise a bit bait and switch. Many don't care but for some it's an essential component of the offering, particularly if it's an out of town one with nothing else nearby.