By Chris Williamson-
Britannia has been ranked the UK’s worst hotel chain for the 10th consecutive year.The company’s hotels rated just two stars out of five for categories such as cleanliness, bed comfort and value for money in the annual survey by consumer group Which?.
It received an overall customer satisfaction score of just 56%. Britannia has 61 hotels across Britain, including Liverpool’s Adelphi Hotel and Scarborough’s Grand Hotel.
In a damning feedback about its quality, guests described the surroundings as “tired and tatty”, with a “rough and ready” feel.
The rankings are based on almost 4,500 stays at 35 chains, with respondents invited to rate their experiences in 10 categories, including cleanliness, bed comfort, food, customer service and value for money.
Warner Hotels was praised for modern, comfortable rooms and a friendly welcome
More than a quarter (28%) of those who stayed at a Britannia hotel were unhappy with at least one aspect of their stay, with over half of those (54%) noting issues with cleanliness. One guest described their room as “absolutely dire, drab and smelly”, while another complained of dirt and mould.
“With a decade of dismal reviews Britannia has cemented its place as one of the UK’s worst hotel chains,” said Guy Hobbs, editor of Which? Travel. “With the average price of a UK hotel stay now a fifth more than last year, travellers want to be sure they are getting the best possible experience for their money … Price isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality and many respondents reported fantastic stays with brands including Premier Inn and smaller chains such as Warner Hotels.”
The joint second worst hotel chains were Mercure and Jurys Inn/Leonardo, which both scored 58%.
The ranking was topped by Premier Inn, with 78%.
Respondents to the survey paid an average of £89 per night for a Premier Inn stay, compared with £119 at a Britannia hotel.
Premier Inn was the best-performing chain overall, with a customer score of 78% and high ratings for cleanliness, comfort and customer service. Guests praised the chain for as “reliable” and offering “quality service”, with many respondents saying they were return guests because the brand was consistently good across all sites.
Despite Premier Inn being the second-cheapest chain in the table, further analysis by Which? found that the price of an average night’s stay at its properties has risen by 35% over 2021 – significantly more than the national average (21%). The increase has certainly been noted by guests, who awarded it just two stars for value for money, which meant it lost its Which? Recommended Provider status.
Among small hotel chains, Warner Hotels came out top, with a customer score of 77%, and praise for “modern, comfortable” rooms and a “friendly welcome”. Although one of the pricier hotel chains assessed, with an average room rate of £173 a night, it scored four stars for value for money, with several guests commenting that the inclusion of entertainment, breakfast and dinner made the stay worth its higher price tag
The ranking of 35 chains is based on almost 4,500 hotel stays by nearly 4,500 consumers in the 12 months to August.
The average cost of UK hotels has increased by 21% in the past 12 months, according to the research.
Guy Hobbs, editor of magazine Which? Travel, said: “With a decade of dismal reviews cementing its place as one of the UK’s worst hotel chains, our results suggest that Britannia should be avoided at all costs.
“With the average price of a UK hotel stay now costing a fifth more than it did last year, travellers want to be sure they are getting the best possible experience for their money.
“Our results show that price isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality, and many respondents reported fantastic stays with brands including Premier Inn and smaller chains like Warner Hotels.”
Britannia did not respond to a request for comment.
Jurys Inn said it received “high satisfaction scores” from more than 213,000 guest reviews so far this year.
Mercure said the Which? survey “does not reflect the standard of guest experience which we strive for”.