Mini Travel Guides

I’ve been wanting to have a holiday in Malta for ages. As soon as Ryanair started flying there from Edinburgh last year, I was on the lookout for cheap flights. In mid December 2010 I saw flights to Malta in May 2011 for £65 return per person (hand luggage only and payment by Mastercard prepaid debit card).

Valletta Harbour, Malta by VictoriaPeckham

At the start of January 2011 I thought it was time to get down to finding a hotel for our holiday in Malta.  I was looking for half board in a 3 or 4 star hotel with verified guest reviews of at least 70%, which offered free wifi (at least in the lobby) for under £150 per person. We’re not too fussy about our accommodation or food and have been quite happy staying at reasonably priced hotels on many holidays.

I started searching on my favourite hotel price comparison site, HotelsCombined, which searches the databases of more than 30 travel sites including lastminute, LateRooms, Expedia and Booking.com.  The stipulation of free wifi certainly limited the options. The four star Soreda Hotel in Qawra scored an average of 72% from 225 verified guest reviews (guests actually stayed there) and was priced from around £90 per person for 7 nights room only. HotelsCombined isn’t prefect if you’re looking for half/full board or all inclusive, as most prices are for room only or B&B. However, it’s a good starting point for an accommodation search in tandem with checking out the hotels’ own websites for photos, prices and details about facilities.

Room at the Soreda Hotel

Next I compared the price for half board at the Soreda Hotel, based on two sharing a double/twin room for 7 nights in May, on three sites which specialise in holiday accommodation.  Below are the prices on 3 January 2011:

• sunshine – £124
• holidaynights – £132
• holidayhypermarket – £136

I booked the accommodation with sunshine.co.uk, therefore the cost for return flights and half board accommodation for our holiday in Malta was £194 per person.

Indoor pool at the Soreda Hotel

Now we’re not expecting great things from the Soreda Hotel. We’re realistic in our expectations, bearing in mind that we’ve paid under £18 a day per person for a room and two meals. Some reviews say that the hotel is more like a three star. However as long it’s clean, not too noisy, the wifi in the lobby has a decent signal and the food is OK, we’ll be satisfied. In our case, we’ll hire a car, so we’ll be out exploring the island, as opposed to spending a lot of time around the hotel.

If you put together your own holiday buying flights and accommodation separately, you should to be aware that you don’t have the same protection as when you book a package holiday. You do get more protection if you pay by credit card for the separate elements of your holiday, as long as the price is £100 or more for each component. However, there are usually surcharges for payment by credit card.

I’d be interested in hearing about your experiences in putting together your own holidays, so please leave a comment.

Cheap holiday in Malta: Under £200 per person for flight & 4 star half board

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I stayed for one night, the 27 of December 2010, at the Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh Waterfront. I booked the room on the morning on 27 December, using the HotelsCombined price comparison site, at a cost of £45 for a double room for 2 guests, including breakfast.  The hotel is in Leith, very close to the Ocean Terminal shopping and leisure centre, which is home to the Royal Yacht Britannia. There is free guest parking at the hotel.

I was happy with my room on the fourth floor. It was an adequate size for a double room and had a desk area and a sofa bed.   These family rooms can sleep up to two adults and two children under the age of 18 but it would be pretty cramped with four people in the room.  The bed was really comfortable and there was a choice of soft or firm pillows. The bathroom only has a shower. Unfortunately you have to pay if you want to use wifi in your room, although it’s free in the lobby, for up to 6 hours per day. The signal in the lobby was good enough for me to upload a video.

Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh Waterfront bedroom

My room was at the front of the hotel and the double glazing didn’t quite shut out all the noise from the road below but I wasn’t disturbed overnight by traffic noise.  Several buses stop just outside the hotel, so it’s easy to get to the city centre.

