Budget hotels discussion

[cactustwirly]

I'm often surprised at the poor TV offerings even in non-budget hotels. For example not having the full gamut of Freeview channels available, which you would expect as a bare minimum these days?

My other gripe is when they put in Smart TVs, but then lock things down so you can't cast to them.

Marriott let you cast to their TVs

Not exactly budget, although Moxy and Courtyard can be similar to Premier Inn price wise

 

[takno]

Was looking at going to Ireland for 1 night, staying Saturday night. Premier Inn are wanting around 200 euros to 300 euros a night. Even in Norway and Switzerland I can get a hotel for under 100 quid a night.

Outside of Oslo (or even in Oslo midweek outside of holidays) prices in Norway are often more reasonable than the UK.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Marriott let you cast to their TVs

Not exactly budget, although Moxy and Courtyard can be similar to Premier Inn price wise

My favourite (not sure you can count them at budget, although we got a room for £50) for TV's is the Mollie's Motel chain (one in Bristol & Oxford) who have NFC entry so you don't need the key card as your phone activates the door and they have very nice TVs with casting functions.

Casting does appear to be rolling out to some hotel chains, but very very slowly and usually through some very weird convoluted way of doing it (likely because there's so many TVs in a hotel and you don't want to end up casting something inappropriate to next door.)

 

[takno]

My favourite (not sure you can count them at budget, although we got a room for £50) for TV's is the Mollie's Motel chain (one in Bristol & Oxford) who have NFC entry so you don't need the key card as your phone activates the door and they have very nice TVs with casting functions.

Casting does appear to be rolling out to some hotel chains, but very very slowly and usually through some very weird convoluted way of doing it (likely because there's so many TVs in a hotel and you don't want to end up casting something inappropriate to next door.)

I don't mind reasonably-implemented phone-as-keycard solutions as an option, although I generally still prefer to get a key-card. One of the problems with some of the more budget options is when they use this as an alternative to having customer-facing staff on the premises at all.

Part of the problem with casting is that nobody ever got behind Miracast, and Google change the standard (and name) for Chromecast too often. If you're trying to manage a fleet of a couple of hundred lightly-used TVs, the last thing you want is for Google to declare (as they recently did) that the new standard isn't compatible with a whole bunch of TVs and set-top-boxes, which all now have to be binned. Paying for new hardware and for people to install in the small window when rooms are empty isn't cheap.

 

[BuhSnarf]

I don't mind reasonably-implemented phone-as-keycard solutions as an option, although I generally still prefer to get a key-card. One of the problems with some of the more budget options is when they use this as an alternative to having customer-facing staff on the premises at all.

Part of the problem with casting is that nobody ever got behind Miracast, and Google change the standard (and name) for Chromecast too often. If you're trying to manage a fleet of a couple of hundred lightly-used TVs, the last thing you want is for Google to declare (as they recently did) that the new standard isn't compatible with a whole bunch of TVs and set-top-boxes, which all now have to be binned. Paying for new hardware and for people to install in the small window when rooms are empty isn't cheap.

Yeah, you're absolutely right and Google do have a habit of breaking existing API calls / hooks without a care in the world!

At Mollie's they still have an excellent guest host too and you also get a plastic key card too - but you're right that some of the budget chains will absolutely use the new technology to drop a few humans from the process. I would hope after the recent issues that Travelodge have had with the keys process that this would bolster the requirement of having competent check in teams and guidelines, but maybe it's also the nail in the coffin that by removing that human element you become 'safer.'

 

[johntea]

Stayed in a Premier Plus room in Scarborough on Sunday (sadly for work purposes but I got to enjoy the beach today at least!) and it was excellent, well worth the extra tenner or whatever it was compared to the standard room - a huge room and everything just felt that bit more premium

Especially since you get the £5 'ULTIMATE' WiFi chucked in for free

 

[takno]

Stayed in a Premier Plus room in Scarborough on Sunday (sadly for work purposes but I got to enjoy the beach today at least!) and it was excellent, well worth the extra tenner or whatever it was compared to the standard room - a huge room and everything just felt that bit more premium

Especially since you get the £5 'ULTIMATE' WiFi chucked in for free

I stayed in a non premier room last night, having done a premier room in the same hotel a couple of weeks ago. Overall they were identical except that the premium room had a fridge, an armchair in place of the sofa, and a couple of tiny chocolates. The armchair was a slight downgrade when it came to seating two people.

