Budget hotel chain Britannia has been ranked the UK’s worst for the 10th consecutive year.
With one in Edinburgh, the company’s hotels rated just two stars out of five for categories such as cleanliness, bed comfort and value for money in the annual survey by consumer group Which?.
Receiving an overall customer satisfaction score of just 56 per cent, visitors described the surroundings as “tired and tatty”, with a “rough and ready” feel.
READ NEXT- Edinburgh's St James Quarter to dazzle with Christmas light switch on
Britannia has 61 hotels across Britain, and when one of Edinburgh Live's reporters spent the night to see if the accommodation on Belford Road was as bad as what some reviews had said, she admitted she wouldn't rush back.
She said: "The first thing I noticed after taking a few steps in was the unusual and very obvious white stains that adorned the tired blue carpet next to the bed. Trying to not give too much thought into what those might be, I put my bag down and for my own peace of mind, wiped down the surfaces in the bedroom with antibacterial wipes that I had brought."
She added: "It was then that I went into the bathroom, and was greeted with a number of small, dark and wiry hairs sitting in the sink, and despite knowing they most likely did not come from someone's head, I tried again to not give too much thought as to their origin."
Before it was the budget Britannia hotel, the establishment on Belford Road was a go-to for Hollywood stars. Back in the 80s, it ran as the Dragonara. It was the kind of hotel that was ready to “anticipate the business needs of the eighties”. Stars such as David Bowie, Elizabeth Taylor, Boy George, Wham!, and Sean Connery stayed while it was run under the Ladbroke Hotel Group chain.
Now, Britannia hotel currently has just two and a half stars on Tripadvisors and is one of the lowest ranking Edinburgh hotels on the consumer website.
One review on November 6 stated: "Awful experience, no heating, paper thin quilt, 1 not worth it pillow, no hot water, all we heard was people having sex, hole in floor boards, floorboards creaked so loudly, grout in bathroom filthy, condensation on all windows, draft from windows, tiny tv, dreadful stay."
Another said: "Very old hotel in desperate need of a refurb. The most uncomfortable beds and pillows I have ever experienced. We both woke numerous times through the nite and were in pain in the mornings.
"The hotel is just about clean enough to pass but could do with a deep clean.
"Check in was ok and the guy was polite."
The joint second worst hotel chains were Mercure and Jurys Inn/Leonardo, with both scoring 58 per cent. Premier Inn came out on top with a rating of 78 per cent.
Respondents to the survey paid an average of £89 per night for a Premier Inn stay, compared with £119 at a Britannia hotel. Our reporter had paid £50 for a Monday night but noticed a Saturday booking could cost you up to £140 at Britannia.
According to the consumer champions, the average cost of UK hotels has increased by 21 per cent in the past 12 months.
Guy Hobbs, editor of magazine 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.”
Britannia did not respond to a request for comment.
Jurys Inn said it received “high satisfaction scores” from more than 213,000 guest reviews so far this year.
Mercure said the Which? survey “does not reflect the standard of guest experience which we strive for”.
READ NEXT
Greggs to open new Edinburgh bakery in city centre with 'outdoor seating'
Five Sisters Zoo to host incredible Christmas light trail with Santa's grotto
Edinburgh Airport jobs update including positions with salary starting from £23,000
Matt Hancock to enter I'm A Celebrity jungle tonight as politician begins TV journey
Harry Potter icon who voiced Sorting Hat passes away after long battle with illness
