Premier Inn Warrington - M6/J21

As usual, the staff were the bright spot, polite and helpful. The room was tidy enough, but the carpet was heavily stained and the furniture worn. The TV barely reacted to the remote, something I’ve run into at many Premier Inns. The shower cubicle was welcome, but there was nowhere to set my own gel or shampoo. They had to perch on the mixer bar, and the hose knocked them off, so bending down to retrieve them meant hitting my head on the house bottle holder. Outside, the place looked neglected: algae on the sign, a potholed car park, and road grime making the building look grey. Breakfast was poor too, with overcooked eggs, cold beans, and bacon so tough it could patch a shed. An unedifying stay. Premier Inn seems to be racing itself to the bottom to bolster profits.

The food was lovely, the bed comfortable, and the room and bathroom clean, just what you’d expect from a Premierr Inn. Claire, who served breakfast on Sunday, deserves a special thank you. She was such a happy, lovely person, and watching her chat with everyone made me smile. We need more people like her.

It’s handy for the M6, and the room was clean, but the towels looked worn out and had turned greyish from their original white. The restaurant was short staffed, with a long wait for drinks and nearly an hour for food. The staff were friendly and amiable, but were run off their feet seating people, taking orders, and serving drinks. I’d be looking for another job in their position. Service needs to improve, and the wait wasn’t worth it. The food was terrible: my husband’s fish and chips seemed like something from a frozen pack from Iceland, not the traditional dish described on the menu. Fine for a night’s sleep, but bring your own food.

This business trip was a lot better than last time, though I still prefer the other premier inn in Warrington. On the previous visit, the bathroom wasn’t very clean. I asked twice on separate days to have the room cleaned, but it still hadn’t been done on the third day. They offered me a pint for the inconvenience, so I got the pint but never got a clean bathroom. The staff are friendly and usually obliging otherwise. The restaurant gets understaffed at busy times, so food takes ages. We’ve waited almost two hours, and waits of over an hour are regular. Our company keeps putting our team here with a meal deal, and the easy breakfast buffet suits the team in the morning. Phone reception drops a lot as soon as you enter, so you may need to buy the wifi. I’ve been told some rooms get good reception, but I haven’t stayed in one, so can’t confirm. There isn’t much in walking distance: Tesco Express is about a 25-minute walk, a 50-minute round trip. There’s a pub about 15 minutes away with decent food, and locals often use the nature walk along the river.