Agreed on the Ibis Budget at Newport though it is a bit of trek from the station and the route isn't completely clear in the dark. Also the security staff which man reception after about 10/11 at night do not give the best welcome in the world! But as a cheap hotel it's hard to complain really as it certainly does the job.
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I have stayed at Hull West premier inn, for an early start at Brough in the morning for a pair of 47s to Edinburgh. It was comfy and I enjoyed it.
Recently stayed at the Ashton-under-Lyne Travelodge - not the best of the brand, despite being recently refurbished, already quite a lot of damage and stains on the carpet. A real plus point is that it's only 2 minutes walk from Ashton Moss tram stop.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
I think this is TL's problem and always will be till they get a grip - they build things on the cheep and the budget for deap cleaning and maintainance is 0. Every now and again, they get a kick up the butt and have to invest but the problems are still there after whichever refurb has been done. They need to take a look at Premier inn who keep standards high but prices low other than lastminute late bookings which TL are also guilty of↲
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on a related note, have the choice of TL or PI in Crewe next month both at same price, arriving late and leaving early. Thoughts guys? Im swaying toward the Premier.
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Request to Modds, could this thread be made a sticky? Its so handy!
Butts
Veteran Member
Talking of Travelodge has anyone else noted how they have reduced the value of their "Evening Meal Deal" quite considerably and increased the price.
Until earlier this year if you booked online at the time of reservation £9.95 got you a Drink (Incl full sized Bottle Magners ) plus any two Courses off the menu.
Now it's a couple of quid more , the drink selections are far more restrictive and you have to choose two courses from a "special selection" - ie not the whole menu.
To be honest I can understand it to a degree as a bottle of Magners alone at Heathrow TL must be a fiver on it's own nearly. Good while it lasted :cry:
Until earlier this year if you booked online at the time of reservation £9.95 got you a Drink (Incl full sized Bottle Magners ) plus any two Courses off the menu.
Now it's a couple of quid more , the drink selections are far more restrictive and you have to choose two courses from a "special selection" - ie not the whole menu.
To be honest I can understand it to a degree as a bottle of Magners alone at Heathrow TL must be a fiver on it's own nearly. Good while it lasted :cry:
Blindtraveler
Established Member
This is a shame as TL's only saving grace in my mind was there meals and bar. I cant work up much froth about the breakfasts but dinner usually ok.
starrymarkb
Established Member
"Hotel Slimelight" in London - Really just a Goth club but open till 7:30am. Don't expect much sleep 
and try to comply with the dress code
(this is pretty much in jest, but I have done it more then once rather then pay for a London hotel - £8 vs £80 is a saving )
and try to comply with the dress code(this is pretty much in jest, but I have done it more then once rather then pay for a London hotel - £8 vs £80 is a saving
)Walthamstow Central Travelodge I would recommend. It's brand new so still in good condition and it's really handy for both bus connections and, more importantly, rail connections. It's about a ten second walk from the station ticket office to the front door. So you've got easy access to Liverpool Street via National Rail and central London via the Victoria Line (and as you'd be joining at the first station a good chance of a seat).
Also if you can get a room up high (floor seven or so) you get great views over London.
Also if you can get a room up high (floor seven or so) you get great views over London.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
excillent, just at the rite time as about to book a room somewhere in that area, not for a bash but a family gathering and although TL Are not my idea of fun, this ones location plus the fact that its brao new are helpful to me! Does it have a bar?↲
I can't recall. I'm staying there tonight however so I'll report back.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I wondered why I never found this thread before, I see it's in the General Discussion area which I rarely touch. Amazed I didn't see it in New Posts earlier though, which I went through quite thoroughly 
Anyway, thanks blindtraveller for the link, this is the sort of thread that really needs sticky-fying for ease of finding when planning a trip. Quite, I would possibly suggest shoving this thread in the Trip Planning and Reports section.
I haven't gone through each of the 21 pages, but there are certainly some varied comments on Travelodge. They used to be my first port of call, but these days I take the chance on Hotels.com and Booking.com with non-chain hotels! I went into this in quite some detail in one of my trip reports earlier this year, although as I type this I confess I haven't checked which one. I'll return in a bit with it quoted, trying to find the relevant thread at the moment. I have however found Travelodge stays which were good:
22nd March 2014, Travelodge South Croydon. Only a 2 minute walk from Purley Oaks station (apparently 0.9 miles from South Croydon station), an older hotel but still very comfortable and clean room, at a very reasonable rate for 2 nights (not that I can remember how much it was now!) in the London area. Toby Carvery next door which was doing breakfast in the morning of my first night's stay, which was beyond exceptional value and of incredible taste. Wasn't open on my departure day for breakfast sadly :cry:
28th March 2014, Travelodge Wallasey New Brighton. Only a 6 or 7 minute walk from New Brighton station, very modern place and development around it too. Most satisfied with my room, which I recall was reasonably priced too.
