Premier Inn Belfast City Cathedral Quarter

The room was an acceptable size for a family, and the beds were comfortable, though the smaller one was a bit short for an adult. The bath and shower were very good. Heating came from the usual built-in air conditioning unit and worked well. There were plenty of sockets, including some with USB power. Storage was limited to eight clothes hangers and three coat hooks near the door, with no cupboards. You also need two keys, since one goes in the electricity switch by the door. The outside of the windows wasn’t clean, and one had a crack. For a three-day stay, there wasn’t enough tea, coffee, or milk in the room. You can get more free from reception, but I think they should leave enough for the whole stay.

A weekend away with our grandchildren turned into a really poor stay. We paid extra for an 11am early check-in, arrived at 12.20pm, and the room still wasn’t ready. It was large and quite dark, with a strange smell from the bathroom. We’d booked a meal deal with dinner both nights. I asked reception about reserving a table, and the girl said it wasn’t needed because the restaurant was always quiet. She offered to book 7pm if I wanted, so I agreed. But when we got there, no table had been booked. The man was cross and said he could squeeze us in at 8pm. There was nowhere to sit while we waited, so we went back to the room. The restaurant staff weren’t very nice and the atmosphere was unpleasant. Breakfast the next morning was chaos too. The new manager was on duty, there wasn’t enough hot food, the coffee machine was broken, and in my opinion there weren’t enough staff. When I went to the bar to book dinner for later, I was told there was no chance because everything was booked. I asked what we were meant to do with children and no other plans in Belfast. She just shrugged and suggested asking reception for a refund. I realise I should have booked the table myself, but the hotel knew our meal booking was on the system and had taken our payment. Some alternative time would have been fine, even 3pm, when the restaurant was only a quarter full. We would have eaten whenever. Reception had told me it was quiet, and I took that at face value. We ended up having our evening meal in a coffee shop, since everywhere in Belfast was booked. I asked reception for the money back for the meals and am still waiting. On Saturday afternoon the room was Baltic and had no heating. The phone didn’t work, so I reported it at reception as we went out. They said they’d sort it. Hours later it was still cold. I went back, got the same answer, then returned again because nothing had changed. Eventually the heat came on, but it took time to build up, so we had to sit under blankets. I spoke to the manager Sunday morning. He apologised and said he’d speak to staff about the heating, but said dinner was basically my fault for not booking. I also told him about the restaurant staff’s attitude. By then I was in tears from frustration and upset, and my husband and grandchildren were upset too. I can’t recommend this hotel. Even its good location doesn’t make up for that weekend.

The location was great and the room was nice, with a comfortable bed, but the service let us down. At 2.45, when I tried to check in, the guy at the desk just shook his head and laughed. It came across as rude. He could simply have told us we needed to wait 15 minutes. Breakfast was busy, so we waited for a table. I’d only been seated for 15 minutes and had just finished my first coffee when staff started clearing plates and asking us to move so they could clean the table. Then, on the way out, I saw several empty tables already laid out. They should use the tables they have instead of rushing people out. Premier Inn is usually really nice, so I was disappointed.

I stayed with a friend for a child-free break. The location is very central, great for a short getaway, and staff were helpful. Having someone at the front desk 24 hours is useful too. We were in room 134 at the back, probably right above The Muddlers Bar. There was quite a bit of evening noise, though we slept through it and were only briefly disturbed when they emptied the glass bins at closing. If you want quiet, ask for a higher room or somewhere calmer. Our room was clean, and the shower had great pressure. I’d stay again 😊