The UK's best and worst hotel chains

The cost of just about everything has gone up, and hotel accommodation is no exception. So can you still find value-for-money rooms at UK hotel chains? 

And is it sometimes worth paying a little more for the right experience? We reveal the best large and small hotel chains - and the ones you should avoid. UK hotel guests are paying £22 more for a night's stay, on average, compared with a year ago - a 21% hike - but are they worth the money? 

We asked 4,447 Which? members and members of the public to tell us about their experiences of large and small hotel chains in the UK. They rated everything from cleanliness to bed comfort and also shared their thoughts on food and customer service. 

Best large hotel chains in the UK

This year's results, which are based on a survey of 4,447 Which? members and members of the public, saw Premier Inn yet again at the top of the table - despite the fact that guests are paying around 35% more for a room. But the UK's largest hotel chain is still the second cheapest in our survey and it's consistently clean and comfy rooms remain a winning formula.

Best small hotel chains in the UK

This year's small hotel chain results, which includes hotel chains with 30 or fewer hotels worldwide, saw Warner Hotels at the top of the table. 

Best vs worst: budget chain stays

Premier Inn – 78%

Once again, Premier Inn has come top of our table of large hotel chains, with members' experiences confirming you'll get a clean and comfy bed, regardless of where in the country you check in.

The budget chain was awarded five stars out of five for cleanliness and the description matching reality, with guests telling us that quality was 'pretty much guaranteed'.

Yet the hiked-up prices haven't gone unnoticed, even by its loyal fanbase. The chain scraped just two stars for value, meaning it's lost its Which? Recommended Provider status this year. In a cost of living crisis, we won't endorse any brand that gets less than three stars in this category.

Which? verdict: Comfortable accommodation you can count on.

Browse Premier Inn's full range of hotels

Travelodge - 63%

It's quite an achievement for the cheapest hotel in our survey to gain a poor rating for value for money, but Travelodge has managed it. Guests complained of tatty decor and rooms desperately in need of an update.

Worse, the UK hotel chain gained an unappetising one star out for five for its food and drink. Several members told us there wasn't a restaurant on site, or they received breakfast in a box. Others who did sample the buffet said it was 'inedible'.

The chain's three-star rating for cleanliness also jars when compared with Premier Inn's perfect five. Travelodge is just about passable for one night but, as one guest succinctly put it, 'it's not a good as Premier Inn'.

Which? verdict: It's the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.

See Travelodge's hotels across the UK 

Best vs worst: small chains

Warner Hotels - 77%

Warner isn't your typical hotel chain. The adult-only stays in a range of countryside and coastal properties include breakfast and a three-course dinner. There's also evening entertainment plus oodles of activities, from archery to croquet. 

Despite the extras, it's not the priciest brand in our survey, and it gets a well-deserved four stars out of five for value for money. In fact, the brand gained no less than four stars across the board, including for customer service.

It would be difficult to get bored at Warner Hotels, but the all-singing, all-dancing Center Parcs-style stay won't be for everyone.

Which? verdict: Great quality if you're looking for an action-packed getaway.

Look at all of the Warner Hotels' properties

QHotels - 62%

Some QHotels are set in stunning historic buildings, such as the 17th-century Jacobean Crewe Hall in Cheshire. Others have spas or are conveniently close to city centres.

They sound appealing, yet - according to Which? members - the brand struggles with consistency across its 14 properties. One guest told us they were expecting to stay in the beautiful old house depicted on the website, only to end up in a 'basic' outbuilding.

Another told us the quality had varied across the three QHotels they'd visited. The communal areas and amenities were also a letdown: members gave them just two stars, compared with Warner Hotel's four stars.

Which? verdict: Inconsistent stays that often look better in the photos.

The worst UK hotel chain

Britannia - 56%

As of this year, Britannia has been bottom of our survey for an entire decade. We can't even say it's cheap. with plenty of better-rated brands beating it on price. 

Britannia's downfall is particularly sad when you consider its illustrious past. The Adelphi in Liverpool was once the departure point for wealthy passengers before they boarded luxury liners, including the Titanic. 

The beautiful historic buildings in prime locations remain, but the interiors are showing serious signs of neglect. The brand received just two out of five stars in every category, including cleanliness, with one guest describing their stay as 'absolutely dire, drab and smelly'.

Which? verdict: Run-down, dirty and once again the worst hotel chain in the UK. Avoid at all costs.

Other budget stays under £100 a night

Days Inn - 70%

Days Inn is the next best thing to a Premier Inn, if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful place to put your head down. The budget chain scored a reasonable three stars in most categories, and four stars for cleanliness and customer service.

While the general consensus was that rooms are a bit ‘shabby’ and ‘could do with revamping,’ you agreed they still offered fairly good value for money and a comfortable night’s sleep.

Convenient locations near motorways was the deciding factor for several of you on long journeys. You also told us that staff were friendly and helpful.

Which? verdict: Offers clean and comfortable stays in convenient locations, but a bit of TLC wouldn't go amiss.

Ibis - 69%

Ibis is far from luxurious, but budget doesn’t have to mean bad -  as Premier Inn proves year after year. You paid a reasonable £99 per night on average and gave Ibis an overall score of 69%. However, the bedrooms and bathrooms weren’t up to scratch - scoring just two out of five stars. One guest told us that bedrooms were ‘nothing special’ and others complained about the small size.

It fared much better for cleanliness (four stars) - arguably the most important component of any hotel stay. Overall, for the price, you were satisfied - calling Ibis ‘reliable’ and ‘comfortable’ - and awarding it four stars for value for money.

Which? verdict: A clean, no-frills choice that will do the job for one night.

Wetherspoons Hotels - 68%

The pub chain’s food and drinks are famously good value - and its hotels are a decent budget option too. Wetherspoons scored a solid three stars almost across the board, plus four stars for its wifi.

While you weren’t wowed by the rooms, you described them as spacious and clean with comfy beds. The friendly staff were also praised, but rooms cost £10 more than top-rated Premier Inn, on average - perhaps explaining why Wetherspoons only bagged three stars for value for money.

Every hotel is attached to a Wetherspoon pub and customers were a fan of their city-centre locations, but a few complained about the noise. One member summed it up by saying: ‘Perfect for one night away.’

Which? verdict: A comfortable stay - but you’ll find cheaper, better-rated rooms elsewhere.

How we rate UK hotel chains

In August 2022, we asked 4,447 Which? members and members of the general public to complete an online survey about their experience of staying in small and large UK hotel chains in the past 12 months. To be considered a chain hotel, the hotel group must have a minimum of five UK properties. Large hotel chains have 31 or more properties in the group worldwide, while small chains have a maximum of 30 properties in the group worldwide.