Budget hotels discussion

[Bletchleyite]

TBH I do not add sugar to anything and wish many sugar free drinks were not loaded with so much sweetener - they are overpowering and taste a little odd. With the Cafe Mocha I was shocked to discover how much sugar was in it - when I looked at the Wetherspoons menu I saw it is the same as the hot Chocolate. It is really coffee flavoured hot chocolate. So reluctantly I feel some sweetener is needed as a replacement.

It's just a latte with a sachet of hot chocolate added so I'm not surprised at that being the case.

 

[DelW]

I wonder. Does the Wetherspoons unlimited hot drinks from the bar or hotel guests extend to Hot Chocolate and Mocca Coffee ?. I know they are no longer unlimited in the magic cup bought across the bar due to changes in government legislation (too much sugar). Only a minor question, and why Weterspoons does not just do a sugar free version of the chocolate I do not know.

Since you can get an unrestricted number of fresh mugs with a room card, I can't really see a way that they could in practice police how many hot chocolate sachets you collected, at one per visit to the bar.

I think the room tray has two chocolate sachets too (for a single room) and is replenished daily, so you could get a fair sugar hit per day!

 

[Peter Sarf]

Since you can get an unrestricted number of fresh mugs with a room card, I can't really see a way that they could in practice police how many hot chocolate sachets you collected, at one per visit to the bar.

I think the room tray has two chocolate sachets too (for a single room) and is replenished daily, so you could get a fair sugar hit per day!

If the bar staff never spot your the same person then its a winner with a room card. I know with non-guests they give you one chocolate sachet when you first pay, provided of course you "order" hot chocolate or Cafe Mocha. At first it was only a few branches that had machines with no chocolate dispenser and did the sachet instead.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

An update on the Travelodge sex assault situation.

Travelodge failed sex assault victim 'at every stage'​

Barrister Paul Greaney KC said the chain's security policies at the time of the attack at its Maidenhead hotel in December 2022 were "not fit for the purpose of keeping guests safe".

He found guests were still not as safe as they should be, with room intrusions reported at nearly one-in-10 Travelodge hotels this summer, and no policy in place on violence against women and girls.

Greaney said blame rested with Travelodge as an organisation rather than with individual staff, and a culture had developed in which room intrusions were regarded as "one of those things".

Extracts only from the full BBC News article.

 

[Vexed]

Checked into a Travelodge last night. No issues with the room but on check in my room number was said out loud while another guest was checking in with the other receptionist (we were both male).

Not very impressed.

 

[route101]

Used two Premier Inns over last week.

Premier Inn Bath Road, near Heathrow. This Premier Inn is one of the bigger ones with a central 'street' area with a Costa. Is this a flagship Premier Inn?

I tried to check in at one of the machines but at 9pm the machine stated that my room was not ready, so manual check in it was. As it was flex rate, I had to pay to check in.

Premier Inn West Brompton or Fulham. This was smaller Premier Inn that has recently opened in a former Holiday Inn property, hence the bathroom layout differed. This hotel was a ten minute walk to West Brompton Tube Station. I noticed there is a hub closer the tube station but must of been more expensive at time of booking,

 

[takno]

As it was flex rate, I had to pay to check in.

Wait, what? How is that a thing?

 

[daveo]

Wait, what? How is that a thing?

Flex is either pay on booking or pay on arrival. Perhaps route101 chose to pay on arrival

 

[takno]

Flex is either pay on booking or pay on arrival. Perhaps route101 chose to pay on arrival

Ah, makes sense. I was picturing an added fee for not using the machine for check-in, which definitely wouldn't be a welcome development

 

[route101]

Ah, makes sense. I was picturing an added fee for not using the machine for check-in, which definitely wouldn't be a welcome development

I forgot I booked flex so it kinda stumbled me at check in.

 

[takno]

I forgot I booked flex so it kinda stumbled me at check in.

I do the same quite often. The receptionist asks for money, and my immediate reaction is a slightly suspicious glare, before I check and realise that this one wasn't paid upfront.

 

[317 forever]

There were a few posts the other week casting doubt as to whether Premier Inn would allow passers-by/visitors to have breakfast, or just people who had actually stayed the night.

Last Sunday the one at Uxbridge allowed me to have breakfast, even though the website said it was arranged by PI themselves rather than Thyme for example.

The one at Southampton Cumberland Place is still Thyme, but they had a notice outside advertising breakfast.

So, hopefully breakfast will remain available to everyone including people who have not stayed the night.

 

[route101]

At Bath Road Premier Inn I wasn't asked for my room number when I bought breakfast.

 

[Bletchleyite]

So, hopefully breakfast will remain available to everyone including people who have not stayed the night.

It has been for ages even in integrated restaurants, provided it's not busy. Same with other food though there's little point as it's a Spoons type offering at considerably higher cost.

 

[Brightonboy]

There were a few posts the other week casting doubt as to whether Premier Inn would allow passers-by/visitors to have breakfast, or just people who had actually stayed the night.

