Let's talk Premier Inn

[dickinson]

I have read a lot of people liking Premier Inns.  I am considering staying there in London at either County Hall or Waterloo.  I understand they are extremely close to each other.  Also thinking of one night in Southampton at the West Quay location.  When I look for rates it shows me standard room and sometimes premier room.  Under standard it does NOT show the symbol for air conditioning but does show one for hairdryer.  Under premier it shows air conditioning but does NOT show hairdryer.  Reading reviews many say they had a/c but don't say the type of room.  So my questions are: Are there hairdryers in all rooms?  Is there air in all rooms or only in the hotels that offer premier rooms?  I would email them but don't see any email address.  

 

Thanks.

[Island2Dweller]

I've stayed in various Premier Inns, and on occasion have been given a Premier Plus room.  I've never been able to see any difference between the room types....  The infrastructure is the same, either the whole hotel has air con (all newer properties do) or the whole hotel doesn't - it does not vary by room.

I've never noticed a hair dryer in any of their properties, but as I am completely bald I haven't looked very hard!

[Simon-t]

Premier Inns are fairly basic, but clean and good value. Not all have aircon. If there is no aircon logo on the website for a particular hotel then none of the rooms will have aircon. This tends to be the older properties and the rooms can get quite stuffy in hot weather.

[Harters]

Premier Inn is our largest hotel chain and is the one I look for whenever I'm travelling round the country. Always reliable and well priced. I've stayed at County Hall a couple of times (when I was researching at the Imperial War Museum). It, and the Waterloo hotel, are only a few minutes stroll apart.

 

Like the Island2Dweller, I have no need of a hair dryer but am almost certain that all rooms have them (fixed to the wall near the mirror). 

 

I've only stayed in a Premier Plus room once and the only significant difference I recall is that it had a comfy chair (not usually a feature of Premier). Plus is a new development for the chain so won't be available at all hotels

 

The availability of air-con will depend on the individual hotel. Some constructions have sealed windows, so have air-con. Others have openable windows and won't have air-con. Can't recall the situation at County Hall but my guess is that the nature of the building will mean it has sealed windows. 

 

 

[dickinson]

Thanks for the replies so far.  I have decided that my next cruise I would try to use the hairdryers on ship and in the hotels.  I recently returned from a Med cruise with several days in Athens.  We did carry on only so I carried my hairdryer in my backpack.  Made it heavier.  I could use it on the ship but not in the hotel in Athens (or our one night in Barcelona) because US hair dryers have three prongs and my prong converter I brought with for the hotels only have two prongs.

 

As for the Premier Inn, I'm leaning toward County Hall which I think is newer than Waterloo.  If I book a Standard room will it have anything besides the bed to sit on?  DH wakes up much earlier than me.  I know the premiere rooms say they have a chair but the picture of the standard room looks like it has a not particularly comfortable small couch.

[matamanoa]

The Premier Inn West Quay in Southampton, where we recently stayed, had both AC and a hair dryer.  The outside of the building was shrouded in material as they are working on the building but we never heard any noise when we were there (a couple of different dates in Aug.)  We had a standard room and had no issues.

[dickinson]

30 minutes ago, matamanoa said:

The Premier Inn West Quay in Southampton, where we recently stayed, had both AC and a hair dryer.  The outside of the building was shrouded in material as they are working on the building but we never heard any noise when we were there (a couple of different dates in Aug.)  We had a standard room and had no issues.

Good to know!  We’re going next August so should be finished?

[dickinson]

Just used my hairdryer. Not three pronged but one prong is wide so doesn’t fit my converter. 

[Ocean Mouse]

Premier inn hotels usually have a desk of sorts with the tea/coffee supplies and kettle and a chair to sit at the desk, upright generally rather than armchair. Should have a hairdryer attached to a wall near a mirror but if this proves not to be the case they will have one at reception you can borrow.

[Harters]

3 hours ago, dickinson said:

it has a not particularly comfortable small couch.

It's main use is as a single bed for a third person (child?). Having spent many evenings in such rooms, I can confirm it is not at all comfortable to use as a couch. I find it more comfortable to watch TV to use the upright chair at the desk. 

[phabric]

I have stayed at Premier Inn Waterloo 4x.  It has A/C.  It entrance is street level.  I believe it used to be a hospital.

Premier Inn County Hall, The hotel’s entrance is up a few stairs.

Premier Inn County Hall is closer to the London Eye.

There is one street and a small plaza (like an empty courtyard) between Premier Inn Waterloo and County Hall.

 

I have stayed at Premier Inn West Quay 4x.  It has A/C.

 

I have stayed at Premier Inn Ferry Terminal, Dover.  It has no A/C.

 

We are 2 ladies traveling together. I take twin room - 1 double and 1 single bed.

 

Premier Inn are a basic hotel, bed, bathroom (no face clothes), desk, chair, lamp, mirror, kettle- tea/coffee, a space to hang items, no phone, no iron/board, no safe.

Edited October 5, 2023 by phabric

[dickinson]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

I have stayed at Premier Inn Waterloo 4x.  It has A/C.  It entrance is street level.  I believe it used to be a hospital.