The WiFi was arguably nice, although the free WiFi was fast enough to stream anyway. Handily the premium code I didn't use last time was still good.

The premium floor (which wasn't the top floor) seemed busier, so slightly more noisy.

Overall I probably wouldn't bother if the upgrade was more than a fiver, although I guess the difference might be more pronounced in other hotels.

 

[boyaloud]

I think Manchester probably more than any city outside of London is effected by effects. It has a stupid amount of hotels which means if it is mid week and there isn't much happening the rooms can be very cheap but as soon as there are a couple of events on the prices climb. Saturdays are always very expensive. I find Manchester has enough hotels that one event at the Arena probably only bumps prices up a bit, but through the Co-Op and football into the mix and that is when it gets very expensive. Even the suburbs get expensive.

Talking of the York Micklegate Travelodge I stayed there recently for the night but wanted to go to the railway museum so I ended up paying to check in early. The room was in need of redecorating. It ended up costing me £80 for the nigh with the early check in but that was with cancellation too. It was a Monday but but that is the most I would really want to pay, anymore than that I would just to go to a different city.

You know you could have left your bags at reception until checking in later?

 

[TravelDream]

Also the fuel protests in Ireland have pushed the prices up across the country. Two weeks ago the Wetherspoons hotel in Dublin was €69 for tonight, yesterday it was showing as €339

Irish hotel prices are high and have been for years.

It's one of the things that always puts me off a weekend away there.

I can't imagine Wetherspoon's missing out on the revenue opportunity and I am certain most guests pay more than €69.

 

[TheSmiths82]

You know you could have left your bags at reception until checking in later?

I should have done that, but not all Travelodge Hotels offer that service and I had a particularly big suitcase with me as I took my camera equipment with me. It was just easier to to check in and have done with it, I wouldn't normally ever use that service early check-in though. I did once try to leave my luggage at the IBIS in Bristol but it was 1pm and they said they had a room available so I may as well just check in now (for no extra cost).

 

[Whisky Papa]

The one time I did it through PI reception told me it wasn't worth doing in advance, because it didn't guarantee anything and didn't cost any more on the day. That was a pretty odd PI all round though.

I had read this with a degree of panic last week, as we had booked to stay in a PI in central Manchester on Friday and taken the early check-in option as we needed to dump our bags, get over to Piccadilly and meet our son and family off the train from London. We've done early check-in with Travelodge a few times without issue, but never a PI.

We arrived a shade after 1100, and saw that the automatic check-in screens said we needed to speak to the staff member, who then had us checked in and happily heading for the lift by 1105!

One minor gripe with their Portland Street hotel, though. It is another one arranged around a central void, so the walk to rooms at the rear is quite lengthy. Still, I suppose it means the further you go along the corridor the less guests need to pass your door at night.

There was some noise from the narrow street behind us - bottles being tipped into bins and a rather early call by some sort of utility vehicle - but I suppose we didn't expect much peace in a 24 hour party city!

 

[TheSmiths82]

I had read this with a degree of panic last week, as we had booked to stay in a PI in central Manchester on Friday and taken the early check-in option as we needed to dump our bags, get over to Piccadilly and meet our son and family off the train from London. We've done early check-in with Travelodge a few times without issue, but never a PI.

We arrived a shade after 1100, and saw that the automatic check-in screens said we needed to speak to the staff member, who then had us checked in and happily heading for the lift by 1105!

One minor gripe with their Portland Street hotel, though. It is another one arranged around a central void, so the walk to rooms at the rear is quite lengthy. Still, I suppose it means the further you go along the corridor the less guests need to pass your door at night.

There was some noise from the narrow street behind us - bottles being tipped into bins and a rather early call by some sort of utility vehicle - but I suppose we didn't expect much peace in a 24 hour party city!