The self service breakfast was good with a choice of cereal, fruit juice, toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, plain yoghurt, pain au chocolat and tinned grapefruit.  There were no croissants and a very limited choice of fresh fruit, apparently due to it being a bank holiday. It did get quite chaotic once it became busy with guests milling around. The two toasters couldn’t cope with the demand.

Overall, if you don’t mind being a couple of miles from the city centre, the Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh Waterfront is a good budget Edinburgh hotel, especially for families (kids sharing with adults stay and eat breakfast free of charge).  The hotel is also a good choice if you are going to Edinburgh by car, as parking is expensive and can be hard to find close to your hotel, if you stay in the city centre.  There’s a good choice of restaurants, cafes and pubs within a few minutes walk from the hotel, either at Ocean Terminal or at the Water of Leith.

Search for all hotels in Edinburgh on the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

Review of Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh Waterfront

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The Las Vegas Hotel didn’t quite make it into my “Seven Best Cheap Hotels in Malaga“, as it receives a guest rating of 76% from 190 verified reviews and I had set a minimum guest rating of 80% for inclusion in that blog post.  However, as the hotel offers double rooms with breakfast for under £50 a night in low season and 76% is still a respectable score from guests, I think it’s worth looking at if you want a budget hotel situated very close to Malagueta Beach and with a swimming pool.

Pool at Las Vegas Hotel Malaga

The pool is pretty close to the busy road which runs along the seafront.  The public areas are a bit old fashioned and dingy. The hotels charges for wifi.

The room which I was shown was on the top floor with a balcony with a sea view and plenty of space for two people. The bedroom and bathroom were a good size. The room was a little dated with dark wood furniture.

Although the room was set quite far back from the road, there was still a lot of traffic noise audible when I was out on the balcony. Once inside the room with the French doors closed, I couldn’t hear much traffic noise.

View from top floor room balcony at Las Vegas Hotel Malaga

The Las Vegas Hotel is good value for money but if you pay a bit more and aren’t too bothered about not having a pool, the family run Hotel California Malaga, also close to Malagueta Beach, offers rooms with much more charm.

Las Vegas Hotel Malaga: Budget hotel with outdoor pool and very close to beach

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If you’re looking for cheap hotels in Malaga, these hotels offered double rooms for under £50 a night, based on a midweek one night stay in late March 2011 (research conducted on 8 December 2010). All these budget Malaga hotels received verified (i.e. guests actually stayed there) guest ratings of 80% or above.

The Sur Hotel is located in a side street. It’s only a 5 minute walk from the station going out to the Airport and the art exhibition at CAC. You can walk to the main station, Malaga Park and the Cathedral in around 10 minutes. The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant. It receives an average rating of 80% from 477 guest reviews.

Hotel Sur Malaga

Los Naranjos Hotel is less than a 5 minute walk from Malaga beach.  The higher rooms at the front of the hotel have sea views but there may be some noise from the road in front of the hotel when sitting in the balcony.  It’s a five minute walk to the Bull Ring. There are a few supermarkets and restaurants close by. It receives an average guest rating of 84% based on 98 reviews.

Villa Guadalupe Hotel is 5 kilometres from the centre of Malaga but its elevated position in a residential area, means that you have great views over the city and the bay.  I reckon you’d probably need a hire car to make the most of this location but it’s ideal if you want to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city.  It takes around 15 minutes to drive to the airport or city centre and 20 minutes to the beach.  Each of the eleven rooms is individually decorated with original art and some rooms have balconies or terraces. It receives an average rating of 86% from 122 guest reviews.

View from Villa Guadalupe Hotel balcony

The Hotel Trebol is in a central location close to the Cathedral.  Calle Marquis de Lanos, just around the corner, is the main shopping area in Malaga and is home to El Corte Inglés department store  It’s only a fifteen minute walk to the beach. The owners pride themselves on the cleanliness of their rooms. Some of the rooms have balconies. It offers free internet connection in all rooms. The hotel doesn’t serve breakfast but the Market,  several supermarkets and cafes are nearby. It receives an average guest rating of 86% from 168 reviews.

