Premier Inn Burnley

The room had several cleanliness problems: the towels weren’t replaced daily, there was pubic hair in the plughole and blood on the sheets, and the room hadn’t been cleaned properly. At night, drunk men were constantly shouting outside. After a long flight, I expected at least a basic welcome. The two people at reception immediately directed me to a touchscreen check-in, which looked like a McDonald’s ordering screen. There was no greeting or interest in my stay, and nobody asked how I was. I wasn’t told where my room was, so I had to ask. The woman rattled off directions so quickly that I could barely follow. I couldn’t find the lift after going through the first door, so I went back to reception with my two heavy suitcases. They told me there wasn’t one. I explained I’d recently had arm surgery and asked if anyone could help carry my suitcase upstairs. The receptionist, who I believe was Isabelle on the evening of Thursday 7th May, visibly huffed before reluctantly coming over to help. The complete lack of warmth upset me most. I’d find it really upsetting if an elderly person’s only interaction that day was with staff like this. Making guests feel welcome should be the bare minimum in hospitality. The service and cleanliness were extremely disappointing, and I wouldn’t stay here again.

Parking was plentiful, including disabled bays, and the Sat Nav brought me here easily. I liked that my room was near both the exit and restaurant. The bed was very comfortable, and I enjoyed having a fridge and espresso machine. The restaurant food wasn’t to my taste. I had fish and chickpeas in tomato sauce for dinner, and the cooked breakfast was very greasy. There was no filter coffee, just a machine for drinks like latte and espresso. I’d preordered the meal deal, but only when paying was I told the pint of Heineken wasn’t included and would cost an extra £1.50. That’s fine, but the menu says Heineken is part of the deal and I later learned it means 330ml, not a pint. It needs to be clearer when ordering. The woman I spoke to had an attitude and said, “what do you expect me to do about it”. When I asked if I could write to someone, she claimed there was nobody, which everyone knows isn’t true. I was at my Mum’s funeral that day and didn’t want a confrontation. I had no issue paying the extra £1.50, but the size and price should be explained properly.

The hotel was clean and tidy, a bit newer than most Premier Inns I’ve stayed in, and the car park is huge. The price over Christmas was reasonable, and check-in itself was easy. Finding the place was harder, down a winding road with a sharp turn. It’s close to Burnley Football Club, so it would suit away supporters, and the location is handy for the town centre. I’d stay again despite the problems, and having a restaurant on site is useful. At check-in I asked when the restaurant stopped taking food orders and was told 9.45pm, so I planned to eat there. When I returned, it was shut and dark. Two staff found me wandering around. They understood once I explained what I’d been told, but I was disappointed to have been given completely wrong information. I’m glad I hadn’t paid for the evening meal and breakfast discount, as I would have been left very disappointed, and they could have taken money for a meal I couldn’t get. I know it was Christmas and may not have been busy, but guests shouldn’t be given inaccurate information. At about 1am, I ran a bath and found it was faulty, with water leaking all over the bathroom floor. I used every towel trying to mop it up, and at that hour I didn’t want to pack and move rooms. The next day, when I handed in the card, I was told I should have reported it and could have been moved. But who wants to change rooms at 1am? My shoes were ruined while cleaning up, and the bathroom was a total mess, as shown in my video. I managed to report it before leaving.

I mostly use Premier Inns for work trips, not personal stays, and they’re usually a reliable choice for comfortable beds and dark rooms. This stay stood out because of Gemma, the breakfast receptionist. She tried to help in the kitchen, though it didn’t work out, and then won me over with her humour and the way she recovered. She’s a real asset for customer service at the hotel.