Budget hotels discussion

[The exile]

Yeah, it's not like there's a shortage of places to get breakfast in town and city centres these days. Gregg's, McDonald's, various coffee shops and cafes, 'spoons and various other pub chains offering a good range of price/quality/value depending on what you're after.

True, but unlike the breakfast room in a hotel, it requires finding, getting wet if it’s raining, then traipsing back to your hotel to get ready for the day (ok - that’s personal preference, but there are various things I prefer to do after breakfast!).

 

[Baxenden Bank]

That's how the Premier Inn ones work, but it's a bit unreliable - I think they must have cheaped out on the terminals.

That's disappointing. Hopefully they replace them. I prefer to speak to a human don't get me wrong, but if a bus load of people are queueing to check-in, I'd prefer the convenience of self-service easily. Probably around 90% of my hotel check-ins are late at night and I just want to get to bed.

Recent experience of Premier Inn.
Scanning the pixelated code on the 'looking forward to seeing you tomorrow' email failed to work, entering surname and postcode worked.
Earlier occasion the customer in front couldn't get the self service terminal to work for him, I had no problem at all. Both had pre-paid bookings.

 

[styles]

Recent experience of Premier Inn.
Scanning the pixelated code on the 'looking forward to seeing you tomorrow' email failed to work, entering surname and postcode worked.
Earlier occasion the customer in front couldn't get the self service terminal to work for him, I had no problem at all. Both had pre-paid bookings.

Back in 2012 I had to argue with Premier Inn to check in to a room in London because it had been booked by a PA on a corporate credit card, and I didn't have that credit card with me. I had all sorts of photo ID, and even a corporate credit card for the same organisation with my name on it, but no dice. In the end they only let me check in when I got the finance director to call me back at about 10pm on a Friday and read out the 16 digit PAN from one of the statements he had. I was lucky he wasn't down the rugby club on his 5th beer.

So I am quite thankful now if I just need my surname and postcode to check-in!

 

[takno]

Some Hilton hotels have this via their app, but it uses Bluetooth rather than NFC and works sometimes other times not and they still give you a physical key for the room. I stayed at the Doubletree at Aberdeen Arena last year and it didn't work very well at all. You are meant to keep your phone in your pocket and it recognises your door and unlocks it on approach. Oddly it doesn't do the outside doors when they're locked though from 11pm so you still have to take your physical card with you.

I've always found these to be completely hopeless. I don't really want an app, but I definitely don't want some weird app that uses bluetooth to track me round the building. I'm mystified as to why anybody thinks this would be convenient even if it did work.

The last place I saw using it had taken the precaution of replacing all the door locks so that they couldn't go back to a working system, and disabling the 10 or so perfectly good self-checkin kiosks they had in the lobby, so that anybody having the temerity to not love their app had to queue for half an hour to check in.

 

[jon81uk]

Of course but its always nice to turn up at a hotel and see someone on reception

If that is important to you then pay more to stay at a hotel which offers that service, rather than a budget hotel

To be honest I look forward to the day I can obtain an NFC* room key on my phone and not even need to go to reception at all.

Hilton has Bluetooth locks that can open with their app.

Disneyworld also has a combination of Bluetooth and NFC locks so you can check in online, get texted the room number and if you are in the US have their NFC wristband posted to you so go straight to the room. Alas we needed to go and see the person with the iPad.

 

[kkong]

I stayed at the Doubletree at Aberdeen Arena last year and it didn't work very well at all.

There is no DoubleTree at "Aberdeen Arena" or indeed a DoubleTree anywhere in Aberdeen now (there used to be two).

Do you mean Hilton Aberdeen TECA?

If so, I agree that the Digital Key implementation there is flaky at best.

It might have improved in the past couple of years - I stopped using it about 3 years ago due to its uselessness.

 

[STINT47]

PI doesn't ask for ID routinely for those who state their nationality as British. Increasingly other hotels do, though, and often without pointing it out on the booking confirmation.