5th May 2014, Travelodge Reading Central, not overly far from the station, a good 10-12 minute walk IIRC. Not a bad night's stay to be honest, for a late notice booking it was reasonably priced and I needed the sleep after a night on the town the night before and a long day of cranking!
2nd June 2014, The Portland Arms, Chesterton Road, Cambridge. Frigging long walk from the station, a good 30 minutes easily. Not a bad place, especially for the money (£40 or so I think it was), but it's in a pub above it so until well gone 2300 it's not quiet. Fairly comfy bed but shared bathroom (which I'm not a fan of). If you need a place to stay it's still a good place to stay but be warned, no lift of any sort here.
Aha, here we go, the rant about Travelodge Watford Central, 15th June 2014:
I used to be a massive fan of Travelodge, no more!
31st July 2014, Cornerstone B&B, Ashford, Kent. £45 this one cost me, but the bed was SO comfy it was unreal! Only about 10 minute walk from the station, Wetherspoon nearby too which I used for breakfast as I had to pay much more for breakfast at the B&B. I believe I was put in a family room which had an en-suite bathroom, microwave, fridge, a decent TV and plenty of tea/coffee.
1st August 2014, Westbrook Lodge Guest House, Margate. £39, again not including breakfast, and not a super comfy bed (especially compared to the night before!), shared bathroom here which I'm not pleased with. About 15 minute walk from the station, I would stay again but not in a rush to return to Margate anyway, what a dump of a town! Reasonable supply of tea/coffee and a basic TV too.
2nd August 2014, The Carlton Hotel, Folkestone. £35, the cheapest of the trip, and it's a rather uncomfortable bed in a small room. En-suite bathroom though, and 15 minutes from Folkestone Central station. The bus station is around 8 minutes away, if not slightly less. Again, no breakfast included in the price. Not my first choice of stay to be honest, but if needed to I would return. Basic TV which I didn't use, reasonable supply of tea/coffee, but the lift is VERY small and old.
3rd August 2014, The Railway Hotel, Faversham. £39 with no breakfast, but a reasonably comfy bed, en-suite bathroom too. The MASSIVE plus here is that the station is literally across the road from here, and Wetherspoon is only about 4 minutes walk down the road too. Incredibly handy for cranking and I am definitely staying here again on a future Kent Rover.
25th August 2014, The Cambridge Hotel, Huddersfield. Only around 6 minutes walk from the station, and for booking the night before the rate was excellent. One of the smartest hotels I've stayed in for years, the bed was fairly comfy, en-suite bathroom, but no breakfast included. For £39, booked 24 hours in advance, I wasn't expecting that of course! A most pleasant stay and a most pleasant surprise to find somewhere decent, definitely staying here again on future West Yorkshire trips!
8th September 2014, Rollason Wood Hotel, Gravelly Hill/Erdington, Birmingham. I paid £26.50 with not a lot of notice for this stay, which was a shared bathroom deal, double bed but not super comfortable. However, breakfast is included and I did have a decent bit of cooked food and coffee. Around 12 minutes walk from Gravelly Hill station which is not bad, and it's only a 10 minute ride on a 323 from/to Birmingham New Street. I will stay again but would rather go for a room that isn't a shared bathroom deal!
7th October 2014, MegabusGold, London-Glasgow. Not strictly a hotel, but one on wheels really, however I feel I should quote the rant of my experience from my trip report!
8th and 9th October 2014, Merith House Hotel, Leith, Edinburgh. Well what can I say here? My review on Trip Advisor will tell all, as will the following quotes from my trip report:
I am obviously aware now of this thread, and below is the comment from night 2 at Merith House Hotel:
Continental breakfast of tea/coffee, toast, yoghurts and fruit was the offer. I am absolutely NOT returning!
That'll do for now I think! I shall have another post to make on Saturday, following a stay in the Aldrington area.
Anyway, thanks blindtraveller for the link, this is the sort of thread that really needs sticky-fying for ease of finding when planning a trip. Quite, I would possibly suggest shoving this thread in the Trip Planning and Reports section.
