Britannia tops Which?’s worst hotel chain poll for tenth year

Britannia Hotels has reportedly been ranked the “worst” hotel chain for the tenth year in a row in Which?’s annual survey. 

Britannia’s ranking on the consumer rating site comes as the hotelier received two stars across every category, including cleanliness, food, value for money, and it achieved an overall customer satisfaction score of 56%. 

The Which? rankings are reportedly based on almost 4,500 hotel stays, with respondents invited to rate their experiences at 35 chains across 10 categories which include cleanliness, bed comfort, food, customer service and value for money. 

According to survey respondents, they describe their surroundings in Britannia’s hotels to be “tired and tatty”, with a “rough and ready” feel. 

In addition, as many as 28% of those who reviewed the hotelier reported an issue with their stay, with 54% noting issues with cleanliness. Plumbing concerns, such as faulty toilets and lack of hot water were also common, with 19% of those who encountered an issue reporting a complaint of this nature.

The best performing hotel on Which? was reportedly Premier Inn, with a customer score of 78% and rating five stars for both cleanliness and how well the description of the rooms lived up to expectations. 

Guy Hobbs, editor of Which? Travel, said: “With a decade of dismal reviews cementing its place as one of the UK’s worst hotel chains, our results suggest that Britannia should be avoided at all costs.

“With the average price of a UK hotel stay now costing a fifth more than it did last year, travellers want to be sure they are getting the best possible experience for their money. Our  results show that price isn’t necessarily an indicator of quality and many respondents reported fantastic stays with brands including Premier Inn and smaller chains like Warner Hotels.”