Budget hotels discussion

[Bletchleyite]

The basic part of the normal service is to permit check-in from the time stated when you booked. No more; no less.

Usually full service hotels will let you check in a bit early if the room is ready. PI/TL used to (with varying levels of success) but it's now a chargeable service aligning with their low cost model. I found staff had a mixed level of helpfulness over that though - some would rejig rooms to get you one that was ready, some flat refused. When I saw it done in a PI it looked like a right pain in the proverbial to do, it always took them several minutes on the computer. It seems odd that they don't allocate rooms more dynamically to be honest.

 

[The exile]

Usually full service hotels will let you check in a bit early if the room is ready. PI/TL used to (with varying levels of success) but it's now a chargeable service aligning with their low cost model.

You pays your money and takes your choice!

 

[Andyh82]

I find it works if you don’t expect it. I’ve turned up at Premier Inn’s an hour early fully expecting to store my luggage and be on my way, checking in later in the evening, but then be told ‘actually your room might be ready, let me have a look..’

If you turn up expecting that you check in early, that’s a different story

 

[75A]

Got to say Well Done to the P.I. in Cockermouth last weekend.
My 4 night stay started with me arriving just after 1am, no problem at all, in the morning Breakfast was amusing as there was only the cook there and he wasn't bothered whether you had booked or wanted to pay there and then.
The next morning wasn't so funny when the lady staff member said there'd be a 30 minute delay as they'd been 'locked out'.
No advance notice but the Restaurant & Bar was shut in the Evening so luckily I found a great Pub that did edible food in the Town Centre.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The basic part of the normal service is to permit check-in from the time stated when you booked. No more; no less.

Whilst this is true, it seems unnecessarily churlish to tell someone their room is ready early but that they may only get the key early if they pay a fee. I'd not expect to be checked in early if I've not booked and paid for it but I would be put out if I was refused having been told everything was ready.

It's another reason why I generally don't bother with Travelodge anymore. They're not usually cheap enough to put up with all this nonsense.

 

[route101]

Last time I asked I was refused early check in at Premier Inn.

At the same Premier Inn, we had a few drinks and snacks in the bar but the staff were expecting us to have the full dinner and breakfast offer. It seems not the thing to do!

 

[johntea]

I don't have a problem with the check in time, it is clearly advertised when booking - although in the case of Premier Inn prior to Covid you always used to be able to check in from 2pm

A flat fee for early check in would perhaps be more appealing if it was tiered - e.g. 12pm check in £15 1pm check in £10 2pm check in £5

One benefit Premier Inn does have over Travelodge is you can 'check in' online just before your stay which speeds up the process rather significantly when you arrive, many people seem to struggle with the self check in screens so join the long queue at reception but that delights me as I've rarely had any issues with them and can therefore be checked in and heading to my room in under 5 minutes!

Paying for late checkout is usually pretty pointless unless you're talking hours...12pm can quite often turn into 1pm if you're strategic on the cleaner lookout - even if they come knocking a polite 'oops didn't realize the time give me 5 minutes!' will usually keep them happy

 

[speedy1]

prior to Covid you always used to be able to check in from 2pm

..

12pm can quite often turn into 1pm if you're strategic on the cleaner lookout

Do you spot a possible connection between those two things?

 

[route101]

Usually when I stay in the room past 9am I have to put a do not disturb sign on the door.

I have booked my expensive PI room ever in St Helier, Jersey.

I am also staying at the Ibis in Leeds.

 

[takno]

Usually when I stay in the room past 9am I have to put a do not disturb sign on the door.

I have booked my expensive PI room ever in St Helier, Jersey.

I am also staying at the Ibis in Leeds.

Are you in the Charing Cross PI in St Helier, or the cheaper one across town? I did like the cheaper one, but I was there before the start of the season so I suspect it was a bit cheaper

 

[route101]

Are you in the Charing Cross PI in St Helier, or the cheaper one across town? I did like the cheaper one, but I was there before the start of the season so I suspect it was a bit cheaper

The other one, Merchants Square. Its certainly much cheaper outwith weekends.