I haven't gone through each of the 21 pages, but there are certainly some varied comments on Travelodge. They used to be my first port of call, but these days I take the chance on Hotels.com and Booking.com with non-chain hotels! I went into this in quite some detail in one of my trip reports earlier this year, although as I type this I confess I haven't checked which one. I'll return in a bit with it quoted, trying to find the relevant thread at the moment. I have however found Travelodge stays which were good:
22nd March 2014, Travelodge South Croydon. Only a 2 minute walk from Purley Oaks station (apparently 0.9 miles from South Croydon station), an older hotel but still very comfortable and clean room, at a very reasonable rate for 2 nights (not that I can remember how much it was now!) in the London area. Toby Carvery next door which was doing breakfast in the morning of my first night's stay, which was beyond exceptional value and of incredible taste. Wasn't open on my departure day for breakfast sadly :cry:
28th March 2014, Travelodge Wallasey New Brighton. Only a 6 or 7 minute walk from New Brighton station, very modern place and development around it too. Most satisfied with my room, which I recall was reasonably priced too.
5th May 2014, Travelodge Reading Central, not overly far from the station, a good 10-12 minute walk IIRC. Not a bad night's stay to be honest, for a late notice booking it was reasonably priced and I needed the sleep after a night on the town the night before and a long day of cranking!
2nd June 2014, The Portland Arms, Chesterton Road, Cambridge. Frigging long walk from the station, a good 30 minutes easily. Not a bad place, especially for the money (£40 or so I think it was), but it's in a pub above it so until well gone 2300 it's not quiet. Fairly comfy bed but shared bathroom (which I'm not a fan of). If you need a place to stay it's still a good place to stay but be warned, no lift of any sort here.
Aha, here we go, the rant about Travelodge Watford Central, 15th June 2014:
I used to be a massive fan of Travelodge, no more!
31st July 2014, Cornerstone B&B, Ashford, Kent. £45 this one cost me, but the bed was SO comfy it was unreal! Only about 10 minute walk from the station, Wetherspoon nearby too which I used for breakfast as I had to pay much more for breakfast at the B&B. I believe I was put in a family room which had an en-suite bathroom, microwave, fridge, a decent TV and plenty of tea/coffee.
1st August 2014, Westbrook Lodge Guest House, Margate. £39, again not including breakfast, and not a super comfy bed (especially compared to the night before!), shared bathroom here which I'm not pleased with. About 15 minute walk from the station, I would stay again but not in a rush to return to Margate anyway, what a dump of a town! Reasonable supply of tea/coffee and a basic TV too.
2nd August 2014, The Carlton Hotel, Folkestone. £35, the cheapest of the trip, and it's a rather uncomfortable bed in a small room. En-suite bathroom though, and 15 minutes from Folkestone Central station. The bus station is around 8 minutes away, if not slightly less. Again, no breakfast included in the price. Not my first choice of stay to be honest, but if needed to I would return. Basic TV which I didn't use, reasonable supply of tea/coffee, but the lift is VERY small and old.
3rd August 2014, The Railway Hotel, Faversham. £39 with no breakfast, but a reasonably comfy bed, en-suite bathroom too. The MASSIVE plus here is that the station is literally across the road from here, and Wetherspoon is only about 4 minutes walk down the road too. Incredibly handy for cranking and I am definitely staying here again on a future Kent Rover.
25th August 2014, The Cambridge Hotel, Huddersfield. Only around 6 minutes walk from the station, and for booking the night before the rate was excellent. One of the smartest hotels I've stayed in for years, the bed was fairly comfy, en-suite bathroom, but no breakfast included. For £39, booked 24 hours in advance, I wasn't expecting that of course! A most pleasant stay and a most pleasant surprise to find somewhere decent, definitely staying here again on future West Yorkshire trips!
8th September 2014, Rollason Wood Hotel, Gravelly Hill/Erdington, Birmingham. I paid £26.50 with not a lot of notice for this stay, which was a shared bathroom deal, double bed but not super comfortable. However, breakfast is included and I did have a decent bit of cooked food and coffee. Around 12 minutes walk from Gravelly Hill station which is not bad, and it's only a 10 minute ride on a 323 from/to Birmingham New Street. I will stay again but would rather go for a room that isn't a shared bathroom deal!
7th October 2014, MegabusGold, London-Glasgow. Not strictly a hotel, but one on wheels really, however I feel I should quote the rant of my experience from my trip report!
8th and 9th October 2014, Merith House Hotel, Leith, Edinburgh. Well what can I say here? My review on Trip Advisor will tell all, as will the following quotes from my trip report:
I am obviously aware now of this thread, and below is the comment from night 2 at Merith House Hotel:
Continental breakfast of tea/coffee, toast, yoghurts and fruit was the offer. I am absolutely NOT returning!
