Ideal for a stop-over (Travel Inn in general)

Member Name: hypno06

Product:	Travel Inn in general
Date:	17/01/09 (115 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality accommodation at a reasonable price.

Disadvantages: Expensive internet access!

This is a review of the Premier Travel Inn chain in general, not of any specific branch. The reason for this is that we have stayed at a number of Travel Inns across the country over the years. The chain is also known as Travel Inn and Premier Inn.....but they are one and the same. They are part of Whitbread.

Travel Inns are one of a number of similar chains offering basic but comfortable accommodation across the UK designed for one or two night stays to break up your journey when you are travelling - the modern "Motel".

Branches are found throughout the UK and Ireland, as well as in India and Dubai (if you are travelling a little further!).

My children do a lot of ski racing, and so we spend a lot of time at the weekends taking them to dry ski slopes across the uk, and during the winter getting them to Europe. We need to do all of this on a budget, so Travel Inns are just the job for us.

There is a range of rooms available, some which are suitable for disabled guests, and some that are suitable for families (at no extra cost). We opt for the family room - there are four of us, two adults and two teenagers, and this does us nicely. Twin rooms are available, but these could contain a double bed - so if you are travelling with a "friend" or your mother, you may wish to check when booking that you have twin beds rather than a double! All rooms are, of course, now non-smoking.

**booking**

You can search for availability online at www.premierinn.com and can complete your booking online. This is quick and simple and the option we normally opt for.

You can ring an automated booking line - I have never tried this, for fear I will end up booking something I cannot get out of because I am speaking to a machine!

You can book directly with the hotel that you wish to stay in. This is great if you have stayed there before and have particular requirements about the location of your room.

Or you can book with their customer services people on the telephone - they are open between 8am and 8pm (from 9am on Sundays) so this is not as convenient as booking online, but we have used this service in the past and not had any problems.

**The rooms**

These are basic, but comfortable. A family room contains a good sized double bed with bedside cabinets, and a sofa that has a pull out bed underneath, so can sleep 4 "cosily". There is a TV, tea/coffee making facilities and usually internet access (although you have to pay for this as an extra). There is plenty of space for hanging coats and clothes and for storing bags. The bathroom is generally quite spacious with a shower over the bath - towels are provided, as is shower gel. If there is not a hairdryer in your room, simply ask for one at reception. Cots are also available on request.

**The price**

Prices vary - you can get a family foom for under £50 at times, but you generally pay between £50 and £75 for a room per night - not cheap cheap, but if you are fitting four people in, it works out pretty well!

**Food**

All Travel Inns will either have their own restaurant attached, or will be on the same site as an eating facility such as Beefeater or Brewers Fayre.

If there is a restaurant attached to your Travel Inn, they usually offer "kids eat free" at breakfast, which also helps the budget go a little further. Breakfast is NOT included in the price of the room. There are a range of breakfasts available from a "grab and go" breakfast for a couple of pounds, to an "all you can eat" hot breakfast for about £7.

**Good Night's Sleep**

Travel Inn have been offering a guarantee of a good night's sleep for several years, although I cannot see mention of it on their website, so this might have been axed. Basically, if you do not get a good night's sleep while staying with them, they will refund your room fee. Now, obviously this is not applicable if it is your baby that is keeping you awake, or your partner is snoring.....but if you are kept awake by something that is outside your control, such as the heating controls not turning off so the room was like a sauna, or something then you would qualify.

I have claimed twice - once when a wedding reception on the same site was playing Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" until gone midnight, and as we needed to be up for 6am, this was not aiding our sleep, and once when we shared the Travel Inn with a group of Irish Dancers who were competing nearby, and who were using the corridors to practice in, again until very very late, and so we could not sleep. On both occasions, we were refunded, in cash, immediately on completion of a form. No quibble. I would certainly not try and claim if it was not genuine, but if you have a good reason why you could not sleep, then I have found them to be very good at that refund.

**Customer Service**

We have always found their customer service, both on the phone, and at reception, to be very helpful. If you want extra towels, bedding, shower gel, etc or if you want to arrange a room on a lower floor, or away from the car park etc, they are very helpful in our experience.

So, to sum up - if you want basic, clean, comfortable, good quality accomodation if you are travelling on business or on your way to an airport, or somewhere, then give Premier Inn/Travel Inn a go. It is not 5* luxury, but it is good value for money and does what it needs to do.

Summary: Does exactly what it needs!