Budget hotels discussion

[eastwestdivide]

I have to say that your £88 windowless prison cell in Kings Cross doesn't sound like much of a bargain compared with either of those options. .... But each to their own.

It suited our purposes! Each to their own, as you say.

 

[jon0844]

Being a Clink that ones always "fully booked" innit .

Be careful, you might book a week but then get kicked out on early release two days in...

 

[Sealink]

I've been arranging a trip to Glasgow today - I got four nights in the Motel One including breakfast for £3 more than a Premier Inn would have cost. No competition really.

I really enjoyed my stay there. The entrance to Glasgow Central is just around the corner - perfect.

 

[takno]

Kings Cross may be in zone 1, but isn't exactly central London in my books. Okay if you need to be in that area, but if you need to use the tube to get from your hotel to where you want to go, you might as well stay somewhere outside central London with good tube connection in.

For an upcoming trip where I will be flying from Gatwick, I recently booked a double room in the Ibis Earls Court for September for £72. Quiet area, newly refurbished rooms, excellent cooked breakfast available (at reasonable charge if booked at check in) and just a few minutes walk from West Brompton underground and overground with fast links into the centre. They will store my luggage for me after check out. And as a member, a good chance that I will be upgraded to a superior room.

Had I booked the Travelodge at East Croydon, just 5 minutes walk from the station with a 20 minute trip straight into central London by Thameslink, I could have got a room for under £40. Very large and spacious rooms (they are converted ex BR offices), cooked breakfast available. However, TLs won't store your luggage for you, which is what swung it in this case.

I have to say that your £88 windowless prison cell in Kings Cross doesn't sound like much of a bargain compared with either of those options. The only thing that would make me even consider staying there would be if I had an early morning departure from KX or the like that I absolutely had to catch, and so couldn't risk disruption on the tube. But each to their own.

I think this is true for a lot of people, although for me personally I find Kings Cross/Farringdon quite a good place to stay for the west end. It's about the same distance as I walk from my flat into town, and if you go the right way it's quite pleasant. If you're reasonably fit and the weather isn't awful then the prospect of walking a couple of miles vs waiting for a train and then spending half an hour on it train can be quite appealing. If I'm going to be out late (unlikely in London, but very likely if I'm going somewhere touristing) then the prospect of getting a night bus would be really very unappealing.

Overall in the specific circumstances you mention I'd probably take the Travelodge at East Croydon, but that's because I don't go out late in London much unless I'm staying with friend, I know the area and I'm reasonably confident in the public transport. I'm fairly sure the Kings Cross hotels don't have anything to worry about yet.

 

[peteb]

I generally find Premier Inns superior to Travelodges, in soundproofing, fittings and decor and in mattress comfort. The fact they offer a money back guarantee if you have a bad night's sleep is also tempting, though I've never needed to claim this. They also do some hotels abroad: the one in Heidelberg is handy for inter-railers. Mind you Ibis are pretty good and Ibis budget is my go to chain in France.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Don't even know if the money back guarantee still exists now, last time I tried to claim it I had one hell of a fight and suspect I'd have got nowhere with it had I not been staying in the same hotel as @Crossover And his family who had been there nearly a week and had the same identical issue arrival and with very little response or help from hotel reception

 

[STINT47]

Premier Inn still offer the good night guarantee but claiming it is far from easy.

They're have been a number of media stories and online reviews from people who have tried to claim and had a hard time.

Premier Inn tend to have many clauses inserted in the policy yo deny a claim and even if valid send you round in circles when you contact them.

They would be better off removing it as I don't retake it into consideration when deciding where to stay.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I generally find Premier Inns superior to Travelodges, in soundproofing, fittings and decor and in mattress comfort

I guess the question is how much is that worth, as at least in my experiences the extra cost is often quite substantial and starts to push you into the price band of even nicer hotels.

 

[STINT47]

I guess the question is how much is that worth, as at least in my experiences the extra cost is often quite substantial and starts to push you into the price band of even nicer hotels.

I increasingly find Premier Inn prices now mean that if I want budget I go elsewhere or if I'm prepared to pay the price being charged a better quality hotel is available for around the sane amount.

 

[Crossover]

Don't even know if the money back guarantee still exists now, last time I tried to claim it I had one hell of a fight and suspect I'd have got nowhere with it had I not been staying in the same hotel as @Crossover And his family who had been there nearly a week and had the same identical issue arrival and with very little response or help from hotel reception

It isn’t as well advertised as it was. As someone else said, I think it also excludes various things now too (such as spurious fire alarm activations)

I ended up doing it via social media (private message) and they asked various questions (one of which was whether we’d given them a chance to sort it). I gave my reasons and it was accepted (in our case I didn’t bother asking for a room move as I overheard others on other floors complaining about the same issue, plus I’d also arranged for our rooms to be close)

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Don't even know if the money back guarantee still exists now, last time I tried to claim it I had one hell of a fight and suspect I'd have got nowhere with it had I not been staying in the same hotel as @Crossover And his family who had been there nearly a week and had the same identical issue arrival and with very little response or help from hotel reception

It is in the 'index' at the bottom of the Premier Inn home page.

