Since when did Premier Inn become so expensive?

[Rufus Stone]

Two nights, mid week, first week of March. £450.

This isn't London, it's Bury St Edmunds.

[glennjamin]

Must be something on at that location. Some years ago we booked to stay at Hendon Premier Inn for weekend Friday night was £85 Saturday night was £255 was told that price increase was due to boxing event behing held.

[N111BJG]

Rufus Stone said:

Two nights, mid week, first week of March. £450.
This isn't London, it's Bury St Edmunds.

Gloucester last Friday £38, it was on one of the nicest industrial estates I’d visited for ages
Mid point stopover en route to Cornwall from home (not far from Bury St Edmunds)

[Ezra]

glennjamin said:

Must be something on at that location. Some years ago we booked to stay at Hendon Premier Inn for weekend Friday night was £85 Saturday night was £255 was told that price increase was due to boxing event behing held.

This. These kind of places definitely have flexible pricing based on local events / demand etc. I used to have to spend 2 nights each week in central London and used Travelodge. Price variance was huge depending if something on at O2, Albert Hall etc, etc.

[Mont Blanc]

Both Travelodge and Premier Inn use dynamic pricing. If they get busy, the prices automatically shoot up so they can gouge your eyes out. If they are dead quiet, then rooms drop back down to a reasonable price.

I have used them both for years for work, and it has been this way for years. Annoying though, when you pay £39 for a room one week, then £158 for the same room a week later.

[srob]

There are loads of lovely pubs and hotels in Bury, a quick search shows the Angel (about the poshest and most central) is less than that

[Rufus Stone]

srob said:

There are loads of lovely pubs and hotels in Bury, a quick search shows the Angel (about the poshest and most central) is less than that

I looked at that, it's not available for the two nights.

[5pen]

I’m guessing there must be an event on locally that’s spiked demand. I stayed in that very Purple Palace on a Friday night in March last year and it was £70.

[Dashnine]

New Primark opening on 6th March in Bury St Edmunds, that'll be it.

Was looking for a Premier Inn for a colleague coming into BHX and was stunned at the prices that same week - found out it's Crufts at the NEC.

Edited by Dashnine on Thursday 15th February 13:49

[zorba_the_greek]

We were also completely blown away by the prices near the New Forest when were looking for accommodation for our 2 days at Peppa Pig World.

We looked elsewhere in the end for much less and an indoor pool!

[Tabs]

As mentioned, probably dynamic pricing.
I looked at one near Birmingham Airport for a night before a flight. Price was £51. Discussed with the wife, and went to book the next day, and had gone up to £89.
Waited a week, and it dropped to £51 again.

[Rufus Stone]

Dashnine said:

New Primark opening on 6th March in Bury St Edmunds, that'll be it.

[KAgantua]

Ive noticed *generally* that with chain hotels, and sites like Booking.com etc the days of cheap dynamic pricing is over.

Thsi is in other countries too. Hotels are back to where they were a few ;years ago, Generally an expensive way of sleeping.

[Giantt]

KAgantua said:

Ive noticed *generally* that with chain hotels, and sites like Booking.com etc the days of cheap dynamic pricing is over.

Thsi is in other countries too. Hotels are back to where they were a few ;years ago, Generally an expensive way of sleeping.

Plus the upward pressure, specially in big cities of having,lower standard, Britannia, Holiday Inn hotels taking advantage of the migrants crisis

[RedAndy]

Stowamrket travelodge is only 10 miles away: It's one of those old school ones, on a bit of the A14 that has been bypassed by the new A14. Accordingly its 50p an hour. Taxi back from Bury about £25.

or try the Dragonfly, or other Prem.

[alangla]

Rufus Stone said:

Dashnine said:

New Primark opening on 6th March in Bury St Edmunds, that'll be it.

Wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they’ve block booked a load of rooms for merchandisers, shop fitters etc preparing the new store, so it might potentially be a factor…

[smokey mow]

There’s two Premier Inn’s in Bury st Edmunds, are they both the same price?

Failing that, try the Ickworrh Hotel in the grounds of National Trust’s Ickworth house, it’s only 10 minutes drive from the town centre.

[Mont Blanc]

alangla said:

Rufus Stone said:

Dashnine said:

New Primark opening on 6th March in Bury St Edmunds, that'll be it.

Wouldn’t be a huge surprise if they’ve block booked a load of rooms for merchandisers, shop fitters etc preparing the new store, so it might potentially be a factor…

This.

When I'm in Premier Inn or Travelodge the car parks are almost always full of tradesmen, constructions, and shopfitting vans. The vast majority of their business must be people working away during the week, like me and the trades.

[alangla]

Mont Blanc said:

This.

When I'm in Premier Inn or Travelodge the car parks are almost always full of tradesmen, constructions, and shopfitting vans. The vast majority of their business must be people working away during the week, like me and the trades.

The business model is perfect. Fill the rooms with workers looking for somewhere decent & cheap (or at least compliant with most expenses policies) during the week, then fill the same rooms with passing tourists for a night or two at the weekend. On top of that, offer the Beefeater meals at the sort of price where normal punters will only eat if they get a deal, but the commercial travellers will still be able to expense and you’ve got a licence to print money. In the city centre locations you can also profit from the event related price bumps described above.

[Mont Blanc]

alangla said:

Mont Blanc said:

This.

When I'm in Premier Inn or Travelodge the car parks are almost always full of tradesmen, constructions, and shopfitting vans. The vast majority of their business must be people working away during the week, like me and the trades.

The business model is perfect. Fill the rooms with workers looking for somewhere decent & cheap (or at least compliant with most expenses policies) during the week, then fill the same rooms with passing tourists for a night or two at the weekend. On top of that, offer the Beefeater meals at the sort of price where normal punters will only eat if they get a deal, but the commercial travellers will still be able to expense and you’ve got a licence to print money. In the city centre locations you can also profit from the event related price bumps described above.

Totally agree. It is absolutely perfect for all the reasons you state.

Whitbread, the owners of Premier Inn make about £375m profit per annum.

Travelodge makes about £220m per year profit.