That is probably one of the noisiest hotels in Manchester, it is right next to a 24 hour casino and a Wetherspoons that opens very late. The one on Mosley Street about 2 minute walk away is probably quieter but I get it all comes down to price for those nights that you're staying.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

That is probably one of the noisiest hotels in Manchester, it is right next to a 24 hour casino and a Wetherspoons that opens very late. The one on Mosley Street about 2 minute walk away is probably quieter but I get it all comes down to price for those nights that you're staying.

But a TOPS buffet as well. Ideal for rail enthusiasts.

 

[TheSmiths82]

But a TOPS buffet as well. Ideal for rail enthusiasts.

I walk past that hotel at least once or twice a week and I didn't know that place was still there! There used to be some great night clubs on that site but it was well before my time.

 

[Whisky Papa]

That is probably one of the noisiest hotels in Manchester, it is right next to a 24 hour casino and a Wetherspoons that opens very late. The one on Mosley Street about 2 minute walk away is probably quieter but I get it all comes down to price for those nights that you're staying.

I can't recall what the difference in price between Portland Street and Mosley Street was when we booked back in January, but our main reason for choosing Portland Street was wanting to be near our son and family who were staying in the Kimpton (the former Refuge Assurance building opposite Oxford Road station), which is definitely O/T for this thread!

On the Friday, the Bridgewater Hall was staging a 50th anniversary performance of The Rocky Horror Show, so I suspect that the Mosley Street area might have been...interesting!

 

[STINT47]

A warning about the Accorr loyalty scheme.

I'm looking to book an Accorr hotel and they're offering me early check in for £50. I'm a platinum member so I should get free early and late checkouts. I emailed the hotel to request it more than once but never got a reply. On calling them early check in is not available and is subject to availability.it still gives the option of paying £50 however.

Incidentally who would ever pay £50 to check in a few hours earlier is beyond me.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I'm looking to book an Accorr hotel and they're offering me early check in for £50. I'm a platinum member so I should get free early and late checkouts.

It's not limited to Accor. I've had similar with Radisson Blu and with IHG. The hotels' rationale seems to be that early check-in/late check-out is subject to availability even for elite members, so they won't agree it before check-in. But if you pay them then it is guaranteed.

Likewise I don't see the point of paying £50 to check in three hours early. The only time I've paid was £10 at a Travelodge in Peckham, and that was because it was hot and I was tired and really needed a shower and the AC.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Likewise I don't see the point of paying £50 to check in three hours early. The only time I've paid was £10 at a Travelodge in Peckham, and that was because it was hot and I was tired and really needed a shower and the AC.

There are use-cases for it. One is if you're attending something like a wedding and don't want to travel the night before, but equally don't want to be checking in at midnight and want to freshen up and change beforehand. It'll be vaguely in proportion to the room rate, so I suspect that was £50 against a room rate of say £200 in a Mercure rather than being an Ibis Budget, given that the poster only stated Accor but not which brand.

 

[sprunt]

I've found in the past that if you arrive somewhere before check-in and ask if you can leave your bag until check-in a lot of places will let you check in there and then if they have the room available. The best of these I ever had was when I arrived in MInneapolis on the train at about 7.00 am, and an hour later I was checked in and allowed to get breakfast that morning. I doubt I'll ever go back to Minneapolis, but if I do then the Best Western Downtown will be first choice.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I've found in the past that if you arrive somewhere before check-in and ask if you can leave your bag until check-in a lot of places will let you check in there and then if they have the room available. The best of these I ever had was when I arrived in MInneapolis on the train at about 7.00 am, and an hour later I was checked in and allowed to get breakfast that morning. I doubt I'll ever go back to Minneapolis, but if I do then the Best Western Downtown will be first choice.

We had a very similar experience arriving in Lisbon at around 8am on a hot summer's day. Went to the hotel hoping at best for somewhere to leave our bags, five minutes later we were being handed the keycard for unlimited air-conditioned bliss and the offer of a free breakfast. If we ever go back it'll be Hotel Sao Bento for us again

 

[TheSmiths82]

I've found in the past that if you arrive somewhere before check-in and ask if you can leave your bag until check-in a lot of places will let you check in there and then if they have the room available. The best of these I ever had was when I arrived in MInneapolis on the train at about 7.00 am, and an hour later I was checked in and allowed to get breakfast that morning. I doubt I'll ever go back to Minneapolis, but if I do then the Best Western Downtown will be first choice.