Hotel Trebol Malaga

The 3 star Campanille Hotel Malaga is a two minute drive from the airport airport, so ideal if you have an early departure or late arrival in Malaga. It’s three kilometres from the city centre on the no 19 bus route. There’s a hospitality tray in the rooms with a kettle, tea, coffee and biscuits.  Free wifi is included in the room price.  If you have a hire car, then the free parking makes the Campanile Malaga a good choice.  If breakfast isn’t included in your room rate it costs 8 Euro for the breakfast buffet.  It receives an average guest rating of 84% from 194 guest reviews.

Room at Campanile Hotel Malaga

The Castilla Guerrero Hotel is in Malaga city centre, close to the airport bus stop.  It’s a two minute walk to the port and a ten minute walk to the beach or the Picasso Museum. There’s a cafe in the hotel which is open from 7.30am until 10pm The hotel offers free wifi to guests.  It receives an average rating of 84% from 29 guest reviews.

Castilla Guerrero Hotel Malaga

Victoria Hostal is family run hotel with 14 private, en-suite rooms.  Although it’s in a central location, a five minute walk from Malaga cathedral and a ten minute walk from Malaga beach, it’s in a fairly quiet location.  Rooms are on the small side and basic but very clean.  They don’t serve any meals at Victoria Hostel but there are plenty of cafes and restaurants close by.  It receives an average rating of 82% from 198 guest reviews.

You can browse all Malaga hotels on the HotelsCombined price comparison site to quickly find the lowest prices from more than 30 accommodation suppliers.

Do you have any tips for great Malaga budget hotels?

Seven of the Best Cheap Hotels in Malaga, Spain

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In all other aspects of my life, I can be a little bit of a snob. I buy fancy food, I like nice wine and a decent restaurant. But get me to an airport and I really could not care less what kind of plane I’m on. As long as it’s got wings and gets me to my destination, I don’t care. I’m not suggesting that budget airlines aren’t sometimes pretty awful, but I don’t think I’ll stop using them any time soon. Yep, I’m pro-budget airlines and here’s why.

1. You’re only on the plane for a few hours. Obviously, I’d rather be lying back with a glass of bubbly. But if I’m flying to Berlin, by the time I’ve had a glass of wine and a nap, I’ve arrived in another country. I wouldn’t entertain flying budget long-haul, but if you’re in the air for less than three hours, what’s the problem?

2. Other airlines are unreliable too. I’ve been delayed by several airlines, but never, ever Ryanair. Really. EasyJet once. And I use them more than any other. I know it happens, but it happens to other airlines too, doesn’t it?

3. The money-grabbing often makes me have a better journey. The speedy booking amuses me. Watching people rush to get the best seat on a plane will always make me laugh. Once you’re sat down, it doesn’t really matter, does it? I pack lighter because I only want to carry hand luggage. I enjoy using my left over Euros to buy a glass of wine on my return flight.

4. Low cost airlines make me fly to unusual places. This is a clincher for me. I don’t always want to go from A-B. Or the typical European cities. I like trying new places and if I spot a £1 flight to Parma, I’ll book it. I might never have thought to go to Parma otherwise. You might not have conventional options, but you have different ones. It makes me a more adventurous traveller. And a more organised one. Once I realise I’m going to be at an airport in the middle of nowhere, I’m much better prepared.

5. And they’re cheap! I hate the sneaky tricks, such as Ryanair’s £5 per person per flight admin charge (which can be avoided if you read Karen’s post  Best Mastercard prepad debit card to avoid Ryanair Fees).  Yes, paying to use debit card is annoying, I don’t dispute that but again this can be largely avoided by paying with a Visa Electron. But even after all of that, they’re still cheaper than most airlines. And if you get tax-free flights, you’re quids in. But if my flight to another country is only costing me £30, I think I’ll live. And spend the money I’ve saved exploring a new country.