Premier Inn County Hall, The hotel’s entrance is up a few stairs.

Premier Inn County Hall is closer to the London Eye.

There is one street and a small plaza (like an empty courtyard) between Premier Inn Waterloo and County Hall.

 

I have stayed at Premier Inn West Quay 4x.  It has A/C.

 

I have stayed at Premier Inn Ferry Terminal, Dover.  It has no A/C.

 

We are 2 ladies traveling together. I take twin room - 1 double and 1 single bed.

 

Premier Inn are a basic hotel, bed, bathroom (no face clothes), desk, chair, lamp, mirror, kettle- tea/coffee, a space to hang items, no phone, no iron/board, no safe.

Thanks!  With no safe, what do you do with your passport and valuables?  Just hide them in the room?  

[matamanoa]

33 minutes ago, dickinson said:

Thanks!  With no safe, what do you do with your passport and valuables?  Just hide them in the room?  

Usually we're only staying there one night pre cruise and so I carry my valuables with me.  Just a tip - if you are staying at the Premier Inn West Quay and are going on a cruise, don't wait until the morning of the cruise to book your taxi.  There is a courtesy phone for calling a cab but do it the night before and give them a time to pick you up the following morning.  If the port is busy with three or four ships in, then the cabs will be few and far between if you haven't booked one.

[liberty176]

Does anyone have a recommendation for *which* Premier Inn in Central London?  We're a family of four and want to be near a good tube stop, considering PI Blackfriars or Kings Cross, but open to others.  Definitely want good tube access for major sights (Tower, British Museum, Westminster, etc.).  

[Island2Dweller]

3 hours ago, liberty176 said:

want to be near a good tube stop

Anywhere within the central loop of the circle line (the yellow line on the London tube map) is central and will have good transport options.

[Harters]

4 hours ago, liberty176 said:

Does anyone have a recommendation for *which* Premier Inn in Central London?

For general trips to the capital, we always stay at Premier Inn Euston. It's across the road from the actual Euston station so easy to get about as several Underground lines pass through there.

[John Bull]

In central London t's difficult to be too far from a tube station - it's an extensive system. 

The map on P.I.'s website shows both their hotels and the tube stations (all rail stations in central London also have tube stations).

https://www.google.com/search?q=premier+inns+in+london+map&rlz

 

Choose one anywhere between  P. I. Paddington in the west and P..I. Aldgate & P.I. Tower Hill in the east, and between P.I. Clerkenwell & P.I. St Pancras in the north and P.I. Victoria & P.I. Tower Bridge in the south.

 

Some tube stations only serve one line, others serve up to six.

So if convenient tube routes (no need to change trains) are important to you, refine your choices by checking out those tube stations on the tube map https://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf

 

For onward travel, bear in mind that Waterloo station is for frequent fast direct trains to  Southampton and the adjacent Waterloo East station for direct trains to Dover (Dover Priory station).

Victoria station for much slower hourly direct  trains to Southampton and for direct trains to Dover and Gatwick (LGW) airport, and from nearby Victoria coach station direct National Express buses to Southampton and Dover.

Paddington station for frequent fast direct  trains to Heathrow (LHR) airport.

Other central London stations for direct trains to Dover Priory are  St Pancras (fast trains). Charing Cross and London Bridge.

If you don't already know about the availability and restrictions of cheap advance train tickets ask on this thread.

https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

 

If you stray out of that central area, prices are generally lower and tube journeys are only a few minutes longer. The main downsides are the few (if any) sights within walking distance, and it's hardly worth returning to the hotel between daytime sight-seeing and evening entertainment.. Most popular is probably  west (toward Heathrow) along the Piccadilly or District lines, perhaps as far as Hammersmith.

 

Whilst the rooms are as identical as possible in all P.I.'s, the characteristics of each hotel vary enormously from humble characterless buildings to grand & historic buildings, and from conversions to large purpose-built high-rise hotels.

 

Before booking one, ask on here and on TripAdvisor about it in case there are any pitfalls with the hotel or its location..

 

BTW I rate P.I. County Hall (formerly the grand offices of London County Council) as best-located - right by the London Eye, river boats, HoHo stop, tube station and trains to Southampton and Dover from Waterloo. Big Ben and Westminster Abbey just across Westminster Bridge and between there and Trafalgar Square the sights on Whitehall (Churchill's War Rooms, 10 Downing Street, HorseGuards Parade, etc etc., all in walking distance. Plus riverside walks, restaurants & bars, and sights (including Shakespeare's Globe & Tate Modern), and St Pau's cathedral neatly framed on the other side of the river. 

 

JB 🙂

Edited October 6, 2023 by John Bull

[Globaliser]

15 minutes ago, John Bull said:

Victoria station for much slower hourly direct  trains to Southampton and for direct trains to ... Gatwick (LGW) airport ...

 

Just to add on this theme: St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge also have good direct trains to LGW.