 

[takno]

The other one, Merchants Square. Its certainly much cheaper outwith weekends.

Id be interested to know how the wifi is when it's busy. On quieter days I was streaming video on the free wifi so happily that I didn't notice I wasn't using the premium one.

 

[Oscar M]

Has anyone else noticed Travelodge now offers three rates when booking, as opposed to two?

Previously they just had Saver and Flexible. The former being non-refundable and amendable for a £12.50 fee. The latter being refundable and amendable with no fees.

Now, they continue to offer those rates (albeit with Saver being renamed into Semi-Flex), but have simultaneously introduced a new 'Lowest' rate, which is non-refundable and non-amendable.

I guess my question is whether they've done this by offering the Lowest rate at lower prices than was previously available with the Saver rate, or by raising the cost of the Saver and Flexible rate. Or perhaps a bit of both.

 

[johntea]

Is Michael O'Leary staying in a Travelodge this week by any chance?!

£12.50 (per every single amendment just to rub salt in the wound!) is ridiculous on top of the fact if the new date is priced higher you have to cough up the difference anyway

Looking at a random night tomorrow somewhere
Lowest Rate £59.99
Semi-Flex Rate £62.99
Flexible Rate £67.99

So no benefit at all in the Semi-Flex rate, just book Flexible for a fiver more if you need flexibility and avoid the £12.50 in the process!

 

[Kite159]

So becoming a bit like Premier Inn in terms of having multiple price levels, certainly I would consider cutting back my stays (as I tend to book flexible rate just in case the weather turns out to be quite nasty). Offer a low rate which has no changes and increase the premium between "Fixed" and "Flexible".

 

[Bletchleyite]

Oddly though PI only seems to offer the fixed rate a day or two before the stay.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Pre Covid, Travelodge and Premier Inn had fixed 'use it or lose it' rates with no ability to reschedule or refund. The flexibility is a hangover from Covid. Perhaps Travelodge have decided it is time to bring back total inflexibility.

Oddly though PI only seems to offer the fixed rate a day or two before the stay.

An analysis I did a while back.

	non-flex	standard	advance	semi-flex	flex
immediate to +5 days	yes	yes			yes
+6 days to +59 days		yes		yes	yes
+60 days to +149 days		yes	yes		yes
+150 days and beyond			yes		yes

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wonder if they find that it is better to have people booking in advance able to change the date of stay because the room can then be resold nearer the time of stay at a higher rate, perhaps?

The non-flex rate nearer the time is basically filling rooms they're unlikely to sell later.

 

[route101]

I tend to book a flex rate if its more expensive price and I am coming from further away.

 

[johntea]

Booking for a week in London recently I'm just confused how Premier Inn manage to get custom around King's Cross / St Pancras at the prices being charged when Travelodge in the exact same vicinity are £300 - £400 cheaper for a week!

I get Premier Inn are the 'better' brand but it certainly isn't £300 - £400 worth of better! They have the 'hub' idea elsewhere in Central London but that is still a rather expensive version of Easyhotel!

Of course I booked in Zone 5 which cost about the same for a week as a couple of nights in Zone 1

 

[route101]

Booking for a week in London recently I'm just confused how Premier Inn manage to get custom around King's Cross / St Pancras at the prices being charged when Travelodge in the exact same vicinity are £300 - £400 cheaper for a week!

I get Premier Inn are the 'better' brand but it certainly isn't £300 - £400 worth of better! They have the 'hub' idea elsewhere in Central London but that is still a rather expensive version of Easyhotel!

Of course I booked in Zone 5 which cost about the same for a week as a couple of nights in Zone 1

People who want the location will pay it. Find these dyamic prices getting a bit out of hand for flights, tickets, hotels and Flixbus.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Booking for a week in London recently I'm just confused how Premier Inn manage to get custom around King's Cross / St Pancras at the prices being charged when Travelodge in the exact same vicinity are £300 - £400 cheaper for a week!