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The link states:

A good night's sleep guaranteed​

At Premier Inn we’ve thought of everything you need to have a great night’s sleep. From our super-comfy mattress, to a choice of firm or soft pillows, we’re always on the lookout for ways to make bedtime better.

In fact, we're so confident you'll have a great night's sleep that, if you don't, you can claim for a refund on the affected night*. Just speak to one of our friendly reception team in order to make a claim. This is our Good Night Guarantee.

Frequently asked questions​

What is the Good Night Guarantee?​

At Premier Inn, we're so confident you'll have a great night's sleep that if you don't, you can claim for a refund on the affected night. If there’s a problem, just have a chat with a member of our friendly reception team. They’ll be happy to put things right and if they can’t address the issue they’ll let you know how you can claim. This is our Good Night Guarantee. Terms apply.

What do I do if I'm unhappy during my stay?​

The first thing to do is speak to one of our team, who’ll be happy to put things right for you. Our friendly reception teams are on hand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Is there a time limit on when I can have my money back under the Good Night Guarantee?​

Guests should let us know if there’s been a problem while they’re still staying with us. You have up to seven days from check-out to claim on our Good Night Guarantee.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Good to know it is still listed. In all honesty, I hadn't gone looking for it for a while and hoping that on my next stay at Premier Inn I won't need it

 

[Cambrian359]

I stayed at a premier inn in London on Wednesday night, within a minute of getting into bed I felt something crawl on me…….yes it was a bedbugs!!! A visit to reception quickly followed, the manager was nice and apologetic but seem to lack any powers other than to move me to another room (I wanted to transfer to another site) she didn’t even have the power to refund my stay as it all had to go through central office.
As you can imagine even after changing rooms i didnt get any sleep, i sat on the chair all night as I couldn’t bring my self to even use the replacement room bed.
I ended up having to buy new train tickets to leave Euston at 7am after zero sleep instead of the planned 2pm departure.
After several phone calls to customer service(one advisor didn’t see the problem as I had been put in another room……problem resolved in her words) I was told I would have to wait until an investigation concluded before they would even consider a refund,I was told the investigation could take quite some time despite me catching them a specimen and leaving it in a covered glass and emailing them photos of other specimens.
I only want my room and meal deal refunding,I’m not after special compensation.
Compare this to a complaint I made 12 years ago about a far less serious issue to which I received an instant refund with no quibble.

 

[route101]

I really enjoyed my stay there. The entrance to Glasgow Central is just around the corner - perfect.

Stayed in a few of Motel Ones in Europe now, Vienna and Berlin. Someone said they are bland on here but compared to a Premier Inn they are a step up.

Hotel B&B in Poland is a decent budget option too.

 

[WestCoast]

Stayed in a few of Motel Ones in Europe now, Vienna and Berlin. Someone said they are bland on here but compared to a Premier Inn they are a step up.

Hotel B&B in Poland is a decent budget option too.

B&B Hotels are all over Europe including in the UK now as they took over the German brand Pentahotel which has/had about 5 or so UK hotels. I’m staying in the Inverness one next month.

 

[route101]

B&B Hotels are all over Europe including in the UK now as they took over the German brand Pentahotel which has/had about 5 or so UK hotels. I’m staying in the Inverness one next month.

Interesting, I have stayed in the Krakow and Katowice of the brand. Preferred the Krakow one. Only niggle which I am finding more common is no bin in room or only small bin in bathroom.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

B&B Hotels are all over Europe including in the UK now as they took over the German brand Pentahotel which has/had about 5 or so UK hotels. I’m staying in the Inverness one next month.

I regularly use the Hotel BB at Malakoff in Paris... I wonder what the attraction to me of that particular location is...?

 

[TheSmiths82]

Stayed in a few of Motel Ones in Europe now, Vienna and Berlin. Someone said they are bland on here but compared to a Premier Inn they are a step up.

Hotel B&B in Poland is a decent budget option too.

I stayed in the one in Newcastle, I was impressed. It was slightly more expensive than the Travelodge, but the same price as the Premier Inn, but the location and quality was better than both.

These days I rarely stay in the Premier Inn, they just seem too expensive for what you get, I would rather spend slightly more for something a bit more unique (e.g Ibis styles) or get a Travelodge or even risk a Britannia if it is cheap enough.

When it comes to London for me nothing than beat the Travelodge in terms of value for money as longs as you book well in advance.

