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Budget hotels discussion
- Thread starter dorsetdesiro
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nlogax
Established Member
Yea, they're very good and I think the only acceptable version of budget hotel rooms without windows. Still plenty of light and space plus decent screen connectivity. Am next staying at the Edinburgh one in a couple of weeks.
Belperpete
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Similarly the one I stayed in London. Very small, almost claustrophobic room, with garish green styling, as per their website. It reminded me of those Japanese pod hotels. Anyone expecting the kind of experience you get in a standard Premier Inn is going to be sadly disappointed.
You do have unlimited access to the coffee machine/tea making facilities in the bar though, so although you need to go downstairs to make it, you can have all the different types of coffee, and all the various flavoured teas, and as I recall actual milk rather than those tiny pots of UHT you usually get.
The possible lack of window is the only negative for me with the weird feeling if you allocated a room in the basement. If you are average build, alone and only staying a few nights it’s fine. If you are on the large size or a couple it might feel a bit cramped and if you were staying a long time the limited storage might be an issue
They also do larger rooms at Hubs, which are laid out like a normal Premier Inn (you can access the bed on 3 sides) but just that bit smaller.
Staying only 1 night so space is not an issue. I will try the more limited breakfast.
D6130
Established Member
I've stayed at the Edinburgh hub twice....once with my wife for three nights in July and she found it incredibly hot and claustrophobic, with the rising sun shining straight into the room through the thin curtains of the East-facing window. We didn't sample the limited breakfast....opting instead for the excellent café five minutes walk away in St Mary's Street (ironically right opposite the Travelodge).
On the second occasion I was staying on my own for the nights before and after an SRPS railtour the following March....and it was absolutely fine for me. I had a full breakfast booked on the railtour, so that was all taken care of.
theblackwatch
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Sounds like an EasyHotel room!
This is a good point - there are 3 PI Hubs in central Edinburgh. No idea how similar they are
TheTallOne
Member
I've stayed in the zip hotel in Cardiff which is smaller than hubs and survived.
Also stayed in a few easy hotels.
On a number of occasions these rooms haven't had windows - which is actually good for getting a good night's sleep.
The only downside of course is having to wake up by an alarm rather than sunlight (that said there are travel wake up lamps you can buy!).
Currently in a premier inn (normal one) as I write this. Not the most comfortable nights sleep (think the mattress is too soft) and what is it with flashing lights (smoke detector) and other lights (TV, air con). Next time I'm bringing some duck tape to stick over such lights.
Also stayed in a few easy hotels.
On a number of occasions these rooms haven't had windows - which is actually good for getting a good night's sleep.
The only downside of course is having to wake up by an alarm rather than sunlight (that said there are travel wake up lamps you can buy!).
Currently in a premier inn (normal one) as I write this. Not the most comfortable nights sleep (think the mattress is too soft) and what is it with flashing lights (smoke detector) and other lights (TV, air con). Next time I'm bringing some duck tape to stick over such lights.
Next time I'm bringing some duck tape to stick over such lights.
You might be better with a comfy eye mask!!!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I would contend that there is no such thing. It is not natural to have anything over your eyes bar eyelids.
I agree with the point - there needs to be more attention paid to ensuring hotel rooms are actually dark at night, including proper seals on the exit door to the corridor, selecting TVs etc with no light or making sure it's easy to switch them fully off (the small light on the smoke detector is the actual detection mechanism so can't be avoided) and not shining lights directly at the front of the building even if it looks nice!
nlogax
Established Member
I made the mistake of trying the Edinburgh one a few weeks back. Absolutely never again.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's interesting that opinions on them are so polarised. I thought they were fine, but the only thing I really didn't like was the random allocation of window/windowless rooms. It seems obvious to me that a choice should be offered at booking, and the Premier Inn website is capable of doing this because you can pay extra for sea views and the likes at some hotels.
nlogax
Established Member
For what it's worth my EasyHotel room was the size of the actual bed plus an additional four feet stretch to the room door, and of course a tiny bathroom. Windowless I don't mind at this time of year but the lack of any real space was something else. I'm not one to get claustrophobia but 'hemmed in' hugely understates how I felt that night.
I thought so too, having used ones given on planes, but I now have some soft ones with nice cups to protect the eyes.. I've not yet used them on my travels, but they do help sleep in the day without having to rely on blackout curtains etc.
I stayed at the Manchester one and they didn't even have a bin in the room!
They're certainly an interesting concept, if all you want is a bed for the night and a shower in the morning they tick the box fine but I wouldn't want to have an extended stay in one
My stay cost £50 a night and I don't think I would value it much higher than that unless absolutely desperate
YHA Hostels are another cheap option, VERY cheap if you fancy sharing a room with a load of international strangers but you can get private rooms too
To be fair that's exactly what I want from a hotel room most of the time. Even if I am spending time in the room I generally tend to lie on the bed watching TV or working on my laptop. Easy hotels sound to me exactly like the cheapest-double-cabin option I usually go for on ferries.
