WHAT’S IT LIKE? Owned by Whitbread, Premier Travel Inn is the UK’s largest hotel chain with 480 properties. The group announced this year that it would be dropping the “Travel” from its name to become Premier Inn and also revealed plans for expansion into India over the next 10 years, with some 80 hotels and over 12,000 rooms. The initial sites will be in the Delhi region, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad and Chandigarh. As with rival budget hotel chains, such as Travelodge, Ibis, and Novotel, the brand has had a major overhaul introducing new generation rooms and updated food and beverage facilities. The chain has also announced that all of its hotels will be non-smoking from January 2008 and any new hotels opened since June 2007 are already smoke-free. The Hammersmith hotel is on King Street and towers over the busy road. As you enter through sliding doors, there are some low chairs and tables with computer terminals. The reception desk (open 24 hours) is down a few stairs to the left, next to the bar and restaurant area.
WHERE IS IT? On King Street in Hammersmith, but the closest tube station is Ravenscourt Park on the District line (three minutes walk). Don’t get off at Hammersmith as it is a good 15 minutes’ walk. It’s a good location for central London and I stayed before an early morning flight to Heathrow (about 40 minutes on the Underground).
HOW MANY ROOMS? 106, all of which have double beds which can be split into two singles for a twin room. There are wheelchair access rooms available.
ROOM FACILITIES All rooms are new generation, with simple clean décor, white duvets and the trademark dark purple strip over the bottom of the king-sized bed, purple carpets and purple headboards. There were cream curtains and, usefully, a full-length mirror with lights down the sides and a hairdryer stowed away in a box underneath. There is a small desk area for working, with internet access and a TV on a stand above. There are also tea and coffee-making facilities. Internet access is charged at £1 per 10 minutes. (This is not the case in all Premier Travel Inns – other properties have more reasonable charges eg £10 per 24 hours). The receptionist said I could find internet cafes on King Street which would probably charge far less. My room overlooked a side street and it was quiet. I took the spare pillow from the wardrobe and slept well. The bathroom was a good size, with a joint bath and shower and shower gel and soap dispensers, although the shower did lose its pressure intermittently.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES There is one meeting room on the second floor, which can be divided into two and hold up to 170 people. Internet access in the meeting rooms is free of charge, but the computers in the lobby have internet access charged at the rate quoted above. Premier Travel Inn also has dedicated business and meeting facilities close to some of its UK properties. Touchbase Meetings are either close to or part of properties in Bradford (South), Heathrow (Bath Road), Hemel Hempstead, Manchester (South), Mansfield, Peterborough, Nottingham (West), South Mimms and Swindon. Facilities include hot desks where you can use the internet (paying online or buying internet cards for £3 an hour or £10 for 24 hours), different-sized meeting rooms, and a business lounge with comfy chairs and sofas, tea and Costa coffee on tap and daily newspapers (£10).
RESTAURANTS AND BARS The Pub restaurant is the Hammersmith property’s F&B offering and it was lively when I checked in on a Monday evening. There is an impressive range of food on offer, with starters including homemade soup (£3.25) and half a crispy fried duck (£9.95). Main courses offer traditional dishes such as sausage and mash (£6.99), fish and chips (£8.25), fillet steak (£13.99) to Thai green chicken curry (£8.25). There are also pasta and pizza dishes and a dessert menu. Wine is served by the glass for around £4 or per bottle from £10-£15. Breakfast is “all-you-can-eat” full English (£7.50) and there are healthier options on offer too (6.30-10am on weekdays and 8am-11am at weekends).
HEALTH AND FITNESS FACILITIES No.
VERDICT A well-placed hotel, close to the centre of town and about 40 minutes to Heathrow on the tube, and the room was fresh and comfortable. A good budget option although the internet charges were a disappointment.
PRICES Mid-week rates start from £89.
CONTACT 255 King Street, London W6; tel +44 (0)870 850 6310; premiertravelinn.com.
Felicity Cousins
