Budget hotels discussion

[dorsetdesiro]

Mod note: Split from this thread - neither of the chains being discussed are going anywhere anytime soon and there's some interesting discussion developing.

Just read in the paper Whitbread are getting rid of some eateries and converting these to more Premier Inns. The thing is most of them are attached to existing Premier Inns so likely extending these over the former eatery's footprint?

One benefit of Premier Inns is the convenience of an eatery being next door whilst it is usually only vending machines in Travelodges.

I'm wondering if Whitbread does regret selling off Costa Coffee to Coca-Cola, they probably otherwise would have small Costa cafes inside hotels after removing Beefeater/Brewers Fayre etc.

 

[westv]

I will admit tht before covid, I did have a preference for premier inn, as the on-site restaraunt was fairly good, and it had a nice all-you-can-eat breakfast. If the offer is indeed still slimmed down, I wonder if that is the reason for the lower profitability; that they've simply made the restaraunts less attractive to go to.

I am curious to know how the breakfast has been slimmed down.

 

[Andyh82]

I am curious to know how the breakfast has been slimmed down.

The breakfast hasn’t been slimmed down

How they offer it if some sites don’t have a restaurant remains to me seen, but maybe none of the closures will result in that situation

 

[birchesgreen]

I am curious to know how the breakfast has been slimmed down.

Smaller slices of bread and chipolatas instead of sausages?

 

[dk1]

Smaller slices of bread and chipolatas instead of sausages?

Can you not just take twice as much then?

 

[birchesgreen]

Can you not just take twice as much then?

Smaller plates too, should solve the problem unless a Mr A. Partridge is a guest.

 

[dk1]

Smaller plates too, should solve the problem unless a Mr A. Partridge is a guest.

I’m not familiar with that which is odd considering I live in a village five miles east of Norwich

 

[75A]

Smaller slices of bread and chipolatas instead of sausages?

They were very nice sausages in Kettering last week on the 3 days we did get a cooked breakfast. No scrambled eggs though.

 

[westv]

They were very nice sausages in Kettering last week on the 3 days we did get a cooked breakfast. No scrambled eggs though.

The last time I used a PI in November there were both nice sausages, scrambled and fried egg. This was London.

 

[ChrisC]

Just read in the paper Whitbread are getting rid of some eateries and converting these to more Premier Inns. The thing is most of them are attached to existing Premier Inns so likely extending these over the former eatery's footprint?

One benefit of Premier Inns is the convenience of an eatery being next door whilst it is usually only vending machines in Travelodges.

I'm wondering if Whitbread does regret selling off Costa Coffee to Coca-Cola, they probably otherwise would have small Costa cafes inside hotels after removing Beefeater/Brewers Fayre etc.

It's difficult to work out, from reading the various press reports, what exactly this means.
Could it mainly be those Premier Inn's where the restaurant is in a separate pub like building next door such as Beefeater or Brewers Fayre or those where the restaurant is very much a part of the Premier Inn hotel building like the thyme restaurants. I find most Premier Inn breakfasts very good but the few I have not found quite so good have been in separate pub buildings.
If breakfasts are going to be served in more 'in house' set ups like Travelodge, Holiday Inn Express and Ibis, I hope the capacity of these restaurants won't be so reduced that it is difficult to find an empty table at peak times to have breakfast.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Does Travelodge have breakfast rooms, I would have thought they'd deliver to your door, I have walked past eaten food on trays left outside in corridors?

Some Travelodges would have Subways/Greggs etc close by which used to be Little Chefs. Other more isolated Travelodges likely have nothing other than vending machines.

 

[ChrisC]

Does Travelodge have breakfast rooms, I would have thought they'd deliver to your door, I have walked past eaten food on trays left outside in corridors?

Some Travelodges would have Subways/Greggs etc close by which used to be Little Chefs. Other more isolated Travelodges likely have nothing other than vending machines.

I haven't stayed in a Travelodge recently as most of my stays these days are for at least 3 nights and I find them too basic. I've never stayed in the out of town ones near motorway junctions etc. All of the City Centre locations I have stayed in have had a small dining area serving breakfasts and in some locations limited evening meals. I never found the breakfasts anywhere near as good as Premier Inn. If I'm looking for a budget chain hotel these days, as an alternative to Premier Inn, I go for Holiday Inn Express or Ibis and don't even consider Travelodge. Mostly now if I'm staying somewhere for more than a couple of nights I stay in mid range hotels, often preferring independently run hotels belonging to small groups, rather than the big chains.

 

[cactustwirly]

I haven't stayed in a Travelodge recently as most of my stays these days are for at least 3 nights and I find them too basic. I've never stayed in the out of town ones near motorway junctions etc. All of the City Centre locations I have stayed in have had a small dining area serving breakfasts and in some locations limited evening meals. I never found the breakfasts anywhere near as good as Premier Inn. If I'm looking for a budget chain hotel these days, as an alternative to Premier Inn, I go for Holiday Inn Express or Ibis and don't even consider Travelodge.