That'll do for now I think! I shall have another post to make on Saturday, following a stay in the Aldrington area.
I can confirm that there is a bar.
Ash Bridge
Established Member
Haven't stayed there, but I think you will find the Premier Inn much closer to the station, probably only 3/4 mins walk from the front entrance.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Thanks
I often cant be bothered heading out again once I've packed in for the day!--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thanks, v helpful, proximitty to the station does help when arriving at 23:20 on a Sunday!
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In reply to Techniquest, the Rollason Wood was infact the first hotel to be mentioned on here when I started this thread ages back and they do offer ensuite rooms. as to the thread itself, it does indeed need stickying and placing in trip planning and reports! Can the mods please do this? Theres a beer in it for you!
Ash Bridge
Established Member
Thanks
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thanks, v helpful, proximitty to the station does help when arriving at 23:20 on a Sunday!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
In reply to Techniquest, the Rollason Wood was infact the first hotel to be mentioned on here when I started this thread ages back and they do offer ensuite rooms. as to the thread itself, it does indeed need stickying and placing in trip planning and reports! Can the mods please do this? Theres a beer in it for you!
You're very welcome, just to add the Crewe Arms seems to be getting some very positive reviews on TripAdvisor these days, seems they have spent quite a lot of money refurbishing throughout the hotel, and of course that's very conveniently right at the station.
And for the prices it was charging, I never really understood why people were leaving such bad reviews - the place was clean and cheap, what more did they expect at around £30 per night? I'll have to re-visit when I'm next in the area to have a look at the refurbishment, as it's a great location for trips in North Wales and the North West.
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I've also got another couple of Travelodge's to add to the list.
Holyhead - Very noisy. I got a room overlooking the main road outside, on the top floor and was disturbed throughout the night by trucks heading for the port (they were all parked outside the hotel) and there was constant foot traffic on and off my floor, and a creaky floorboard outside my room. Didn't get much sleep at all - but the room was nice and clean, front desk staff were nice and the location is only a couple of minutes from the station, so is good for late arrivals.
Edinburgh Haymarket - An unusual Travelodge, in a listed building. As a result if offers single rooms at decent rates. A warning that this is a regular location of major over-booking according to Trip Advisor reviews. The room I had was small, but comfy and clean - and the front desk staff were lovely, and happy to accommodate earlier breakfast times. Walls and floors are thin, and the night I was there the place seemed to be something of a "knocking shop". Some fixtures and fittings (e.g. main bathroom light) were broken, but a major plus point were plug sockets by the bed. A good location, a couple of minutes walk from Haymarket.
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Blindtraveler
Established Member
I sadly never got to experience the Crewe Arms before the refurb and doubt I will now as its shot up in price and I note now is also under the Best Western umbarella.
Have added the Cambridge Hotel to our web directory. Thanks for the recommendation.
http://www.station-stays.co.uk
neilos
New Member
- Joined
- 27 Oct 2014
- Messages
- 2
Stayed at the Birmingham Airport Travelodge back in July on business. Stayed for two nights. No complaints at all. Room was clean and comfortable. Restaurant was a tad busy one of the nights, so our food took a while to arrive. Again, no complaints, just gave us more time to have another pint....
Downside, it's right next to the runway and control tower. With the window shut, it's not a problem, but it can get a tad noisy with the window open.
Downside, it's right next to the runway and control tower. With the window shut, it's not a problem, but it can get a tad noisy with the window open.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Somewhere around 2002 I stayed in the Crewe Arms - needing to be on the 0708 or so to Holyhead for a meeting. Nightmare - the corridor was unlit - you had to grope down and try about 4 keyholes for the lock - the room was a H+S trap - no tea / coffee making (no room / food service options after 2100 - but offered a Golden Delicious apple - of unknown age) - coal trains going past all night and then the sink had no working hot water tap and a cracked bathtub.
I refused to pay in the morning - and never heard a thing about it. Glad to her it has been done up. Lovely architecture. Venetian brick.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
dorsetman:1953390 said:
No problem, a good example of the enthusiast community helping each other out!
Drsatan
Established Member
Oddly enough, when I stayed there I was given a room which overlooked a side street, some distance from the main road, so noise wasn't an issue. There is also a McDonalds about two minutes walk away for breakfast.
I'll also add a few hotels I've stayed at in the past few months:
Charing Cross Premier Inn - would strongly recommend. The room was air conditioned and triple glazed, the room was spotless and the reception staff were friendly. The hotel is next door to Charing Cross station, and there is a Wetherspoons, numerous restaurants and a Tesco Express within five minutes walk of the hotel.
