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The UK’s best and worst hotel chains

Premier Inn came third in the survey after Radisson Blu

Premier Inn came third in the survey after Radisson BluWith thousands of bedrooms in as many locations, it’s easy to imagine that chain?hotels?all offer the same bland, basic experience. However a new survey by Which? reveals they may not be as homogenous as you think, with a huge difference in quality between the best and worst brands.

The survey of 36 UK hotel chains asked Which? members to rate the chains on cleanliness, customer service, bed comfort and value for money. The results are based on 8,267 hotel stays in the past year.

Topping the table is Q Hotels, with 21 four-star hotels, which received a full five-star rating for cleanliness and room fixtures and an overall customer score of 78%. One member described their stay as “excellent in every department”.

For Britannia Hotels, however, the results tell a different story. The chain, described by members as “shabby” and “run down”, scored a dismal 36% overall, to come bottom of the list. Some guests were shocked to find bedrooms without windows. One disappointed customer said: “It was ?10 a night extra for a window in the room!”

Travelodge, the most visited chain in the survey, with 500 hotels, fared only slightly better, with an overall score of 50%. While it received a three-star rating when it came to value for money, its breakfasts were awarded just a single rather unappetising star.

The top six hotels customer satisfaction score:

Q hotels?78%
Radisson Blu Edwardian?77%
Premier Inn?76%
Sofitel?74%
DoubleTree by Hilton?71%
Park Plaza?71%

And the bottom six:

Britannia Hotels?36%
Travelodge?50%
Ramada?51%
PH Hotels?51%
De Vere Village?51%
Shearings Hotels?52%

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Source The Guardian, http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/oct/30/uk-chain-hotels-survey-best-and-worst