In what way are Travelodge too basic? The rooms are the same, one is blue the other is purple.

They are both budget hotels at the end of the day

 

[dk1]

In what way are Travelodge too basic? The rooms are the same, one is blue the other is purple.

They are both budget hotels at the end of the day

Haven’t used Travelodge for around 20 years. I do remember that back then if you had a room with a double and a put up single bed you had to make your own bed up which was something I’d never seen anywhere else. Premier Inn always seemed a cut above though.

 

[D6130]

Does Travelodge have breakfast rooms, I would have thought they'd deliver to your door, I have walked past eaten food on trays left outside in corridors?

Some Travelodges would have Subways/Greggs etc close by which used to be Little Chefs. Other more isolated Travelodges likely have nothing other than vending machines.

Some do and some don't. Thinking of Travelodges in which I have stayed over the past two or three years, Leeds Central, Edinburgh St Mary's Street and Waterloo Place and Glasgow Queen Street do....but Dundee Central doesn't.

 

[ChrisC]

In what way are Travelodge too basic? The rooms are the same, one is blue the other is purple.

They are both budget hotels at the end of the day

I find them too basic in the fact that I like somewhere to store my clothes and belongings. Just a few coat hangers in a corner without any shelves or drawers is not enough for me if I'm staying more than one night. Just somewhere to store my socks and underwear would be nice. The last time I stayed in a Travelodge I felt that I was living out of my case as if in a hostel for the homeless. I didn't mind when I was younger but these days I prefer a bit more.

 

[birchesgreen]

I find them too basic in the fact that I like somewhere to store my clothes and belongings. Just a few coat hangers in a corner without any shelves or drawers is not enough for me if I'm staying more than one night. Just somewhere to store my socks and underwear would be nice. The last time I stayed in a Travelodge I felt that I was living out of my case as if in a hostel for the homeless. I didn't mind when I was younger but these days I prefer a bit more.

Every Travelodge i've been to has had a warddrobe, didn't know there were some without.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The Travelodge London City is a cut above the rest, with a proper hot breakfast. It's actually billed as a 3 star hotel.

 

[Peter Sarf]

In what way are Travelodge too basic? The rooms are the same, one is blue the other is purple.

They are both budget hotels at the end of the day

What I used to notice with Travelodge was that there was always some minor niggle. Quite often we were having to ask for a pillow, pillow case or some towels. Never had that with Premier Inn.

 

[birchesgreen]

What I used to notice with Travelodge was that there was always some minor niggle. Quite often we were having to ask for a pillow, pillow case or some towels. Never had that with Premier Inn.

Can vary a lot, Guildford one is great but the Reading one i stayed in last month was a disgrace.

 

[Trackman]

The Travelodge London City is a cut above the rest, with a proper hot breakfast. It's actually billed as a 3 star hotel.

But who defines this? I know historically the AA have - but is there a legal thing to say I cannot open a Trackman's 5-star hotel?
Might be worth starting another thread for this.
Got me thinking about Michelin stars too, which opens another can of worms.

 

[ChrisC]

Every Travelodge i've been to has had a warddrobe, didn't know there were some without.

Older non refurbished Travelodges used to have plenty of wardrobe space, shelves and drawers. During the last 10 years the newer refurbishments including Super rooms and new look rooms have to some extent restored storage space. It was the very stark minimalist refurbishments of basic rooms between around 10 and 20 years ago which removed most of the storage space. Those hotels which were refurbished with the grey/dark and light blue/ orange/ red striped furnishings just had about half a dozen coat hangers on a rail in the corner of the room but no shelves or drawers underneath.

 

[johntea]

Can't say I've ever had a problem with a Travelodge, certainly nothing large enough that has put me off staying in one and they're often much cheaper than Premier Inn in the same vicinity

I do like the Travelodge Manchester Piccadilly Gardens which has been refurbished recently - the only odd thing I guess being the reception is not on the ground floor although I don't think it is a unique example of such a setup, they once put me in a huge corner room with an absolutely cracking view of the entire Piccadilly Gardens area!

Stayed in the Travelodge Manchester Ancoats a few times literally a 5 minute straight walk from the Piccadilly Gardens one due to more competitive pricing at the time which is also fine apart from one major problem if you're a bit of a light sleeper - it is situated on a main road with plenty of nightlife also around!

 

[317 forever]

I agree with the comment about Travelodge (Plus) London City being great. I stayed there the night ready for August Bank Holiday 2019.

