Premier Inn London Dagenham

The bed was as comfortable as usual, the room was a good size for a few nights, and everything was clean. Mine was on the first floor with a perfectly fine view of the car park. The walls and ceiling had quite a few marks and could use repainting. I slept well, although noise from upstairs came through clearly, so the floors don't seem as well insulated as normal. The welcome at reception was great and the staff stayed friendly throughout. I liked the location for a short stay, with a few facilities nearby and the station about a ten-minute walk away. I'd consider returning and would recommend it.

Across the six Premier Inns I've stayed in, the staff have been excellent, friendly and very helpful. That's true here too, and it makes up for the room issues somewhat. At the Dagenham hotel, the heating seemed to do whatever it wanted, blowing cold air most of the time before randomly switching off. The shower had plenty of hot water, but the sink tap right beside it was usually cold. Room problems seem to crop up at these hotels pretty often.

Mostly a good stay, though there was a horrible smell on the first floor on both days we were there. I think it was drugs. We've stayed many times and will try again. The TV was very slow to respond to the remote, and other travellers had the same problem.

The room was spacious and clean for a family, and there's plenty of car parking at a good rate of £9 a night. You can find some halal food nearby, although there's not much variety. The hotel is close to a District line station, which takes you into the centre without a change. It's about a 15-minute walk, or a short bus ride.