I have mentioned it a couple of times on here but that happened to me in Bristol, I arrived at the Ibis near the docks at 1pm asking if I could leave my luggage (I was planning to get some food and then go for a walk round the docks) but instead they handed me the room key . You wouldn't get that at Travelodge.

 

[STINT47]

given that the poster only stated Accor but not which brand.

It was a Novotel in London

 

[signed]

Accor has extremely poor loyalty recognition anywhere but APAC (asia Pacific) in which your status can actually really matter there

 

[johntea]

I stayed in the Rotherham Central Travelodge yesterday which was very nice…apparently only been knocked up a couple of years ago along with some sort of ‘Forge Island’ leisure development

As a result of being a new build it had a big TV in the room and…shock horror for a Travelodge…air conditioning!

Extremely handy being literally next door to Rotherham Central rail station and of course you’re right in the middle of town too within a couple of minutes walk

 

[m0ffy]

I’m currently “experiencing” some of North America’s budget hotels - so far including two Tru by Hilton and the incredibly (suspiciously) cheap Cadillac Motel in Niagara Falls. The two Trus are identical in appearance, but couldn’t be more different in maintenance standards and staffing.

 

[route101]

I've found in the past that if you arrive somewhere before check-in and ask if you can leave your bag until check-in a lot of places will let you check in there and then if they have the room available. The best of these I ever had was when I arrived in MInneapolis on the train at about 7.00 am, and an hour later I was checked in and allowed to get breakfast that morning. I doubt I'll ever go back to Minneapolis, but if I do then the Best Western Downtown will be first choice.

I once managed to check in around 9 am at the Ibis Styles in Riga. If you don't ask you don't get.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2026 ==

Anyone ever parked at a Premier Inn before the check in time of 3pm?

I am looking at parking at the Premier Inn outside of Cambridge and then getting the bus in the City.

 

[BuhSnarf]

I once managed to check in around 9 am at the Ibis Styles in Riga. If you don't ask you don't get.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2026 ==

Anyone ever parked at a Premier Inn before the check in time of 3pm?

I am looking at parking at the Premier Inn outside of Cambridge and then getting the bus in the City.

Yes, I asked inside and there was plenty of spaces in the car park so they just entered me on the ANPR device. I've found if it's not a camera controlled car park they'll just tell you it's fine anyway.

Which Cambridge you staying at? We did the one in Orchard Park and they were absolutely fine for us to leave the car there for the full duration of both days. Handy for the P&R there too.

 

[route101]

Yes, I asked inside and there was plenty of spaces in the car park so they just entered me on the ANPR device. I've found if it's not a camera controlled car park they'll just tell you it's fine anyway.

Which Cambridge you staying at? We did the one in Orchard Park and they were absolutely fine for us to leave the car there for the full duration of both days. Handy for the P&R there too.

Yes, the Orchard Park. I remember your review.

Plan is to drive from Stansted to the Hotel, then head into Cambridge on the bus.

 

[High Dyke]

Further issues with Travelodge.

BBC News - Lincoln Travelodge gave stranger key to couple's room - BBC News

Lincoln Travelodge gave stranger key to couple's room

Woman says she was left feeling shaken and believes the chain needs to do more to improve security.

www.bbc.co.uk

A woman says she was left shaken when a stranger came into her Travelodge room having been given a key card by staff.

It happened just days after the hotel chain's boss promised to improve security measures after a man was jailed for sexually assaulting a woman in her room in Maidenhead.

 

[stuartl]

Further issues with Travelodge.

BBC News - Lincoln Travelodge gave stranger key to couple's room - BBC News

Lincoln Travelodge gave stranger key to couple's room

Woman says she was left feeling shaken and believes the chain needs to do more to improve security.

www.bbc.co.uk

I appreciate that this is the fault of the hotel, but why do people not deadlock their door ?