I get Premier Inn are the 'better' brand but it certainly isn't £300 - £400 worth of better! They have the 'hub' idea elsewhere in Central London but that is still a rather expensive version of Easyhotel!

Of course I booked in Zone 5 which cost about the same for a week as a couple of nights in Zone 1

A lot of people around there are on expenses and so won't be as bothered provided the price complies with the company policy for London stays.

 

[Gareth1990]

A lot of people around there are on expenses and so won't be as bothered provided the price complies with the company policy for London stays.

Prices are getting to the point though where it won’t comply with company policy, I know the company I work for wouldn’t pay Central London prices…

 

[Bletchleyite]

Prices are getting to the point though where it won’t comply with company policy, I know the company I work for wouldn’t pay Central London prices…

True.

There is also that I'd probably rather pay £200 for a better hotel than £150 for a Travelodge. Once it gets into what for me is the "expensive" bracket I'd go a bit more expensive to get better quality. I only really do Travelodges when they're dirt cheap (had one for £50 a night recently which is about what it was when they started, and I've had £19.99 before!) or when I need the 2pm late checkout which only they and Ibis offer, and the latter not always.

 

[Willie Bee]

Booking for a week in London recently I'm just confused how Premier Inn manage to get custom around King's Cross / St Pancras at the prices being charged when Travelodge in the exact same vicinity are £300 - £400 cheaper for a week!

I get Premier Inn are the 'better' brand but it certainly isn't £300 - £400 worth of better! They have the 'hub' idea elsewhere in Central London but that is still a rather expensive version of Easyhotel!

Of course I booked in Zone 5 which cost about the same for a week as a couple of nights in Zone 1

It's amazing how prices can vary.

My wife and I have stayed at the 'hub' Premier Inn at Goodge Street 3 times (2022 - 2024) and checking on the prices we paid, it was an average of £110-£120 per night which wasn't bad for London.

For a similar stay in September this year, the bigger style 'hub' room would be a whopping £945, an average of £189

A similar stay at Chiswick would only be £321, an average of £64

OK, it's an hour out of the city centre, but much better value .. better still if you have free bus passes

 

[Bletchleyite]

OK, it's an hour out of the city centre, but much better value .. better still if you have free bus passes

Places like Croydon are often cheap if you don't mind the train ride (many here would of course consider that a positive).

 

[Mike395]

West Brompton hub by PI often tends to be a reasonable compromise between value and distance from central London, right outside the Tube station.

 

[Kite159]

Places like Croydon are often cheap if you don't mind the train ride (many here would of course consider that a positive).

Although Croydon isn't as cheap as it once was for hotels, probably a mix between people staying there for Gatwick and for London

 

[cactustwirly]

Booking for a week in London recently I'm just confused how Premier Inn manage to get custom around King's Cross / St Pancras at the prices being charged when Travelodge in the exact same vicinity are £300 - £400 cheaper for a week!

I get Premier Inn are the 'better' brand but it certainly isn't £300 - £400 worth of better! They have the 'hub' idea elsewhere in Central London but that is still a rather expensive version of Easyhotel!

Of course I booked in Zone 5 which cost about the same for a week as a couple of nights in Zone 1

Would be interested to see how Premier Inn compare to Hilton/Marriott/IHG in that case

 

[317 forever]

Arrived at TL Bullring Birmingham a few weeks ago at 1445. Was asked if I had booked early check in which I had not. The receptionist stated she could check me in but I couldn’t have the room key until 1500 unless I coughed up £12. I declined and she told us to take a seat in the restaurant area and come back for the key at 1500.
i returned to reception at the said time and there was a queue right out the door with people waiting to check in, so had to queue up for about 20 mins to get our key, just as well it wasn’t raining. Couldnt believe they couldn’t give me the key having checked me in for the sake of 15 mins considering the room must have been ready.

Perhaps the worst bit is how they let other people "queue jump" you. They should have allowed people to form a queue ready for 15.00