Britannia Hotels has been named the worst large hotel chain in the UK for the eighth year running, according to a survey by Which?. The consumer group gave the chain a customer score of just 37%, with guests describing rooms as “filthy hovels” and one review being so scathing it was deemed “unprintable”.
Which? researchers visiting the Grand Burstin hotel in Folkestone found stray hairs, stained towels and surfaces that had not been thoroughly cleaned between stays. At the Royal Albion in Brighton, swab tests detected enterococci bacteria on the toilet seat and bathroom door handle.
In response, Britannia said it was “totally committed to providing a safe environment” and had spent around £2m on Covid-19 precautions, but accepted “there is more to do”. The chain operates 62 hotels across the country.
At the top of the rankings, Sofitel was named best large chain with a score of 82%, followed by Premier Inn at 80%. Holiday Inn Express and Hampton by Hilton were also recommended. Among small and medium chains, Warner Leisure and Hotel Du Vin took the top spots.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “It appears that not even a global pandemic could force Britannia to clean up its act. At best, it’s drab and dated, and at worst it’s downright filthy – and after eight years at the bottom of our survey, our message is loud and clear: avoid these hotels.”