I would love to fly business class around the world. I think anyone would. If I’m flying long-haul, I want the more luxurious option. But for flying across Europe, I’ll take the no frills option. And I’ll enjoy. At least until you have to pay to use the bathroom anyway.

Flickr image from Terry Wha‘s photostream.

Why I don’t mind budget airlines

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Here are my recommendations for some of the best Istanbul hotels, whether you’re looking for a budget option or something really special.  I searched for a double room for two nights 20 – 22 October 2010.  All the accommodation received an average of at least 75% in mainly verified (i.e. guests actually stayed there) guest ratings.

Istanbul budget hotels

The Tulip guesthouse is located in Istanbul’s historical Sultanahmet district, near the campus of Istanbul university. It’s also within walking distance of all major sites. The guesthouse offers free high speed internet access and has a roof terrace. The price for a room with private bathroom was £50 including breakfast   There’s also the budget option of a bunk in an 8 bedded dorm with shared bathroom facilities for £12 a night. It receives an average of 86% from 10 guest reviews.

The Hotel Antique is also located in the Sultanahmet district within walking distance of St Sofia and the Blue Mosque. The price was £33 for a basic ensuite room or £41 for a room with TV and air conditioning, including breakfast.  It receives an average of  78% from 80 guest reviews.

Blue Mosque Istanbul

My personal favorite, a hotel in which I’ve stayed, is the Muhlis Bey Hotel in Sultanahmed, situated directly opposite the Four Seasons. From the roof terrace where breakfast is served, you can nearly touch the Blue Mosque. The rooms are small but very modern and so are the bathrooms. The price was £60  including breakfast.  It receives an average of 80% from 14 guest reviews.

Bedroom of the Muhlis Bey Hotel

Istanbul mid range hotels

A brand new hotel with rooms furnished in a mixture of Ottoman and Byzantine styles but at the same time equipped with all modern amenities like free wi-fi internet is the Harmony Hotel, located in Sultanahmed. Rooms with balcony overlook the Sea of Marmaris and all major sites are within walking distance. The price was £58 for a basement room or £72 for a standard double room including breakfast. It receives an average of 82% from 32 guest reviews.

A notch up is the W Hotel in Dolmabahce Caddesi near Dolmabace Palace. It offers a lot of luxury and a wonderful location in Istanbul’s fashionable Besiktas district. You can reach Sultanahmed either by taxi or by Metro and tramway. A double room with many amenities costs £187 including American buffet breakfast. It receives an average guest rating of 90% from 141 reviews.

Dolmabahce Palace

Istanbul Luxury Hotels

All my recommendations for luxury accommodation in Istanbul are hotels in which I’ve stayed.

The luxury Four Seasons Sultanahmed is located in a historical building which was once a prison and is close to Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque. Apart from all amenities in the spacious rooms, the hotel offers special event nights every week, from wine tastings to performances of the whirling dervishes. The lowest price for my date search was £573 but this was for a room with a separate living area and a view of the old city.  A standard double generally costs around £350. The hotel receives an average guest rating of 92% from 157 (unverified) reviews .

Performance of the whirling dervishes

Ciragan Palace Hotel is the ultimate luxury hotel in Istanbul. Again, it’s a historical building which once was a Sultan’s Palace with a modern annex but in keeping with the style. Located in Besiktas directly on the Bosporus the hotel features a spa, several restaurants and an infinity swimming pool. The price was £374 for the simplest double with park view but without breakfast . It receives an average guest rating of 96%.

Garden of the Ciragan Palace Hotel

Do you have any tips for the best places to stay in Istanbul?

Ten of the best places to stay in Istanbul for all budgets

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When visiting Seville, eating out can be a chew up a large part of your travel budget.  Whether you eat tapas or enjoy a nice restaurant, the cost of food can add up quickly. Here are my tips for cheap eats in Seville, so you’ll have more money to spend on Seville attractions such as the Alcazar, the Cathedral, the Bascilica de la Macarena, the Barrio Santa Cruz, and Flamenco dancing.

