Britannia named Worst Hotel Chain for the EIGHTH consecutive year by Which?

Britannia was named for the eighth consecutive year by Which? Ranked as the UK’s worst major hotel chain. The guests were shocked by the lack of hygiene in their homes and the group’s tour guide was confused that not even the coronavirus crisis seems to have had any impact on his cleanliness.

It was the only company that received only one of five stars for cleanliness. The consumer champ said one guest called their room at a Britannia hotel “by far the dirtiest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in,” and another said it was a ‘dirty cabin’.

At the top of the list was the luxury chain Sofitel with three London properties in Heathrow, Gatwick and St. James. Customer satisfaction was 86 percent.

A table courtesy of Which ?, showing the ranking – which has been broken down into large chains and small and medium chains

Which? more than 4,000 people were asked to rate their experiences at UK hotels, which were divided into large chains and small and medium chains.

Guests were asked to rate the hotels on a number of criteria including bedrooms, bathrooms, cleanliness, customer service, and value for money.

Britannia received a customer rating of 37 percent and could not achieve more than two stars in any of the criteria. The rating for bedrooms, bathrooms and communal areas and facilities was given with one star.

Despite being one of the cheapest hotel chains in the survey, averaging £ 58 a night, which ones? According to guests, Britannia still only gave one star for value for money.

One of the most damning reviews on Which? from a Britannia guest was not printable, says the consumer group.

When what? Researchers visited the Folkestone Britannia, also known as the Grand Burstin, as part of a separate hotel hygiene survey. During an initial inspection, researchers found stray hair and stained towels.

After further testing with UV liquid and germ powder, the researchers also stated that they had found surfaces that had not been thoroughly cleaned between stays.

Which? The researchers examined hotel hygiene at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Britannia

After further testing with UV fluid and germ powder, the researchers found surfaces that had not been thoroughly cleaned between stays at the Grand Burstin Hotel

Washable substances are invisible to the naked eye, but glow red under ultraviolet light. This picture is from the investigation at the Grand Burstin Hotel

At the chain’s Brighton Hotel, the Royal Albion, Which? conducted swab tests that said “traces of enterococci were found on the toilet seat and bathroom door handle”.

When presenting the results of Which? Britannia said, “We are fully committed to providing a safe environment for visitors. We’ve spent around £ 2million on Covid-19 precautions so far, but we accept that more needs to be done. ‘

Aside from the cleanliness, the chain could still disappoint, says Which?

In a standard room in the basement of Folkestone Britannia where the consumer watchdog has checked in, it is said that the aging wardrobe is carved with graffiti, pillows are weaker than bookmarks and broken glass on the carpet at breakfast.

Also at the bottom of the table, but significantly higher than Britannia, were Mercure (60 percent) and Days Inn Hotels (62 percent).

Comes the top of which? The ranking was the luxury chain Sofitel, which received a customer satisfaction rate of 86 percent. The Sofitel London St James is pictured

Both managed to earn three stars on most of the criteria and when tested for cleanliness, Which? Return with no need to worry.

The Sofitel at the other end of the table averages £ 148 a night, but guests told the watchdog it was worth it and praised its “outstanding service” and “impeccable cleanliness”.

One guest told the consumer champ that his Sofitel room was “probably the best hotel room I’ve ever occupied”.

But when which? visited Sofitel St. James for swab tests as part of his hotel hygiene exam. The researchers found “low levels of enterococci in the chair on the toilet seat of the room they were checked in”.

Sofitel said it was an isolated issue but conducted a “thorough review of its cleaning protocols” to look at the Which? To react.

With the exception of the three-star value for money, Sofitel achieved five stars in every category.

Premier Inn, which has taken first place in the rankings for the past five years, took second place with a customer rating of 82 percent

It was also the first chain to oust Premier Inn from the top in five years. With Which? This suggests that guests “were happier to throw some cash on their hotel stays this year as the UK post-pandemic holidays grew in popularity”.

The Premier Inn was just below the Sofitel at 82 percent and was praised for its reliable quality at a reasonable price.

Guests often described the rooms as clean and comfortable, with countless respondents saying which ones ?, “You know what you’re getting [with Premier Inn]’.

Both Sofitel and Premier Inn became Which? Recommended providers, along with Holiday Inn Express (third, 77 percent) and Hilton Hampton (fourth, 76 percent), for their high scores and approach to reimbursing customers about the pandemic.

When what? People were asked to rate their experiences in small and medium-sized hotel chains. Warner Leisure (81 percent) and Hotel Du Vin (77 percent) came out on top. Both were also called Which? Recommended providers.

Holiday Inn Express took third place in the ranking with a customer rating of 77 percent. The Holiday Inn Express is pictured in Greenwich, London

Abode Hotels received the lowest score of the eight small and medium-sized chains evaluated in the survey, but achieved a respectable 63 percent score and a four-star rating for cleanliness, customer service and value for money.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel said: “It seems that not even a global pandemic could force Britannia to clean up. At best, it’s monotonous and outdated, and at worst, it’s downright dirty – and after eight years at the end of our survey, our message is loud and clear: Avoid these hotels.

“While Premier Inn remains a firm favorite, it is clear that this year UK hotels are more than just a hang-out place, but a destination in itself. With fewer of us going abroad this year, our survey shows that we like to pay more for a little luxury while on vacation at home. ‘

MailOnline Travel has contacted Britannia Hotels for additional comments.