Last Sunday the one at Uxbridge allowed me to have breakfast, even though the website said it was arranged by PI themselves rather than Thyme for example.

The one at Southampton Cumberland Place is still Thyme, but they had a notice outside advertising breakfast.

So, hopefully breakfast will remain available to everyone including people who have not stayed the night.

I think Cumberland Place has done for some years (we stay there 2 - 3 times a year) but I am not sure that it would attract local/passing trade for meals in the same way that a Beefeater (for example) might.

 

[Floss63]

We stayed recently for two nights at the Crewe(Nantwich) Premier Inn followed by two nights at the Chester Central(South East) Premier Inn. Both had integrated restaurants on the ground floor which looked like two or three bedrooms which had been knocked through and converted. The Crewe hotel only served breakfast, which wasn't a problem for us as we were there for a wedding nearby so didn't need an evening meal. The Chester PI served evening meals as well but had a sign on the reception desk saying they couldn't accommodate walk-ins for breakfast. Seeing how busy the restaurant was in the mornings, I'm not surprised. There was a former Brewers Fayre restaurant next door, looking very run down, but the car park was handy when the spaces at the hotel were full.

Both hotels were clean, quiet and comfortable, but my gripe with Premier Inns is that they never have enough hangers and just one drawer, if that, which isn't great if there's two of you staying for more than one night (with wedding clothes too). It feels like you're living out of your suitcase.

As you will see from the photo, the Crewe(Nantwich) Premier Inn is next door to the entrance to the South Cheshire Model Engineering Society!

 

[BuhSnarf]

It's interesting that Premier Inn in some locations now have a worse food offering than Travelodge. Travelodge where they have a bar / cafe on site offer both breakfast and lunch and accept walk-ins. But PI in some locations now are only offering breakfast.

(Not that I'd particularly rate Travelodge's food quality.)

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's interesting that Premier Inn in some locations now have a worse food offering than Travelodge. Travelodge where they have a bar / cafe on site offer both breakfast and lunch and accept walk-ins. But PI in some locations now are only offering breakfast.

(Not that I'd particularly rate Travelodge's food quality.)

Some PIs are actually offering nothing at present!

PI is in a bit of transition. The feeling I have is that they're waiting it out to see which of the Beefeater etc restaurants will be purchased and whether the purchaser will be amenable to taking on a contract at a reasonable price to do the PI breakfast and meal deal (this was already the case in some locations, occasionally resulting in a slightly different offering from standard). Where they won't, or where the restaurant space is sensibly convertible into rooms rather than selling the pub off, they will convert space to the PI "internal" restaurant offering that offers breakfast and dinner for guests (though in practice you can usually walk in and pay if it's not too busy, it's just not advertised as such). Lunch has never really been a priority as most people stay in hotels to go out and do stuff (be that work or tourism) so it would be unlikely to be profitable to have the staff in to offer it.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Some PIs are actually offering nothing at present!

PI is in a bit of transition. The feeling I have is that they're waiting it out to see which of the Beefeater etc restaurants will be purchased and whether the purchaser will be amenable to taking on a contract at a reasonable price to do the PI breakfast and meal deal (this was already the case in some locations, occasionally resulting in a slightly different offering from standard). Where they won't, or where the restaurant space is sensibly convertible into rooms rather than selling the pub off, they will convert space to the PI "internal" restaurant offering that offers breakfast and dinner for guests (though in practice you can usually walk in and pay if it's not too busy, it's just not advertised as such). Lunch has never really been a priority as most people stay in hotels to go out and do stuff (be that work or tourism) so it would be unlikely to be profitable to have the staff in to offer it.

I must admit of the 100 or so PIs and Travelodge hotels I've stayed in I think I've only eaten dinner once which I imagine is probably standard fare. It would be interesting to know how many PI/Travelodge bookings are just one night also as these are even less likely to use the food facilities.

The rise of the Wetherspoons breakfast has also meant that even when a PI/TL has offered breakfast if there's a Wethers just down the road I'll not bother paying for breakfast and just nip the pub.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The rise of the Wetherspoons breakfast has also meant that even when a PI/TL has offered breakfast if there's a Wethers just down the road I'll not bother paying for breakfast and just nip the pub.

I stayed in one (Newcastle Holystone) at which the on site pub is a Wetherspoons, presumably this one was sold off before the present thing as it's been like that for a while. While it also has an internal restaurant I'd be astonished if it made much money as why wouldn't you just go to Spoons for the same quality for a lot less money?

Edit: It appears it was previously (2019) a Cookhouse & Pub which was one of the less common of the Whitbread brands, so yes, already sold off. Perhaps it was a pilot for what ended up happening nationally?

 

[DelW]

The rise of the Wetherspoons breakfast has also meant that even when a PI/TL has offered breakfast if there's a Wethers just down the road I'll not bother paying for breakfast and just nip the pub.

