Survey finds big gaps in hotel chain quality

Warner Leisure, Hampton by Hilton and Sofitel have come top in a poll by consumer magazine Which?.

In a poll of more than 6,000 Which? Members, who rated their experiences at 34 UK hotel chains, Warner Leisure Hotels achieved a customer score of 79%.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the list was Comfort Inn, which achieved a score of only 41%, with Britannia Hotels and Travelodge getting scores of just 42% and 46% respectively.

Although these are known as no-frills chains, Which? members also gave them low ratings for value for money.

According to the magazine, in a snapshot price comparison of all 34 hotel chains, we found that a room booked through three of the six highest-scoring companies would be nearly twice as cheap as booking an equivalent through Comfort Inn or Britannia.

"Our survey reveals big gaps in quality between some of the best known hotel chains in the country," said a Which? spokesperson .

"The top rated hotels scored highly for customer service, cleanliness, location and a decent breakfast so it’s clear what people are looking for in a good night’s stay. Our findings show some of the no-frills hotel chains, in particular, need to raise their game and provide a better service."

Stephen Tate, chairman of Check Safety First, said it’s no surprise that hotel chains are still not meeting standards.

"In 2009 Which? found that standards of cleanliness in budget hotels were poor. Three years later and it appears these issues of hygiene have still not been properly addressed.

"Both budget and prestigious hotel rooms can be riddled with bacteria. It is often assumed a high star rating indicates a thoroughly clean hotel room but often this rating is based on the number of facilities."