I don't drive so don't have a drivers license. I have a passport but don't take it with me when travelling in the UK. If a hotel requires proof of ID other than my debit card I'd be stuck.

If I arrivedwas turned away for no ID and had not been told on the confirmation there would be a big issue.

 

[johntea]

I'm also a fan of the self check in route although the machines also don't work if you make a booking then arrive shortly after as it doesn't allocate you a room straight away (based on what a member of reception told me once)

I do feel sorry for the poor security guard that has to sit at the entrance of the Travelodge Manchester Piccadilly all night! (as reception is on the first floor although in that area of Manchester I suspect they would still be required even if the reception was on the ground floor!)

 

[Steddenm]

There is no DoubleTree at "Aberdeen Arena" or indeed a DoubleTree anywhere in Aberdeen now (there used to be two).

Do you mean Hilton Aberdeen TECA?

If so, I agree that the Digital Key implementation there is flaky at best.

It might have improved in the past couple of years - I stopped using it about 3 years ago due to its uselessness.

Yes Hilton Aberdeen TECA, next to the arena.

 

[Belperpete]

Get rid of the soap and shower/hair wash too. People can bring their own if they want to wash their hands or shower surely?

I can't remember the last time I stayed somewhere that had those tiny bars of wrapped soap (I still have a stock of them at home!). All hotels now seem to have dispensers. Much less waste. But if the dispenser in your room is empty or broken, getting it fixed can be problematic.

Also supplies of paper and pens seem to be a thing of the past. Novotel used to supply propelling pencils. My penny-pinching company issued an instruction that we should take the pens for company use!

Likewise phones in hotel rooms. The extortionate rates that you got charged for using them used to be a big money-maker for the hotels. Now superceded by mobile phones. I suspect that charging for wifi is going to go the same way. Who is going to pay for wifi when you have it for free on your mobile?

An Ibis that I stay in did try log-in and room access by app, and were plugging it quite heavily, but seem to have given up on it, probably as it was too unreliable. But Ibis in general now seem to want people to use their app for the members' complimentary drinks, but most hotels have a stock of paper vouchers if you ask. There is a trend with most hotel groups of trying to get you to use their app.

 

[Andyh82]

On the topic of WiFi, I’ve stayed in hotels that must have 10 feet thick lead walls, as I couldn’t get any phone data and could only make calls if I was stood right against the window. WiFi would have been nice on that occasion.

 

[jon0844]

On the topic of WiFi, I’ve stayed in hotels that must have 10 feet thick lead walls, as I couldn’t get any phone data and could only make calls if I was stood right against the window. WiFi would have been nice on that occasion.

Wi-Fi is pretty valuable in a hotel for the very reason you mention, and also when roaming and you may only have 10-15GB of data (that's common roaming in EU countries, but can be way less outside of Europe). I don't want to pay for a faster service, but I do think you should get some level of service - even if it's heavily throttled.

Hotels will know this too.

 

[cactustwirly]

At least they have a reception, unlike Ibis's brief flirtation with staff wandering round with iPads. Not unusual for it to be on the end of the bar for one member of staff to be able to do both, though.

Moxy is the same, the check-in is done at the bar

 

[johntea]

I can't remember the last time I stayed somewhere that had those tiny bars of wrapped soap (I still have a stock of them at home!). All hotels now seem to have dispensers. Much less waste. But if the dispenser in your room is empty or broken, getting it fixed can be problematic.

I prefer to take my own body wash but one problem is they hardly ever provide a nearby shelf to put your own products on whilst having a shower!

 

[cactustwirly]

I can't remember the last time I stayed somewhere that had those tiny bars of wrapped soap (I still have a stock of them at home!). All hotels now seem to have dispensers. Much less waste. But if the dispenser in your room is empty or broken, getting it fixed can be problematic.

