Premier Inn Nottingham Cc - Chapel Bar

We stayed Saturday 9th May 2026, and at around 5 AM the next morning, today, the fire alarm went off. I understand alarms can be triggered unexpectedly, and it seemed this one was caused by smoke on the third floor. What followed was worrying. There appeared to be just one staff member handling it, and they seemed overwhelmed. People gathered in the entrance lobby and blocked the hallways. Some guests were told to go outside, others were allowed to stay in the lobby, and quite a few were sent back to their rooms while the alarm was still sounding. People outside were extremely cold and weren’t told what was happening. Two residents tried to help with the alarm’s user manual. The staff member could be heard repeatedly saying, “I don’t know how to switch it off”. The confusion went on for over an hour. No basic checks were done, such as sweeping the rooms to find out who was still in the building. If there had been a large fire, I’ve no doubt countless lives would have been lost. I appreciate that an unexpected alarm can happen, but the response suggested there were no proper fire safety procedures or training in place. When we left, staff were dismissive. We asked how to complain and were simply handed a card saying it had to be reported within 7 days. We got no apology. As I was leaving, I heard one staff member shout to another, “305 will be making a complaint”. That should have been a private conversation, not shouted across the lobby for everyone to hear. Guest relations later said they’d completed a full investigation and blamed someone vaping in their room. They didn’t offer compensation or respond to our concerns about staff training. This makes an absolute mockery of their “Good Night Guarantee”.

The staff were polite and helpful, and they sorted out our issues quickly when we checked in. We’d booked two rooms for me, my wife and our two daughters, but both had a strong smell we couldn’t stand. Reception moved us to different rooms without delay. We’ve stayed at Premier Inns around the country, including Edinburgh and Cardiff, and expect a certain standard. Unfortunately, this was the worst PL we’ve stayed in. The decor generally looked unclean, with dirty carpets and walls. Some bathroom fittings were loose, as were ceiling tiles in the bedroom. The beds were comfortable, but the bedding looked like it had been put on without much care. There was dust piled on the window panels, which made it seem as if nobody cared about how the hotel looked. It’s a shame, since the City Centre location is great. I live near Whitbread HQ in Houghton Regis and may go round to ask them about this. I’d suggest closing the hotel for a major refurbishment.

The Premier Plus room had a dirty mini fridge, an unclean bathroom and an unpleasant smell. We were told none of the rooms have windows that open for fresh air, and there weren’t any other rooms available.

I was in Nottingham for a night from London to look around the area. The hotel’s handy for the town centre, about a 15 minute walk from the station. My third floor Premier Plus room was my first experience of that upgrade, and probably my last. There was a shower over a bath, so you have to climb in, and the coffee machine came with pods that weren’t labelled, so I didn’t bother using it. There were no tea bags, just herbal tea and two sweet treats. I wouldn’t pay extra for those few luxuries. Room 330 had quite a few marks and bleach stains on the carpet by the toilet, plus a brown mark beside the bed that looked like someone had had an accident. When I arrived, I noticed the cleaners were all students, so the stains and marks weren’t a surprise. I’ve stayed at many Premier Inns, but don’t want to stay at this one again.