Premier Inn Exeter City Centre

A great choice if you’re visiting Exeter. The location is excellent, only five minutes from the city centre, and the restaurant food was great too. Possibly the best Premier Inn I’ve stayed in, and I’ve tried quite a few. Every staff member was excellent, and nothing seemed too much trouble.

The team members we met were friendly and hard-working, covering lots of different roles. Our room was spotless and had all the basics we needed. We also had breakfast here and were very pleased with the choice. I love a hot buffet where you can pick what you like and have as much as you want. The hotel is ideally placed for the city centre, close to everything. There’s a public car park nearby, and it was fairly priced compared with others I’ve used.

I wish the other Premier Inns were like this one. Everyone working here had a smile, and Adriana, I think, welcomed my colleague and me to breakfast with the best smile I’ve seen in four weeks. Breakfast was hot and great, with no waiting at all. The room was clean and tidy, everything worked, and the hotel is close to the city centre and Exeter Cathedral. Truly one of the best Premier Inns I’ve stayed in. It lives up to the Premier name.

The only real plus was being near the city centre. We paid £130 for one night and were disappointed. My mum booked the room for the two of us because we were going out in Exeter and thought the location would be convenient. At night, people were running up and down the halls like a herd of elephants. When I looked out to see what was happening, a staff member blamed me, even though I could clearly hear male voices. I explained I was only checking on the noise and had heard a door slam further along the hall, but got no response. That was the cherry on top. Earlier, after checking in, we went to the restaurant for a bite, only to be told it was booking only. The whole restaurant was empty and stayed empty apart from two people all evening, so it was disappointing that they couldn’t fit us in. We got takeaway instead and went to the bar for drinks. The bartender seemed completely lost when I asked for vodka with lemonade and a dash of lime. I said I didn’t mind paying the extra 50p or whatever for lime cordial, but he acted as if it was something I’d invented. Another customer had trouble ordering two pints and some crisps too. We stood behind him for about 15 minutes while the staff tried to work out his simple order. Back in the room, it was freezing. The thermostat had so many settings that instructions would’ve helped. After showering, I found the hairdryer didn’t work. Its wires were hanging out, though it was still plugged into the wall, so I hadn’t noticed before looking closely. I took it to reception with dripping hair and asked for another. I was told I couldn’t get one until morning, so I joked that my hair would be dry by then. I showed the staff member the exposed wires and explained it had been left plugged into a live socket, which seemed like a serious hazard. I offered to hand it over so the next guest wouldn’t have the same problem, but he wrote nothing down and didn’t take it. I had to bring it back to the room. It’s annoying to pay for room amenities that can’t be used. Luckily a friend could bring me a hairdryer, but I’d have expected some concern from staff, and for them to dispose of it with the wires showing. My partner and I also had a bad exchange with a staff member after the noise. We were blamed despite the male voices being clear, and our explanation went nowhere. The hotel’s closeness to town is the only upside to a stay that wasn’t worth the price.