Also supplies of paper and pens seem to be a thing of the past. Novotel used to supply propelling pencils. My penny-pinching company issued an instruction that we should take the pens for company use!

Likewise phones in hotel rooms. The extortionate rates that you got charged for using them used to be a big money-maker for the hotels. Now superceded by mobile phones. I suspect that charging for wifi is going to go the same way. Who is going to pay for wifi when you have it for free on your mobile?

An Ibis that I stay in did try log-in and room access by app, and were plugging it quite heavily, but seem to have given up on it, probably as it was too unreliable. But Ibis in general now seem to want people to use their app for the members' complimentary drinks, but most hotels have a stock of paper vouchers if you ask. There is a trend with most hotel groups of trying to get you to use their app.

The big companies have gone to dispensers, a few have gone to refillable to cut down the plastic.

I think Premier Inn is Baylis and Harding and is refillable?
The ME hotels use another product

The EU are banning single use from 2030 too

 

[Bishops]

If that is important to you then pay more to stay at a hotel which offers that service, rather than a budget hotel

I said it was 'nice' not that it was important.

And the last travelodge i stayed at in blackpool last year they had someone there

 

[johntea]

Travelodge in the news today and not for good reasons!

I'm surprised and yet not surprised there was seemingly no policy in place previously other than 'have a guess at the name of the person who is staying in the room'!

Travelodge changes policy after attacker given victim's hotel key

The woman was attacked by Kyran Smith, who was given a key to her hotel room by staff.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Travelodge hotel chain says it has made "immediate changes" to its door key policy after a hotel guest was sexually assaulted by a man who was given the key card to her room.

Kyran Smith was jailed in February for seven-and-a-half years following the attack at a Travelodge in Maidenhead, Berkshire, in December 2022.

The chain's chief executive Jo Boydell apologised to the victim in a statement on Sunday and said the changes would ensure additional or replacement keys were only issued with permission from the person staying in the room.

 

[bleeder4]

Travelodge in the news today and not for good reasons!

I'm surprised and yet not surprised there was seemingly no policy in place previously other than 'have a guess at the name of the person who is staying in the room'!

Travelodge changes policy after attacker given victim's hotel key

The woman was attacked by Kyran Smith, who was given a key to her hotel room by staff.

www.bbc.co.uk

They have needed to change their policy for a while. Back before the pandemic put an end to our annual office Christmas parties, a bunch of us always used to stay in the Travelodge on the night of the Christmas party. We'd inevitably arrive individually, in dribs and drabs, and as a bit of fun would often give each other's names when checking in. So when some of us arrived to check in, the confused receptionist would say something along the lines of "but you're already checked in". So we would then have to play fun and games trying to find out which one of us hadn't yet had their name used to check in. It honestly doesn't surprise me that something like this has happened. Other hotels need to improve their policy as well.

 

[styles]

They have needed to change their policy for a while. Back before the pandemic put an end to our annual office Christmas parties, a bunch of us always used to stay in the Travelodge on the night of the Christmas party. We'd inevitably arrive individually, in dribs and drabs, and as a bit of fun would often give each other's names when checking in. So when some of us arrived to check in, the confused receptionist would say something along the lines of "but you're already checked in". So we would then have to play fun and games trying to find out which one of us hadn't yet had their name used to check in. It honestly doesn't surprise me that something like this has happened. Other hotels need to improve their policy as well.

If a group did this to me I'd tell them to go away and work it out between themselves and refuse to check them in until they do.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

If a group did this to me I'd tell them to go away and work it out between themselves and refuse to check them in until they do.

And I would have removed from the premises the person already registered under that 'false name'. Fire Regulations etc.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This sort of thing is just encouraging more hotels to require photo ID on checkin, which is easy enough if you travel abroad or drive, but is a right royal pain for anyone who does neither of those things, though I suppose they might accept Portman Group cards. Lots of hotels do now, some don't even pre-warn you of it.