This isn’t to say eating cheaply means eating poorly.  You can find some healthy meals while enjoying unique, local experiences in Spain when you are traveling.  Eating cheaply means going where many tourists aren’t going.  Eating cheaply can mean sharing a few tapas and making it a meal rather than going to a restaurant.  While there are many options out there, here are a few places to find some cheap meals, and great experiences.

Seville University (Credit: Ronan Crowley)

The local university - While in Seville, take a walk around the university.  Universities and colleges are fascinating places to explore and see what life is like for young people.  While wandering through the university, we stumbled upon a cafe filled with university students grabbing a bite between classes.  We decided to try it out and had a couple of chicken sandwiches and a drink for less than 10 euros.  More importantly, it was fascinating to watch the students interact and just enjoy being college students.

El Corte Ingles – Seville (Credit: Metro Centric)

Department stores - In many countries, big chain department stores, like El Corte Ingles,  often have grocery stores on one of the floors.  Wandering through the aisles to see all the foods that Spanish people eat is quite an experience – some are familiar while others are quite foreign.  Buying bread, meat, fruits, and vegetables can be a great way to sample Spanish food, see how the locals eat, stock up for a picnic, and save money.  Not only can you get a cheap meal but you can also buy plenty of healthy snacks to help you save money as well.

Cheap meal – Chinese food in Spain (Credit: Jeremy Branham)

Cheap restaurants - Not all restaurants are expensive.  Wandering through certain neighborhoods, you can check out the menus and what the daily specials are to see what they have to offer.  While wandering near the Cathedral, we stopped at a local Chinese restaurant and had fried rice, an egg roll, chicken with almonds, a drink, and a dessert for 6.50 Euro.  Not only was it a cheap meal, it was good as well.  We were the only ones in the restaurant and it was a great experience to hear Chinese people speaking Spanish.

Enjoy some of the great restaurants and food that this Andalusian city has to offer.  However, if you want to save money,  you can take my Seville budget travel tips.

If you’re planning a trip to Seville, find the best rates at hotels in Seville, with the HotelsCombined price comparison site, which quickly looks through the databases for more than 30 accommodation suppliers to find the best deal for you.

Eating cheaply in Seville

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Being a freelancer, means that I can go on holiday whenever I like. I can jump on a plane and work on the other side of the world for a month if I want to. But, no one pays me to take holiday. Going on holiday isn’t easy. It means losing work (and thus directly losing money that would pay for your holiday) or doing twice as much work in the weeks before you leave.

by greenkozi

So I tend to go look for a budget accommodation option. And couchsurfing is a really good place to start. I went to Sicily on my own a few summers back and my whole trip was made because in-between hotel hopping around the island, I did a little couchsurfing. I’m still friends with the guy I stayed with (he’s just had a baby, so cute!) and I’m itching to try it again. Galway in Ireland is next on my list.

But I can afford to stay in hotels now. So why go and stay with a complete stranger? Well,  there are more advantages of couchsurfing than merely saving money. I’m not against travelling on my own (I’m single and I don’t necessarily have friends who can run off when they like). Being on holiday alone is fun during the day, there’s stuff to do, things to see, sunshine to play about in. And then, it gets really really boring. Drinks and dinner just isn’t something I enjoy on my own. I like conversation.

Couchsurfing is a sort of stop gap between hostel dwelling, and holidaying on your own. You’re unlikely to be with your host 24/7, so you still get time to do your own thing. But then you get to hang out with them, meet their family, spend time in places you’d have never found otherwise. That’s how I found myself whizzing around Palermo on a scooter, and visiting the ruined church which is now a classical music school that puts on regular concerts in the courtyard.