Belperpete
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Yes, but PI hub costs significantly more than EasyHotel. If someone is happy with an Easyhotel/Zip type room, I don't understand why you would pay the extra for PI hub. As far as I can see, you are just paying for the PI brand name.
D6130
Established Member
In somewhere like Edinburgh or Cardiff in the Summer, it's usually a case of getting any affordable room available.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Motel One is a good budget option in Edinburgh, there are two of them and I have stayed in both. The rooms are bigger than Hub but smaller than PI and the breakfast continental - basically just a copy of their hotels in Germany (even to the extent of there being a couple of German type sockets in the rooms). I quite like them. I've also stayed in the Manchester one which has a nice view over Piccadilly station!
Stayed in a few abroad now, pretty decent option. The rooms are quite bland but reception areas are nice.
Yes, Motel One is essentially the German equivalent to Premier Inn (I appreciate the latter has also entered the market over there more recently!) and they have a broadly equivalent business model/price point. Have stayed on them a few times overseas (though not in a UK location) and they're impersonal in terms of the room design but clean and comfortable with everything you need.
Belperpete
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Blethleyite describes Motel One as more budget than Premier Inn. How do they compare to say Travelodge or an Ibis or Ibis Budget?
I’m not sure I agree with that - I found them broadly equivalent other than Motel One’s more minimalist styling. It beats all three of the brands you mention in my opinion.
jon81uk
Member
I mis-remembered, the defunct Accor brand was Hotel F1 (still going in France https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HotelF1). Most Ibis Budget were Etap (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibis_Budget) previously but I recall some of the F1 hotels with shared bathrooms.
Belperpete
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It is only the styling that makes Premier Inn superior in the first place, so if they have a more minimalist styling, then how are they equivalent? In my experience, all that you are paying extra for in a PI compared to an Ibis is a more upmarket colour scheme.
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If Motel One has been rebranded as Ibis Budget, that would suggest they are well below the level of PI or Ibis. I equate Ibis Budget as equivalent to TL - I have even stayed in an Ibis Budget that was obviously an ex-TL.
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For small rooms, I really like the Bloc at Gatwick. I'm usually travelling on my own, with carry on luggage, so there is plenty of space for me. For 2 with big suitcases, perhaps not. The location is really convenient - 50m from the security entrance at the South terminal, which is great for an early flight. It has nice fluffy towels and good quality fittings. The shower room is small, so the toilet gets sprayed with water after a shower (there is a cover for the toilet roll). Thats fine for just me, perhaps not for a couple.
I had one night at the Yotelair in Gatwick and I was less impressed. Some of the fittings were a bit tired, with chipped formica.
I had one night at the Yotelair in Gatwick and I was less impressed. Some of the fittings were a bit tired, with chipped formica.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I'd say some aspects are more budget and some less so. About the same overall.
I would put regular Ibis about the same as or slightly above PI, but Ibis Budget below TL - it's more like a YHA private room. Motel One isn't an Accor brand and definitely isn't at this rock bottom end!
jon81uk
Member
Yes I got mixed up, Formuala1 / F1 is/was the Accor brand.
How are Holiday Inn these days?
I don't mean Holiday Inn Express, but regular Holiday Inn.
I'm between a Holiday Inn and a Novotel for a 3-6 months client. The Holiday Inn comes in £20 cheaper but I realised it's years since I stayed in a regular Holiday Inn rather than a Holiday Inn Express. I mainly want a comfy bed, a desk as I'll need to work, and ideally a nice continental breakfast (I'm not one for big fry-up breakfasts).
There is a proper budget option which is either £25/night private single room with shared bathroom, or £36/night double room en-suite, but the desk looks tiny and the chair uncomfortable. If there was a late-opening cafe, or pub nearby, I could potentially work there, but.. there's not! There's not even any decent AirBnb options (and I don't particularly like supporting them).
I don't mean Holiday Inn Express, but regular Holiday Inn.
I'm between a Holiday Inn and a Novotel for a 3-6 months client. The Holiday Inn comes in £20 cheaper but I realised it's years since I stayed in a regular Holiday Inn rather than a Holiday Inn Express. I mainly want a comfy bed, a desk as I'll need to work, and ideally a nice continental breakfast (I'm not one for big fry-up breakfasts).
There is a proper budget option which is either £25/night private single room with shared bathroom, or £36/night double room en-suite, but the desk looks tiny and the chair uncomfortable. If there was a late-opening cafe, or pub nearby, I could potentially work there, but.. there's not! There's not even any decent AirBnb options (and I don't particularly like supporting them).