I stayed in one (Newcastle Holystone) at which the on site pub is a Wetherspoons, presumably this one was sold off before the present thing as it's been like that for a while. While it also has an internal restaurant I'd be astonished if it made much money as why wouldn't you just go to Spoons for the same quality for a lot less money?

The ex steakhouse (unsure which brand) at the Premier Inn at Ferndown near Bournemouth has also recently become a Wetherspoons. I believe 'spoons have bought several others at PI sites too.

 

[WelshBluebird]

As you will see from the photo, the Crewe(Nantwich) Premier Inn is next door to the entrance to the South Cheshire Model Engineering Society!

Almost stayed there for a friends wedding earlier this year but it was more expensive than an independent B&B in Nantwich itself and more of a faff to get to from the train station so sadly couldn't justify it, but defo on the list of places I'd like to visit up that way if I get a chance again!

 

[BuhSnarf]

Of the ex-Premier Inn restaurants: 5 were purchased by Wetherspoons and then 57 have now been sold to Common Table Group who don't really have a presence in the pub space at the minute but do in bakery/coffee shop arena. interestingly, they also bought 1 PI hotel as well as the 57 restaurants.

They are interestingly branding them as "roadside restaurant, bar, coffee stop and general store rolled into one."

 

[Bletchleyite]

Of the ex-Premier Inn restaurants: 5 were purchased by Wetherspoons and then 57 have now been sold to Common Table Group who don't really have a presence in the pub space at the minute but do in bakery/coffee shop arena. interestingly, they also bought 1 PI hotel as well as the 57 restaurants.

They are interestingly branding them as "roadside restaurant, bar, coffee stop and general store rolled into one."

General store - that's interesting! I suppose the Little Thief in its latter days used to have a little shop area in theirs.

Another 50ish have been sold to someone else, I forget who. I do note they bought a PI but I don't know if that means they'll rebrand it or it means it'll just operate as a PI under a franchise agreement, a common model for hotels but not one until now really used by PI. I wonder if that one could be an experiment as to the viability of that model perhaps, as it allows a chain to expand much more quickly and with less revenue risk to the parent company?

Do we know which PI they bought out of interest?

 

[BuhSnarf]

So far from what I can find out online the locations of the 57 restaurants or the 1 PI hotel don't appear to have been disclosed.

The company operates the Rodeo Doughnuts coffee shops which have a number of shops over Manchester/London and they seem to be quite ambitious with them saying that all 57 will be reopened by Feb next year with the first opening in November. The roadside general store concept is quite interesting and makes me think of Brightside and Mollie's which appear to have a similar feel and appear to have made it work but on a much, much smaller basis.

Yeah, I think the other company that bought 50ish was Queensway Inns who are operating them as a going concern, our local Table Table has reopened as Table Table but now ran by Queensway.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The company operates the Rodeo Doughnuts coffee shops which have a number of shops over Manchester/London and they seem to be quite ambitious with them saying that all 57 will be reopened by Feb next year with the first opening in November. The roadside general store concept is quite interesting and makes me think of Brightside and Mollie's which appear to have a similar feel and appear to have made it work but on a much, much smaller basis.

It will be interesting to see what branding they use. I do wonder if (IF they do a good job of it) bringing back the Little Thief brand might actually work!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Yesterday at 11:56 ==

With regard to franchising I wonder if they might be sniffing around the poor financial state of Travelodge (which of course has also had a load of bad publicity recently) and considering models to take some of that on if they divest a lot of properties or fail entirely? Investing to bring the whole of TL up to PI standard would cost a fortune, but others may be willing to invest as a franchise.

 

[BuhSnarf]

In fact just checking, it looks like my local was the Premier Inn they bought and looks like they're moving away from the PI branding, even though you can see it say Premier Inn in some of the photos but they're calling it the "Langton Inn & Hotel"

Hotel in Market Harborough | Queensway Inns

Comfortable, great-value rooms near Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Free wifi, parking and a proper pub next door at the Langton Inn. Book your stay.

queenswayinns.com

 

[Bletchleyite]

In fact just checking, it looks like my local was the Premier Inn they bought and looks like they're moving away from the PI branding, even though you can see it say Premier Inn in some of the photos but they're calling it the "Langton Inn & Hotel"

Hotel in Market Harborough | Queensway Inns

Comfortable, great-value rooms near Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Free wifi, parking and a proper pub next door at the Langton Inn. Book your stay.

queenswayinns.com

Thanks. Looks like they're aiming to build their own portfolio of "Queensway Inns" then, and that is the branding being used for the restaurants too.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Thanks. Looks like they're aiming to build their own portfolio of "Queensway Inns" then.

Interestingly that is two Premier Inns we've lost from this area with the other becoming a Best Western. I'll be driving by there this afternoon so I'll have to see if they've removed the PI branding from the hotel or not.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interestingly that is two Premier Inns we've lost from this area with the other becoming a Best Western.

Will be interesting to see what reputation "Queensway Inns" gets. "Best" Western has long been on my avoid list as they're usually tired and expensive; I put them in the same category as "the democratic republic of X" in that if you have to state it it probably isn't.