Britannia Hotels has cemented its position as the United Kingdom's most despised hotel chain after being voted the worst for an astonishing twelfth year running. The damning verdict comes from consumer champion Which?, whose extensive survey revealed a catalogue of complaints from disappointed guests.
Consistently Catastrophic Ratings
The hotel group, which operates 61 hotels across Britain including prominent city centre locations, received a paltry one-star ratings across multiple critical categories. Guests reported encountering:
- Filthy bathrooms and bedding described as "stained and unclean"
- Persistent maintenance issues including broken furniture and faulty plumbing
- Overwhelming smells of damp and mould throughout properties
- Appalling customer service with unhelpful staff
- Shabby, dated decor that one guest compared to "fading back to the 1970s"
What the Survey Revealed
Which?'s comprehensive research gathered experiences from over 4,000 hotel stays across nearly 30 large chains. The results painted a particularly bleak picture for Britannia, which achieved an overall customer score of just 39% - the lowest in the entire study.
One frustrated guest summarised their stay: "The room was dirty, the furniture was broken, and the whole place smelled of damp. I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy."
How Other Chains Performed
In stark contrast to Britannia's dismal performance, several hotel chains received glowing reviews from satisfied customers:
- Premier Inn topped the charts with an impressive 79% customer score
- Hilton Hotels & Resorts followed closely with 75%
- Holiday Inn Express secured third place with 74%
These successful chains were praised for their consistent cleanliness, comfortable beds, and reliable customer service across their properties.
A Pattern of Poor Performance
This isn't the first time Britannia Hotels has faced criticism. The chain has developed a notorious reputation for substandard accommodation, with previous guests sharing horror stories online and multiple properties receiving poor hygiene ratings from local authorities.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, commented: "Travellers deserve so much better than this. To be voted worst hotel chain for twelve consecutive years is an unprecedented record of failure that should shock the management into immediate action."
What This Means for Travellers
The survey results serve as a stark warning to holidaymakers and business travellers alike. With such consistently poor feedback spanning over a decade, consumers are urged to research thoroughly before booking and consider the many better-rated alternatives available across the UK.
Until Britannia Hotels addresses these fundamental issues, it seems likely their reign as Britain's worst hotel chain will continue into a thirteenth year.