 

[route101]

I stayed in the one in Newcastle, I was impressed. It was slightly more expensive than the Travelodge, but the same price as the Premier Inn, but the location and quality was better than both.

These days I rarely stay in the Premier Inn, they just seem too expensive for what you get, I would rather spend slightly more for something a bit more unique (e.g Ibis styles) or get a Travelodge or even risk a Britannia if it is cheap enough.

When it comes to London for me nothing than beat the Travelodge in terms of value for money as longs as you book well in advance.

Yes, I always look to see if there is anything different to a Travelodge or Premier Inn. I have stayed in Ibis Styles abroad, I find them quite clinical and the only plus over a normal Ibis is the breakfast included.

 

[TheSmiths82]

Yes, I always look to see if there is anything different to a Travelodge or Premier Inn. I have stayed in Ibis Styles abroad, I find them quite clinical and the only plus over a normal Ibis is the breakfast included.

The one in Liverpool was quite decent, although the Beatles wall paper in each room was a bit much! I am going to London later this month and despite spending a long time researching hotels I just can't find anything better value than the Travelodge. The Premier Inns are all £50 more over the two nights for the same location, and I only use the hotel for sleeping anyway.

 

[WAB]

At my last count, 65% of my stays at a Travelodge have involved an extended faff for me to get my key. AWOL staff, rooms with no bed, managers wanting to charge me for a family room because my pre-booked double room has no electricity, etc. etc. It's a remarkable contrast to the efficient process at Premier Inn.

 

[ChrisC]

Many of the hotel chains have always recommended booking early to get the best price. This is often still true, but in these days of previously reasonably priced chains like Premier Inn sometimes charging very high prices, this is not always the case. In some cases they seem to be setting very high prices months in advance, and then if they are not selling very well, they reduce the price significantly nearer the date. That’s happened to me a few times with Premier Inn and by cancelling and rebooking I have saved some money.

An extreme example of this has recently happened to me. About 8 weeks ago I booked a room for 7 nights at the Holiday Inn in Bournemouth, which like most hotels in popular South Coast locations was quite expensive. I’ve cancelled and rebooked 5 times in the last 6 weeks as the price kept dropping. I go tomorrow and did my final cancellation and rebooking on Friday at a price £200 less than my original booking. I’m so pleased that I booked a flexible rate which has ended up cheaper than the original non cancellable rate. If I hadn‘t regularly checked the price online after booking I would not have known and ended up paying the original high price.

I‘ve just been looking at prices for next spring at the Premier Inn on the edge of Saffron Walden in North West Essex. I can’t believe in that type of rural location that they are asking around £150 a night midweek in May and June. I’m not booking until much nearer the time but can’t help but think that the price will come down. It was only half that price when I stayed there in June this year. There are plenty of nice looking country pubs which do bed and breakfast in the area that could be a much cheaper alternative.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Right.

IDEA - book your hotel of choice but book five or ten rooms. Then near the actual booking date cancel nine of the rooms. If within 24 hours a room comes up a lot cheaper then book it and cancel the tenth room !.

Yield based pricing - pah !.

 

[ChrisC]

Right.

IDEA - book your hotel of choice but book five or ten rooms. Then near the actual booking date cancel nine of the rooms. If within 24 hours a room comes up a lot cheaper then book it and cancel the tenth room !.

Yield based pricing - pah !

Well that’s an interesting idea!
I don’t think I will try it.

 

[TheSmiths82]

At my last count, 65% of my stays at a Travelodge have involved an extended faff for me to get my key. AWOL staff, rooms with no bed, managers wanting to charge me for a family room because my pre-booked double room has no electricity, etc. etc. It's a remarkable contrast to the efficient process at Premier Inn.

I've never had an issue (touch wood), although the one in Chester was awful, the windows didn't open and it stunk of stale smoke. I usually only stay in Travelodges in big city centres so I wonder if motorway type ones are worse?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Oct 2024 ==

Many of the hotel chains have always recommended booking early to get the best price. This is often still true, but in these days of previously reasonably priced chains like Premier Inn sometimes charging very high prices, this is not always the case. In some cases they seem to be setting very high prices months in advance, and then if they are not selling very well, they reduce the price significantly nearer the date. That’s happened to me a few times with Premier Inn and by cancelling and rebooking I have saved some money.

An extreme example of this has recently happened to me. About 8 weeks ago I booked a room for 7 nights at the Holiday Inn in Bournemouth, which like most hotels in popular South Coast locations was quite expensive. I’ve cancelled and rebooked 5 times in the last 6 weeks as the price kept dropping. I go tomorrow and did my final cancellation and rebooking on Friday at a price £200 less than my original booking. I’m so pleased that I booked a flexible rate which has ended up cheaper than the original non cancellable rate. If I hadn‘t regularly checked the price online after booking I would not have known and ended up paying the original high price.

