Premier Inn Gravesend Central

We stayed for three nights from Christmas Day and came away bitterly regretting it. We'd been here a few years ago, so I didn't look at the reviews. I can't believe how much it has changed. We stay at Premier Inns regularly and know what to expect, but this made me feel like the company had contempt for its customers. After a four-hour drive on Christmas Day, we just wanted to get to bed. We had booked a Premier Plus room for the extra comfort, facilities and free Wi-Fi, but it was bitterly cold even with the heating on. It felt like we needed coats and gloves in bed. Reception told us none of the Plus rooms had working heating and hadn't for weeks. We were given a portable heater and told it would warm things up, but it didn't. A shower didn't help either. We asked to move, though we were exhausted and didn't want the hassle. Since the problem affected all the Plus rooms, we were downgraded to a standard room at the same price. Reception couldn't refund the difference, so we were told to contact the central office, which was closed for Christmas. At least there was another room available. Otherwise, we might have been scrambling to find somewhere on Christmas night. The standard room wasn't much better. The pillows gave me neckache, the sheets and mattress cover were the wrong size, the bathroom smelled of urine, and the shower was like standing under a dripping tap. By then we'd had enough and decided to put up with it and never come back. I can't understand why anyone would charge for a room with no heating or a working shower. The reception staff were caring and clearly embarrassed and stressed about letting rooms in that condition, especially the woman working on Christmas night. They offered us breakfast, which didn't suit our dietary needs, and Wi-Fi, which should already have been included with the Plus room. That's why I gave two stars instead of one. Now we have to deal with the central office and try to get at least the price difference back.