Which? members and general public name the UK’s best and worst hotel chains
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In August 2022, Which? asked 4,447 members and members of the general public to complete an online survey about their experience of staying in small and large UK hotel chains in the past 12 months.
The best UK hotel chain
This year’s results saw Premier Inn top of the table, despite the fact that guests are paying around 35% more for a room. But the UK’s largest hotel chain is still the second cheapest in the Which? survey and results show guests view Premier’s hotels as consistently clean with comfy rooms as a winning formula.
The budget chain was awarded five stars out of five for cleanliness and the description matching reality, with guests reporting that quality was ‘pretty much guaranteed’.
Yet increased prices haven’t gone unnoticed, even by its loyal fanbase. The chain scraped just two stars for value, meaning it lost its Which? Recommended Provider status this year. In a cost of living crisis, Which? don’t endorse any brand that gets less than three stars in this category.
Which? verdict: Comfortable accommodation you can count on.
The worst UK hotel chain
As of this year, Britannia has been at the bottom of the Which? survey for an entire decade, with the Which? Report saying, “we can’t even say it’s cheap”.
The report continues… “Britannia’s downfall is particularly sad when you consider its illustrious past. The Adelphi in Liverpool was once the departure point for wealthy passengers before they boarded luxury liners, including the Titanic.
“The beautiful historic buildings in prime locations remain, but the interiors are showing serious signs of neglect. The brand received just two out of five stars in every category, including cleanliness, with one guest describing their stay as ‘absolutely dire, drab and smelly’.”
Which? verdict: Run-down, dirty and once again the worst hotel chain in the UK. Avoid at all costs.
As an employer in hospitality Britannia also ‘topped’ the demons category in our – Hospitality COVID-19 Angels & Demons – feature. Amongst many HR misdemeanours, at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Britannia Hotels sacked all employees, making all who had accommodation included with their job homeless.
The full Which? report can be read here.
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