Diana the couchsurfing chef by Guttom Flatabo

Evenings were spent with my host’s girlfriend and daughter, eating proper Sicilian food. Or in little bars with friends. And sometimes with midnight drives to the beach. They were spent having adventures with someone who loves where they live. And having little parties on balconies and being far too silly in the early hours.

Is there a safety issue? Not that I could tell. There’s a risk in staying and meeting people you don’t know. Of course there is. And there’s no doubt that some people use the service to meet travellers of the opposite sex. But Couchsurfing.com allows you to comment on your host, and your experiences, so if someone has a very bad review, you’ll know to avoid them. And you’ll find that some hosts avoid first-timers as well. Why? Because some people see it as a free bed for the night and nothing more. It’s very much a two way experience.

Most hosts I’ve met do this to meet people, to show people their town and to have fun. They don’t get paid, so it’s only polite to hang out with them, or at least buy them dinner one night. You’ll find sometimes that your schedules don’t quite work properly, but you can at least make an effort. Because when you do, you have a better holiday for it.

I’d recommend Couchsurfing to anyone who likes the idea of going away on their own, but gets bored easily. It’s a fantastic way to meet new people, and see new things when you’re away. If you’re lucky, you’ll make friends for life. The money-saving aspect is always a plus, but you can get so much more out of couchsurfing than you’d imagine.

Why I’m pro-couchsurfing

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I recently decided to try one of the Groupon’s My City Deals to check out how it works.  I bought a voucher for Kilau Cafe in Aberdeen, as I knew I’d be visiting Aberdeen during my Summer 2010 Scotland Blog Tour.  I paid £8 for a voucher which could be exchanged for lunch for two people up to value of £23, representing a saving of around 65%.

I received my Groupon My City Deals e-voucher the day after making my purchase online.  The voucher isn’t personalised for your use by the purchaser, so you could buy vouchers as gifts for someone else.  There is a security code on the voucher.   You need to check the terms and conditions on the voucher e.g. times during which the offer if available, if any items on menu are excluded from the offer and  if you need to book in advance. The voucher didn’t specify lunch only, although it was lunch which was specified on the Groupon daily offer page.   I asked Kilau Cafe for clarification on Twitter and they told me that the voucher was valid any day, any time.

Kilau Cafe

I arrived at Kilau Cafe on a Saturday evening around 6pm. I handed over the voucher before ordering.  I was hungry having only eaten fruit and yoghurt for lunch so I reckoned I could probably chomp my way through quite a bit of food. I initially ordered fruit smoothie, spicy spinach and mushroom soup and a goat’s cheese and apple salad. After I’d eaten that, I went back up to the counter to ask how much of my voucher I’d left to spend and wasn’t given a straight answer. Now this was probably because this was a different employee to the one I’d spoken to earlier.  I was tempted to have a chocolate brownie with a hot drink.  However as it wasn’t clear how much credit was left and I did feel that I’d already gotten excellent value for my £8 spend on the voucher,  I just ordered a mocha.  The food was very good, my only niggle being that the mocha was lukewarm.  The cafe also had excellent free wifi, a big bonus for a blogger on the road, as mobile internet isn’t great for uploading videos.

So I can say that my experience of  using a Groupon’s My City Deals voucher went very smoothly and it was good value for money for the my £8 purchase. I really didn’t press the point about how much credit I had left on my voucher but it’d probably be better to keep your own tally of how much you’ve spent as you order, to avoid any confusion.

There a good FAQ section on the Groupon site that covers most queries.  I’d be interested to hear your experience of Groupon’s My City Deals.

My experience using Groupon My City Deals voucher

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Here is my personal opinion on the “Travelodge versus Premier Inn, which is better?” debate.  I made my evaluation by looking at four criteria; price, room quality and amenities, customer service and location.

Travelodge Edinburgh Central

Background

In December 2007 I wrote a post entitled “Which is the best UK budget hotel chain?” where I came to the conclusion that Travelodge was tops for me, mainly based on their availability of cheap rooms.  Now that I’ve finally stayed in four Premier Inns (albeit it being on a complimentary basis during my Summer 2010 Scotland Blog Tour), I thought it was time for a comparison between Travelodge and Premier Inn.

