Member Advice on Chain Hotels: Whitbread Travel Inns / Metros

Advantages: Cheap and cheerful
Disadvantages: Basic

I was bored one evening last week and as I sat flicking through a Travel Inn directory, I worked out that in the last ten years, I have stayed at over 30 different Travel Inns. After that sobering thought, you would think that I might have a few things to say about Travel Inns – and you’d be right. THE CONCEPT Whitbread Travel Inns were first set up in the 1990s, in a direct move to open up the hotel accommodation market. Working on the same simple ...
...a chain of instantly recognisable hotels, where things were kept simple, functional and cheap. The concept has been a huge success with over 300 Whitbread Travel Inns now in operation and countless competitors such as Travelodge and Premier Lodge coming on to the market. Travel Inns are without a doubt, very consistent. Any praise or criticism that you may have of one hotel will almost certainly be mirrored in another. THE BRAND There are now three ... Read review

Advantages: clean, comfortable, excellent value for money if travelling with family by car
Disadvantages: sometimes just full, early reservation required during summer

Whenever we travel across the UK by car, we do spend a few nights in Travel Inn hotels. If we intend to stay in one place for a full week, we prefer to rent a country cottage (as you might know from reading my review on English Country Cottages). There are now more than 250 Travel Inn hotels all over Britain, located close to motorways or next to main roads, mostly just outside the larger towns and easily accessible. Travel Inn hotels offer good ...
...40.95 per room per night, no matter whether you are on your own or up to four persons in the room, which is very attractive particularly if you stay with your family. In fact, it is much cheaper than many B&Bs. Breakfast is not included in the room charge, but it can be arranged at extra cost when you arrive. Central reservation by phone or via Internet is quite convenient, but you may also make your reservation for the next night in a different ... Read review

Advantages: You pay per room, NOT per person. Also, EXTREMELY comfortable!!
Disadvantages: N/A

Travel Inns are mainly used for people on business, for short stays/breaks and dirty weekends!! At approximatley forty pounds a night, you wouldn't be able to afford longer than a couple of nights, but if you ARE staying for a couple of nights, or even one, I find that Travel Inn's are extremely cheap and cheerful, especially as you pay per room and not per person. Check in is easy. I wouldn't recommend however simply turning up and expecting to ...
...best way to book is by telephone at least a week before and you will need a credit card handy as this secures your booking. Don't think that because you have given your credit card number though that you have paid. You either pay on check-in or check-out, it's up to you. At check-in you will also be asked if you want a breakfast in the morning which can also be paid for either way. I haven't had the brreakfast there but it looked very appetising!! ... Read review

Advantages: Reasonable cost, clean, predictable, widely available.
Disadvantages: Basic, lack some facilities.

I live a fairly nomadic lifestyle and with family situated all around the UK - in Bristol, Cornwall, Liverpool, Norfolk to name but a few places, I find myself zipping frequently here, there and everywhere. With a family of my own, it is sometimes just not convenient or possible to stay with family. So what do I do? Enter Travel Inn. I was sceptical at first - approximately £42 for a night for the whole family almost anywhere in the UK - seemed ...
...paying - there had to be a catch. Except there wasn't! Travel Inns offer basic accommodation of good standard for up to 2 adults and 2 children in one room at about £42 per night. I believe this is a real bargain - although prices in major cities (especially London) can be higher. Rooms are pretty basic and usually very clean, containing a double bed, sofa (bed) and/or folding bed depending on your requirements. All rooms are en-suite with shower ... Read review

Advantages: Value for Money. Transparent Pricing.
Disadvantages: Lunch and dinner must be obtained elsewhere

Britain is a Johnny-come-lately to the brand-name budget hotel concept which basically offers value-for-money,consistency and transparent pricing. Long established in the United States by groups such as Express by Holiday Inn,Sleep Inn,Days Inn and in France by FormuleI,part of the Accor group,it is only comparatively recently that the UK has witnessed a mushrooming of such hotels. Ten years ago there were only about 6,000 rooms in low-cost branded ...
...as Express by Holiday Inn with well over 50 hotels, Sleep Inn, Travelodge with more than 200 hotels, Days Inn, FormuleI with ten hotels and the largest British limited service chain, Travel Inn. Owned by Whitbread the brewers,Travel Inn has in excess of 13,000 rooms in more than 250 hotels the length and breadth of Britain. These are value-for-money,no frills,establishments where your rate covers the room and is not charged by person. Costs vary ... Read review