Paisley Road Travelodge, Glasgow. The hotel is cheap, and that's about it. Room was OK, but the hotel itself backs onto the M8, meaning you need to put up with the constrant drone of traffic, although there is a grass embankment screening the traffic. There is no air-conditioning, which meant when I stayed there in June this year the room was uncomfortably hot. The hotel itself is a 10-15 minute walk from Glasgow Central. Unless you're on a tight budget I wouldn't recommend.
Cedar Villa Guest House, Inverness. A pleasant B&B about 15 minutes walk from the station. The bed was comfortable enough, although as the hotel is next to a main road traffic noise is an issue. The breakfast is comfortable enough, although I wasn't too happy when I asked for an early breakfast one morning (I planned on catching the 07:04 to Wick), and despite the proprietor agreeing to this request by email a few days prior, had forgotten about it, meaning breakfast that morning was purchased from McDonalds. The proprietor and his wife are nice enough people though, so I didn't make a fuss about it.
Stepps Premier Inn (Glasgow)- about 10 minutes walk from Stepps station. Again, the room was spotlessly clean, and the reception staff were friendly. It's a Premier Inn with an adjoining Brewers Fayre, where I ate breakfast in the absence of anywhere else near the hotel. Breakfast was a bit pricey at £7.50 a head for an all-you-can-eat affair.
Travelodge London Docklands - a fairly new Travelodge five minutes walk from East India DLR. As it's fairly new, the rooms are in a good state of repair. On the two occasions I've stayed there, I didn't try breakfast, and made my own arrangements. There is a cafe/bar place around the corner which gives a 10% discount to Travelodge key holders.
Croydon Travelodge - around the corner from East Croydon station. It's unusual for a Travelodge in that the building it's located in isn't purpose built; it's a 1960s office block. When I went there at midnight on a Friday, there were some suspicious characters leaving the hotel (thankfully I wasn't hassled) and the lift stank of weed. The room itself was getting a bit tatty, the outer window was cracked (the rooms are double glazed, but with an inner, more modern window with a sliding partition, and an outer window of the same age as the building), and the TV reception was poor. It is in a good location as there is a Wetherspoons, a Greggs and a McDonalds within two minutes of the hotel.
IanD
Established Member
London or Glasgow?
I spent last night at the (Caterham) Whyteleafe Travelodge. It's a good location as it's right next to Whyteleafe South and only 5 minutes walk from Upper Warlingham - which is useful if you do what I did and miss the train from the former.
As for the hotel itself, it's a typical Travelodge - clean and functional. I got a ground floor room and wasn't bothered by noise but for those not used to it there is some railway noise on both sides until the early hours of the morning. Late arrivals require you to press a buzzer to be let in, or call the reception - luckily he was there when I arrived so let me straight into the lobby. This location also has a bar, and offers hot food.
As for the hotel itself, it's a typical Travelodge - clean and functional. I got a ground floor room and wasn't bothered by noise but for those not used to it there is some railway noise on both sides until the early hours of the morning. Late arrivals require you to press a buzzer to be let in, or call the reception - luckily he was there when I arrived so let me straight into the lobby. This location also has a bar, and offers hot food.
Must be Glasgow, don't think there's a Premier Inn "London Charing Cross".
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Croydon Travelodge - around the corner from East Croydon station. It's unusual for a Travelodge in that the building it's located in isn't purpose built; it's a 1960s office block. When I went there at midnight on a Friday, there were some suspicious characters leaving the hotel (thankfully I wasn't hassled) and the lift stank of weed. The room itself was getting a bit tatty, the outer window was cracked (the rooms are double glazed, but with an inner, more modern window with a sliding partition, and an outer window of the same age as the building), and the TV reception was poor. It is in a good location as there is a Wetherspoons, a Greggs and a McDonalds within two minutes of the hotel.
Welcome to Croydon !
Welcome to Croydon !
Drsatan
Established Member
Glasgow
Kite159
Veteran Member
Travelodge Peterborough is one to avoid if you want a good night's sleep as it overlooks 3 nightclubs, which on a Friday night is quite noisy. 15/20 minute walk from the station (although beat the 35 minute walk from the guest house I booked in Doncaster). Might be different if you are on the other side of the hotel
Bradford Premier Inn is one to recommend, 5 minutes from Bradford Interchange, decent beds and was nice and quiet
Bradford Premier Inn is one to recommend, 5 minutes from Bradford Interchange, decent beds and was nice and quiet
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Ibis Edinburgh old town (if you can get in) - though the Jury's Inn is not bad + you can hear the 04xx shunting of the sleeper sets if you are still awake !