Hilton Newbury Centre

The room was clean and quiet, and the food was good. More than anything, the women working here really looked after us and gave us excellent service. Tammi helped us with a flat tyre even though she’d had a horrible day, and she was still smiling. We appreciated all your help!

The sheets had hair and brown marks on them. I asked to have them changed while I was out, but when I returned the bed had just been made. The same hair and spots were still there. Staff kept insisting the sheets had been changed, so in the end I was given clean ones and had to change the bed myself. Getting to the room was a problem from the start. No one was at reception, and I waited almost twenty minutes for someone to show up. The room was supposedly ready after check-in time, but the door was wide open and cleaning supplies were left inside, with no staff around. It took nearly an hour to clear them away. The staff member seemed annoyed when I also asked them to pick up the half-eaten chocolate bar left on the floor by previous guests. I’ve stayed at plenty of Premier Inns without much trouble, but this was the worst. I won’t be back.

The room was nice and the staff were pleasant, but I won’t return because of the food. It was expensive, poor quality and slow to arrive. On my second night I was happier picking up a couple of Tesco meal deals instead. Food needs to be booked in advance, and that should be made clear on the website. Two people were turned away from breakfast for not booking. I was lucky enough to get an evening meal, though I had to wait for it. If the food had been good, I’d have given five stars.

The staff here are lovely, and I was generally happy with my stay. It’s one of the better Premier Inns, though the chain seems to be cutting corners across the country. A few small things could make the experience much nicer without costing much. There’s no water in the room, but you can buy a bottle from the vending machine for £3. Parking is on site but costs another £3. The restaurant food is acceptable, though the prices are close to premium, and staff seem trained to push the meal deal whenever they can. And in the bathroom, you get rest-stop tissue tickets instead of toilet roll.