[Simon-t]

5 hours ago, liberty176 said:

Does anyone have a recommendation for *which* Premier Inn in Central London?  We're a family of four and want to be near a good tube stop, considering PI Blackfriars or Kings Cross, but open to others.  Definitely want good tube access for major sights (Tower, British Museum, Westminster, etc.).  

Blackfriars is a great location near St Pauls, and walking distance to the Thames. Kings Cross is not as central, although has excellent tube connections. We tend to stay at Kings Cross if we are taking the Eurostar to Paris (it is a five minute walk to the terminal). Otherwise I would probably pick Blackfriars out of those two.

[gnome12]

7 hours ago, liberty176 said:

Does anyone have a recommendation for *which* Premier Inn in Central London?  We're a family of four and want to be near a good tube stop, considering PI Blackfriars or Kings Cross, but open to others.  Definitely want good tube access for major sights (Tower, British Museum, Westminster, etc.).  

Isn't the one near King's Cross station called PI St. Pancras? That is where I stayed in 2019. Or is there another one. I knew about PI St. Pancras and PI Euston both very close to each other.

[dickinson]

2 hours ago, John Bull said:

In central London t's difficult to be too far from a tube station - it's an extensive system. 

The map on P.I.'s website shows both their hotels and the tube stations (all rail stations in central London also have tube stations).

https://www.google.com/search?q=premier+inns+in+london+map&rlz

 

Choose one anywhere between  P. I. Paddington in the west and P..I. Aldgate & P.I. Tower Hill in the east, and between P.I. Clerkenwell & P.I. St Pancras in the north and P.I. Victoria & P.I. Tower Bridge in the south.

 

Some tube stations only serve one line, others serve up to six.

So if convenient tube routes (no need to change trains) are important to you, refine your choices by checking out those tube stations on the tube map https://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf

 

For onward travel, bear in mind that Waterloo station is for frequent fast direct trains to  Southampton and the adjacent Waterloo East station for direct trains to Dover (Dover Priory station).

Victoria station for much slower hourly direct  trains to Southampton and for direct trains to Dover and Gatwick (LGW) airport, and from nearby Victoria coach station direct National Express buses to Southampton and Dover.

Paddington station for frequent fast direct  trains to Heathrow (LHR) airport.

Other central London stations for direct trains to Dover Priory are  St Pancras (fast trains). Charing Cross and London Bridge.

If you don't already know about the availability and restrictions of cheap advance train tickets ask on this thread.

https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

 

If you stray out of that central area, prices are generally lower and tube journeys are only a few minutes longer. The main downsides are the few (if any) sights within walking distance, and it's hardly worth returning to the hotel between daytime sight-seeing and evening entertainment.. Most popular is probably  west (toward Heathrow) along the Piccadilly or District lines, perhaps as far as Hammersmith.

 

Whilst the rooms are as identical as possible in all P.I.'s, the characteristics of each hotel vary enormously from humble characterless buildings to grand & historic buildings, and from conversions to large purpose-built high-rise hotels.

 

Before booking one, ask on here and on TripAdvisor about it in case there are any pitfalls with the hotel or its location..

 

BTW I rate P.I. County Hall (formerly the grand offices of London County Council) as best-located - right by the London Eye, river boats, HoHo stop, tube station and trains to Southampton and Dover from Waterloo. Big Ben and Westminster Abbey just across Westminster Bridge and between there and Trafalgar Square the sights on Whitehall (Churchill's War Rooms, 10 Downing Street, HorseGuards Parade, etc etc., all in walking distance. Plus riverside walks, restaurants & bars, and sights (including Shakespeare's Globe & Tate Modern), and St Pau's cathedral neatly framed on the other side of the river. 

 

JB 🙂

WOW!!!! Such great information.  Thank you!

[John Bull]

29 minutes ago, dickinson said:

WOW!!!! Such great information.  Thank you!

 

No worries 🙂

 

BTW,  some great London logistical info on

https://www.londontoolkit.com/

Just be wary about their private transfer offerings - well, someone has to pay for their excellent website 😏

[fruitmachine]

Every Premier Inn room in the country has a hairdryer.

 

This link highlights the major extras with a Plus Room. https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/sleep/premier-plus.html

Whether they have aircon or not will depend on the individual property.  I've been in Premier Inn hotels (before the Plus Rooms were introduced) where some parts of the hotel had aircon and others did not.  I'd hazard a guess that some of the first to be upgraded to Plus will have been the former.

[gumshoe958]

@dickinson When searching for Premier Inns you will probably come across several that call themselves “Hub by Premier Inn” which may appear to be cheaper. 
 

Beware - the rooms in Hub hotels are considerably smaller than in the standard PIs and don’t always have windows. Which may or may not be an issue for you.

[dickinson]

2 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

@dickinson When searching for Premier Inns you will probably come across several that call themselves “Hub by Premier Inn” which may appear to be cheaper. 
 

Beware - the rooms in Hub hotels are considerably smaller than in the standard PIs and don’t always have windows. Which may or may not be an issue for you.

Thanks. I did see them and read they are small. Didn’t know some don’t have windows!