Premier Inn Elgin

Price

I’ve managed to book many really cheap Travelodge rooms, from as little as £9 a night in their promotions.  However I’ve noticed that it’s getting harder to find the really cheap rooms in the Travelodge sales, the £9 rooms often sell out within a couple of days and it can be hard to actually book the cheap rooms as the site keeps crashing.  But there is generally some availability of £19 and £29 Saver rooms midweek in low season. I observed that Premier Inn now advertise rooms from £29 a night, so I have looked at their site several times in the last year but haven’t been able to find any £29 rooms at locations and/or dates that were suitable to me.

I’ve always found the lowest prices for Travelodge and Premier Inn to be available on their own sites, as opposed to on hotel price comparison sites.  However, unless you can find a Travelodge or Premier Inn room at £29 or less, don’t assume that either will offer the lowest available price for your destination and dates.  I’ve found some fantastic prices at other chain and independent hotels using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

I’d have to say that in my experience,  Travelodge wins on the low price front.

Room Quality and Amenities

Premier Inn  promotes itself as a superior budget brand with the tagline “Everything’s premier but the price” but what do they mean by premier?  From the point of view of extras not found in Travelodges, premier means a bathmat, a hairdryer, a soap dispenser at the sink, a gel/shampoo dispenser by the bath and telephones in some rooms of some hotels.  Nothing earth-shattering so far then. As I never use a hair dryer and take my own toiletries with me and have a mobile phone, it’s only the bathmat that is useful to me. I have to say that the beds in the Premier Inns were all very comfy.   Whereas some of the Travelodge beds weren’t great and to make matters worse some like Edinburgh Cameron Toll have plastic mattress covers which makes pleasant sleep virtually impossible.  Premier Inn rooms seem to be larger than some of Travelodge rooms, especially when in newer Travelodges the double rooms can be pretty small and seem to be becoming very utilitarian.

Both brands make hefty charges for wifi access. Travelodge’s charges are £5 per hour or £10 for 24 hours, Premier Inn is £5 per hour or £12 for 24 hours.  I have an 02 mobile broadband contract, which allows up 3GB of data, for £15 a month.  This is much better value than paying these sorts of prices for hotel wifi and I get a decent signal in most parts of the UK.

However, there is a major problem with consistency of room quality with both brands.   I’ve stayed at some older Travelodges in need of a refurb such as Travelodge Stirling which had a mouldy bathroom ceiling but I had a fab room at Travelodge Harrogate.  In my limited experience, there was also a great variation between some Premier Inns, with Premier Inn Elgin not living up to the premier tagline in terms of room quality but Premier Inn Stirling having newly refurbished rooms.  The brands really have to ensure that all rooms meet a minimum standard as one sub-standard hotel or even room can tarnish the whole brand in the customer’s eye.

Premier Inn offer a “Good night’s sleep guaranteed or your money back” whereby if you’re not entirely satisfied with your stay, you can ask for a full refund.  I’d be interested to hear if anyone has been able to claim this refund.

Premier Inn is the winner for quality of rooms, considering the generally high spec, the larger size of most rooms and the Good Night Guarantee.

Location

The Travelodge site states that they operate 380 hotels in the UK.  The Premier Inn site says 580 hotels in the UK and Ireland, I couldn’t find a figure just for the UK.  Desired location depends, to a large extent, on the purpose of the stay and the individual guest’s preferences e.g. if you just want a convenient location near a major route for an overnight stay, or are planning a cheap city break.

