Premier Inn Inverness East

The restaurant food was good, the staff were friendly, and my room was warm and comfortable. It was also easy to find, and heading north in the morning, I was on the A9 almost immediately. But the bathroom had black mould everywhere, and running water made a definite faecal smell come from the sink. The room needs a deep clean before anyone else uses it, with mould across the shower area and in the corners. I overheard that housekeeping was short-staffed, and it showed. Rooms were still being prepared after I'd checked in, and I say prepared, not cleaned.

The cleanliness was appalling throughout. There was mould in the bedroom and on the toilet walls, tile sealant, shower head and behind the taps. The taps themselves were dirty. The carpet looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ages, and there were stains on the sheets and duvet cover. There was blood on the toilet floor and stains up the walls. The hallways hadn't been vacuumed or cleaned, and the lift and stairway were disgusting too. I stayed here a few years ago when it was spotless, but it feels like it hasn't been cleaned since. After one night I felt really dirty and couldn't wait to get home and shower. I'd advise anyone considering this place to think again. The hotel needs to take people's comments on board and get it fixed.

Dinner and breakfast at the adjacent Brewers Fayre were very good, and the stay was excellent value. The Premier Inn Inverness East is on the outskirts, but it's easy to get to the town centre. There's plentiful free parking for guests, just remember to register your vehicle at the reception terminal. Check-in was quick, efficient and helpful. Our room was in the annex by the car park. It was spacious and well laid out, though a few small cleanliness issues needed attention. There was little toilet paper in the dispenser and only one bath towel for two guests. We didn't use the Wi-Fi, so can't comment on it. With a bit more attention to detail, this would be worth 5 stars. I'd definitely stay again.

The room and hall carpets looked as if they hadn't been vacuumed in months. When we first got to the room, the window was open. We closed it because it was January, but when we returned after dinner the room reeked of stale sweat and damp. I can see why they'd left the window open. It was easily the dirtiest and noisiest Premier Inn I've stayed in. You could hear anyone walking along the corridor or in the room above as if they were stomping, because the floorboards are so thin and creaky. Sleeping was really hard. I would choose one of the other Inverness Premier inns. This hotel feels poorly managed. Also, on the few times I passed reception, the ladies were sitting in the open office chatting about cosmetics while people were clearly waiting at the desk. One of them may have been the manager. The bell doesn't work, it just has sellotape over it.