Back to Premier Inn, and I think Edinburgh Newcraighall could be a case in point. I stayed there in September 2022 and 2023. In 2022 breakfast was served in the restaurant just outside. In 2023 they had a small room used as a dining room for breakfast.

 

[Kite159]

In my experience some Travelodges are better than others (ie those in older buildings with tiny windows which barely open meaning the room is like an oven in summer).

Likewise same with the Premier Inns, some are better than others. Both cases I find the breakfast options can be overpriced, especially if there is a Wetherspoons or other cafe close by.

Like the one in Reading near the Thames, has a Toby nextdoor which does breakfast for less than in the little breakfast room.

 

[route101]

I was staying at a Premier Inn last week and for the first time it was table service for breakfast. I prefer the buffet set up. I wish Premier Inn had the option for a breakfast roll rather than a full fry up.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

In Premier Inn, kids eat free at breakfast. Premier Inn are not a charity food bank, therefore the cost of that free breakfast is being recouped from somewhere. I object to subsidising other people's children so I never buy a breakfast there! As the price for a full cooked breakfast is around the £11 to £13 mark it would be quite easy to find a reasonable sized cooked breakfast for less*. As it happens I can't face an 'all you can eat' breakfast anyway. The continental breakfast isn't a particularly healthy option and at around the £10 mark again a cheaper option is available from any corner shop. For example a Tesco Meal Deal (Sandwich for lunch later, fruit pot and juice for breakfast) does the job for £3.40 (Clubcard prices).

As to facilities, I do find the lack of cupboards / drawers annoying.

Standards seem to be slipping of late with rooms not as clean as they could be - try running your hand over the carpet and see how many lumps you find! Bathrooms always clean however. On Thursday I stayed in a Premier Inn with no sink plug, fortunately the (larger) bath plug had no chain so could be carefully balanced over the hole in the sink. No heavy sloshing of water though! Otherwise it's a 'wad of toilet-paper' plug.

In contrast to @dk1's experience, the other week I was put in a family room with the double bed and two other beds made up. I had to unmake the bed in order to stretch out on the sofa bed thingy.

On a non-scientific basis, Premier Inn always seemed to be priced a little bit more expensive than Travelodge in the same town, but seemed to have more air-conditioned hotels. They then reduced their prices to below those of Travelodge. Travelodge had a 'bit of a wobble' about a decade ago when they were knocking rooms out for £10 per night. Ibis I stopped using several years ago - the smell from the 'not quite plumbed in properly' pre-fabricated bathroom modules got too much along with a couple of other bad experiences.

*northern England, not your London prices.

I do like the Travelodge Manchester Piccadilly Gardens which has been refurbished recently - the only odd thing I guess being the reception is not on the ground floor although I don't think it is a unique example of such a setup, they once put me in a huge corner room with an absolutely cracking view of the entire Piccadilly Gardens area!

Travelodge Windsor. An entrance and reception (entered from one side) is on the third floor but you don't necessarily know this. As I found out! I got my room key from reception (room 3xx) then got into the lift, kept pressing floor three but the lift wouldn't go anywhere, because I already was on floor three.

 

[renegademaster]

therefore the cost of that free breakfast is being recouped from somewhere. I object to subsidising other people's children so I never buy a breakfast there!

That's a really silly reason. Promotions like that get funded from the profit they make from the parents staying over, it's not any child can wander in and get a breakfast

 

[TheSmiths82]

I have stayed in quite a few Travelodge's that do have proper Travelodge branded restaurants. One of the ones in Kings Cross is a good example, they are usually in city centres though where there is a much better food offering as soon as you step outside the hotel anyway. I did go to the bar in the one in Kings Cross and it had quite a nice atmosphere, unlike the older Travelodge bar designs where were too clinical.

I am a big fan of Travelodge but some are really hit and miss. I stayed in one in Chester which was awful, the windows didn't open at the room stank of stale smoke. Thankfully I was only there one night. I often look out for Ibis hotels too, sometimes they can be only a bit more expensive than a Travelodge but cheaper than a Premier Inn but a bit nicer than both.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I am a big fan of Travelodge but some are really hit and miss. I stayed in one in Chester which was awful, the windows didn't open at the room stank of stale smoke. Thankfully I was only there one night. I often look out for Ibis hotels too, sometimes they can be only a bit more expensive than a Travelodge but cheaper than a Premier Inn but a bit nicer than both.

I've also stayed in the one in Chester and it was pretty dire - room not properly cleaned before I got there. But had much better experiences with Travelodges in other places.

One thing that got me about Travelodge is having to pay extra to use the Internet (beyond a certain fairly low 'freebie' amount of data). I get that part of being a budget place is that you pay separately for extras, but Internet seems such a basic thing that it seems odd for it not to be provided automatically for guests. I can't recall ever being charged to use the Internet in any other hotel.