Travelodge Edinburgh West End

I stayed at Travelodge Falkirk which practically sits on the motorway, luckily I was able to change to a room at the other side of the hotel a bit further away from the traffic.  Travelodge Edinburgh West End sits in a fairly quiet location, next to the Water of Leith, a 15 minute walk from Princes Street, and offers free parking.  Premier Inn Aberdeen Central West is in a handy location just off the Aberdeen ring road with plenty of free parking, but then it’s a trail into the city centre for the nightlife.  Premier Inn Dundee Central is located right on the Tay Estuary, so you can even have a river view if get a room on that side of the hotel. There’s free parking, it’s just across from the railway station and a few minutes walk to Dundee attractions, shopping, restaurants and nightlife.

Premier Inn Dundee on the Tay Estuary

Now, you’d think you could judge a hotel location by a quick look at a map.  Well not always, it depends on the exact position of the hotel.  Travelodge Edinburgh Learmonth is set back off the main road in a terrace, but the rooms at the front of the hotel have beautiful large original windows which let in a lot of traffic noise.   The Premier Inn Aberdeen Central West is just off a very busy dual carriageway, but because it’s set back from the road and has decent double glazing I didn’t hear any traffic noise.

I’d advise you to look at the exact hotel location on a Google satellite map.  Of course there will still be differences between individual rooms with regard to views and noise.  If you can check in early, you have the best opportunity to ask for a room at your preferred side of the hotel.

I can’t come to a conclusion with regard to the better UK budget hotel chain for location.  Although Premier Inn do have more hotels, I can’t judge if they are in better locations than Travelodge. I think that’ll depend on which hotels exist in your destination, the type of stay and your personal preferences.

Customer Service

Overall I’ve found Travelodge staff to be pretty friendly and helpful.  However, I would say that Premier Inn staff seem to be more focused on the guest and on delivering good customer service.  I received a warm welcome and was told about the Good Night Guarantee at check in at each Premier Inn.  Whereas check in at some Travelodges has been pretty perfunctory.

In my opinion, Premier Inn offer better customer service than Travelodge.

My Conclusion

So it looks like Premier Inn comes tops as it’s the winner on two counts, room quality and amenities plus customer service, with Travelodge being better for low prices, and no firm conclusion on location. In many ways it’s realistic to expect lower Travelodge prices to equate to lower quality of rooms.  I’m actually beginning to wonder if Travelodge and Premier Inn are direct competitors.  I see Travelodge rooms becoming smaller and more basic in the newer lodges and in refurbs e.g rooms only having a shower as opposed to a bath with shower, window blinds instead of curtains, less desk space and plain white walls with no pictures. Whereas Premier Inn seem to be concentrating on positioning themselves as a superior budget brand.

To a large extent, which UK budget hotel brand brand is better depends on the individual hotel, the location, the price (which partly depends on how far in advance you book and/or if you book during a promotion) and the customer’s requirements and expectations.

Your Feedback

I’ve asked for feedback from other Travelodge and Premier Inn guests on Twitter and Facebook.  You can also leave your opinions on the Travelodge versus Premier Inn debate as a blog comment and/or take part in the poll below.

@Eurapart commented on the TwtPoll that “Premier Inn pip Travelodge, for locations, service and amenities.”

@markkcurtis replied to my tweeting asking if anyone had successfully claimed under the Premier Inn Good Night Guarantee.  He received a refund after he voiced his dissatisfaction with a room at Premier Inn Luton.

Lynda Hamilton via Facebook “I’ve experienced similar (variations between the 2 brands) but Premier Inn has been better by far – even though I was pretty disappointed the last time. My last experience in Travelodge was a room stinking of smoke… and dog! There were dog hairs everywhere and …it really wasn’t that clean. The first time I stayed at Premier Inn, I ended up getting the room for free because my daughter’s bed was infested by ants that were coming through a crack in the wall. Other than that, it was great. However, the last time there, I found the room smelly and, again, not very clean. There was even something cream and sticky all over the door. I dread to think what that was. Staff at Premier were very friendly though and went out of their way to help – even bringing us drinks to our room.

Travelodge vs Premier Inn: Which UK budget hotel chain is better?

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