Pub hotel chain with rooms for £128 is the UK’s best — beating Hilton and Premier Inn

An independent hotel, with quirky decor and a seasonal menu, might sound lovely — but often, you just want the reliability (and affordability) of a chain.

And now, a new list by consumer giant Which? has ranked the UK’s hotel chains, asking visitors to judge their stays on a variety of factors, including cleanliness, breakfast quality and bed comfort.

And one lesser known name has come out on top: Coaching Inn Group.

Beating competition from big brands such as Hilton, Marriott and Premier Inn, this group of 35 inn-style hotels are often set within historic buildings, located in beauty sports or market towns.

For example, there’s The Warwick Arms Hotel, which sits inside a 17th-century building, just a stone’s throw from Warwick Castle. Or, the Forest Park Country Hotel, nestled in the New Forest.

The chain scored a full five stars for customer service and for the description matching reality.

And, with an average stay costing £128 per night (which was not the cheapest in the list), Coaching Inn Group received four out of five stars for value for money.

One customer who responded to the Which? survey said the group was ‘a very good mid-price range chain that does all the basic things well.’

Another commented on the chain’s ‘lovely locations and excellent food and service.’

Take a look at the menu of a restaurant at one of the hotels, and you’ll soon start feeling hungry.

At The Golden Lion, in St Ives, starters include a black pudding Scotch egg, or whipped feta cheese with warm beetroot. There’s Bavette steak frites or a pie of the day for main, and the piece de resistance: The Bruce Bogtrotter cake for dessert — a six layer chocolate fudge cake.

Coaching Inn Group received a customer score of 81%, but coming in at a close second on the Which? ranking was InterContinental at 80%.

Customers rated the hotel chain five stars in most categories, but it fell down on value for money. An average stay here is a eye-watering £300, meaning it only rated two stars in this category.

Rounding out the top three with 79% was Hotel Indigo, which reviewers said had a boutique feel. Customers praised the ‘superb room and impeccable service’, and one customer said the hotel ‘feels like a real treat as opposed to just having a bed for the night.’

The chain won’t break the bank either, with rooms costing £115 on average per night.

All the hotels were rated on eight factors: cleanliness, bedrooms, bathrooms, breakfast, customer service, bed comfort, description matches reality, value for money.

When it comes to more popular chains, they ranked further down the list. With Premier Inn coming in at number 7, followed by Holiday Inn (8th), Marriott (9th), Holiday Inn Express (11th), Hilton (12th) and Premier Inn Hub (13th).

A special mention also goes to none other than J D Wetherspoon, which ranked in 4th place.

At just £70 for an average night’s stay the chain received four stars for value for money and the majority of other categories, including customer service. One guest commented that the hotel was ‘clean, comfortable and good value’.

Unfortunately though, where there is light, there is shade.

Perhaps surprisingly, Travelodge came in at number 28, out of 32.

And right at the bottom of the ranking, Britannia was the lowest scoring large hotel chain, with just 44%, for the 12th year running.

One Britannia customer at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone called the hotel a ‘total dive’. While another said they had three nights booked but left after one because of the poor service, room and food.  

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: ‘A night away should be a real treat but with hotel prices climbing, finding a hotel chain that consistently offers comfort, good customer service and a charming location at a fair price has become harder. 

‘The good news is we’ve found that whether you’re after a boutique stay in the Brecon Beacons or a budget break in Broughty Ferry, travellers can still get a great experience at the right price by staying with better brands.’

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