 

[cactustwirly]

And I would have removed from the premises the person already registered under that 'false name'. Fire Regulations etc.

What part of Fire Regulations require that?

 

[Bletchleyite]

What part of Fire Regulations require that?

I doubt any part of it does. It's just a breach of the terms and conditions of the hotel (which means they could ask you to leave and ban you from future stays; the T&Cs likely allow them to do it without refund, too).

 

[Cross City]

I believe it's insurance reasons and policy rather than fire regs, though they're likely interlinked.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

This sort of thing is just encouraging more hotels to require photo ID on checkin, which is easy enough if you travel abroad or drive, but is a right royal pain for anyone who does neither of those things, though I suppose they might accept Portman Group cards. Lots of hotels do now, some don't even pre-warn you of it.

Exactly. Travelodge T & C require ID from those paying on the day, Premier Inn require it (in theory not practice) regardless.

But requiring ID 'at the desk' would contradict the trend to using self-check-in using kiosks, or even check-in in advance on your phone. Not sure how that works though, you still need to collect a physical key (at Premier Inn).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Exactly. Travelodge T & C require ID from those paying on the day, Premier Inn require it (in theory not practice) regardless.

it's a legal requirement if paying with cash or if you aren't a British citizen (in the latter case it must I believe be a passport or possibly EU ID card).

PI's T&Cs say they reserve the right to do so but I've never been asked at a PI for it.

But requiring ID 'at the desk' would contradict the trend to using self-check-in using kiosks, or even check-in in advance on your phone. Not sure how that works though, you still need to collect a physical key (at Premier Inn).

It doesn't do very much. I think it allocates a room (may not even do that) and takes any outstanding payment if you're on the flex rate.

It would I suppose be possible for them to require a scan of it to be uploaded to be verified either automatically or by someone in India somewhere, e.g. the way the escooter companies do, though.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

They have needed to change their policy for a while. Back before the pandemic put an end to our annual office Christmas parties, a bunch of us always used to stay in the Travelodge on the night of the Christmas party. We'd inevitably arrive individually, in dribs and drabs, and as a bit of fun would often give each other's names when checking in. So when some of us arrived to check in, the confused receptionist would say something along the lines of "but you're already checked in". So we would then have to play fun and games trying to find out which one of us hadn't yet had their name used to check in. It honestly doesn't surprise me that something like this has happened. Other hotels need to improve their policy as well.

An extract from the same BBC article under discussion:

Smith, from Staines, Surrey, had been at the same party as the woman during a night out in December 2022 when they and others retired to their rooms.
He went to reception in the early hours and was given the key card after lying to staff that he was her boyfriend.
The woman claimed staff told her Smith, who was known to her, had passed their security checks by providing her name.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I suppose they do need something in place to allow reissue of a key card if someone turns up from a night out having lost their wallet including their room key (so don't have ID either and may not even remember the number). But there are ways that could be done more securely, e.g. asking people to set a PIN on the booking, or going to knock at the room to ask for permission if anyone is there before giving out the key and room number.

 

[The exile]

I suppose they do need something in place to allow reissue of a key card if someone turns up from a night out having lost their wallet including their room key (so don't have ID either and may not even remember the number). But there are ways that could be done more securely, e.g. asking people to set a PIN on the booking, or going to knock at the room to ask for permission if anyone is there before giving out the key and room number.

It happened to me at a French budget hotel (simple case of locking myself out when I went to the non en suite loo). Short wait at reception - describe what was in the room (in terms of my luggage) and the staff member went first, knocked, had a quick peep round the door, then waited while I retrieved my key card.

 

[sprunt]

I guess it's not the case so much now that hotels nearly all use smartcards as keys, but it's not so long ago that you could walk in to a hotel, ask for the key to any room and assuming it was behind the counter (ie the guest had handed it in when they left the room) they'd just give it to you no questions asked.