UK’s biggest budget hotel has little-known guarantee that gives you a full refund if you get a bad night’s sleep
NEXT time you’re woken up in the middle of the night at Premier Inn, make sure to tell reception – as a clause means you could get a full refund.
The pocket-friendly chain has more than 800 hotels in the UK, making it the largest hotel brand in the country.
And with 72,000 hotel rooms dotted across the UK, you might be surprised to learn about its Good Night Guarantee that issues guests refunds if your sleep is affected on the night.
A statement on the Premier Inn website reads: “At Premier Inn we’ve thought of everything you need to have a great night’s sleep.
“From our super-comfy mattress, to a choice of firm or soft pillows, we’re always on the lookout for ways to make bedtime better.
“In fact, we’re so confident you’ll have a great night’s sleep that, if you don’t, you can claim for a refund on the affected night*.
“Just speak to one of our friendly reception team in order to make a claim. This is our Good Night Guarantee.”
To claim for the refund, guests will need to “have a chat with a member of our friendly reception team”.
If the staff member can’t resolve the issue, they will then issue guests guidance on how to claim a refund.
Guests will then have up to seven days from check-out to claim on the Good Night Guarantee.
While it may seem silly to speak to reception staff about a flickering light, a faulty air conditioning unit, or a dripping tap in the early hours of the morning, it is pivotal to making the claim.
The Sun’s Olivia Marshall found out the hard way when she tried to claim the Good Night Guarantee last year only to have her refund rejected.
This is because she didn’t bring the issue (a faulty air conditioning unit on a hot summer‘s day) to the team’s attention at the time.
It’s also important to be aware of the terms and conditions, with guests unable to claim for anything beyond its “reasonable control” like extreme weather conditions, fire, floods and earthquakes.
Guests also cannot claim if a hotel lacks amenities that aren’t listed online for that branch, such as a lack of air conditioning.
Getting a good night’s sleep in a hotel room isn’t easy, as people get used to their mattresses and duvets, and even the slightest change can keep a person up all night.
Carl Walsh, sleep expert and owner of BedGuru, previously told Sun Online Travel how Brits can ensure a good night’s sleep.
He recommended keeping hotel rooms at an optimal temperature, saying: “Cooler is often better to encourage sleep, so I’d recommend setting your room between 15.5°C and 20°C.”
Holidaymakers can even ask for a new room, according to the sleep expert.
He added: “Many of us tend to shy away from saying when something isn’t quite right, and instead, we’ll put up with the pain.
“But when it’s impacting your sleep, that’s not ok. Hotel staff are used to this so don’t be afraid to say something if something isn’t quite right.”
How to get a better Premier Inn room
Former Premier Inn staff revealed some of their top hacks on the Channel 5 programme Premier Inn: Britain’s Biggest Budget Hotel.
Ryan James, former Premier Inn operations manager, said: “[If you would like a quieter room] ask for the top floor.
“Because normally the parties and families tend to be put on the bottom and middle floors because of the noise.”
Kofi Ofosu-Akwa, an ex-Premier Inn housekeeper, noted: “Call [the hotel] first and see what they can do for you.
“If you don’t ask you don’t get.”
If you want to see the largest Premier Inn in the world, you will have to head to Gatwick Airport instead – here’s what its like.
And we compared Premier Inn to Travelodge and easyHotel – here’s which one came out on top.