I‘ve just been looking at prices for next spring at the Premier Inn on the edge of Saffron Walden in North West Essex. I can’t believe in that type of rural location that they are asking around £150 a night midweek in May and June. I’m not booking until much nearer the time but can’t help but think that the price will come down. It was only half that price when I stayed there in June this year. There are plenty of nice looking country pubs which do bed and breakfast in the area that could be a much cheaper alternative.

I've considered doing this, but with cancelling it five times I am surprised that hasn't triggered a sort a ban of sorts I always find that you rarely get the best price if you book in advance, three weeks or the week before is the sweet spot but it is all a big gamble. My worry is if the hotels cotton to people doing they will start changing a lot more to allow people to cancel it. With the trains being as bad as they are, I always pay extra so I can cancel on the day these days.

 

[ChrisC]

I've never had an issue (touch wood), although the one in Chester was awful, the windows didn't open and it stunk of stale smoke. I usually only stay in Travelodges in big city centres so I wonder if motorway type ones are worse?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Oct 2024 ==



I've considered doing this, but with cancelling it five times I am surprised that hasn't triggered a sort a ban of sorts I always find that you rarely get the best price if you book in advance, three weeks or the week before is the sweet spot but it is all a big gamble. My worry is if the hotels cotton to people doing they will start changing a lot more to allow people to cancel it. With the trains being as bad as they are, I always pay extra so I can cancel on the day these days.

I used to book cheaper non refundable saver rates but stopped doing that a few years ago when I had an elderly relative to keep an eye on. I booked at flexible rates just in case she was ill and I wasn‘t able to go. Fortunately it never happened and I never had to cancel. With the train strikes I continued booking at a more expensive flexible rate and have continued to do so. It’s so easy on the IHG app to cancel and book again so I don’t suppose anyone will have noticed.

 

[route101]

Same with the airlines, called yield management. I was looking at Premier Inn/ Travelodge in Ireland, the rates only become reasonable next year. I don't normally book trips months in advance but to stay a night in Ireland I may have to.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I used to book cheaper non refundable saver rates but stopped doing that a few years ago when I had an elderly relative to keep an eye on. I booked at flexible rates just in case she was ill and I wasn‘t able to go. Fortunately it never happened and I never had to cancel. With the train strikes I continued booking at a more expensive flexible rate and have continued to do so. It’s so easy on the IHG app to cancel and book again so I don’t suppose anyone will have noticed.

People will not notice BUT the computer software will - once it has been programmed to look out for such things. All that needs to be done is extract all bookings for everyone and sort them by payment method (card number) within that sort by location. Then a bit of software to spot multiple bookings for the same place on the same date highlighting if some are cancelled. Then probably let a human look at the results and spot the intervening cancellations.

 

[317 forever]

Many of the hotel chains have always recommended booking early to get the best price. This is often still true, but in these days of previously reasonably priced chains like Premier Inn sometimes charging very high prices, this is not always the case. In some cases they seem to be setting very high prices months in advance, and then if they are not selling very well, they reduce the price significantly nearer the date. That’s happened to me a few times with Premier Inn and by cancelling and rebooking I have saved some money.

An extreme example of this has recently happened to me. About 8 weeks ago I booked a room for 7 nights at the Holiday Inn in Bournemouth, which like most hotels in popular South Coast locations was quite expensive. I’ve cancelled and rebooked 5 times in the last 6 weeks as the price kept dropping. I go tomorrow and did my final cancellation and rebooking on Friday at a price £200 less than my original booking. I’m so pleased that I booked a flexible rate which has ended up cheaper than the original non cancellable rate. If I hadn‘t regularly checked the price online after booking I would not have known and ended up paying the original high price.

I‘ve just been looking at prices for next spring at the Premier Inn on the edge of Saffron Walden in North West Essex. I can’t believe in that type of rural location that they are asking around £150 a night midweek in May and June. I’m not booking until much nearer the time but can’t help but think that the price will come down. It was only half that price when I stayed there in June this year. There are plenty of nice looking country pubs which do bed and breakfast in the area that could be a much cheaper alternative.

I did once cancel and rebook a semi-flexible rate at Premier Inn which had gone down by £10. I started checking prices after a standard rate I had booked elsewhere had dipped by £12 briefly.

I have also saved money by booking a semi-flexible room on a likely but not absolutely certain date I was due to stay. Then, when nearer the time I became certain that my plans would materialise, I cancelled and booked a cheaper advance standard rate. Admittedly this is not always suitable, in that nearer the time the standard rate can be more expensive than the earlier semi-flexible rate.

Where the semi-flexible rate allows full refund cancellations up to 3 days before arrival, I see no point booking the flexible rate.

 

[Kite159]

I've certainly done the trick in booking a flexible rate hotel room, only to cancel it and rebook it again when the price is lower due to the way hotel prices can flux.