Cheap hotels

[Diana]

Out of all the chains of cheap hotels ie Formula 1, which is considered to be the best and worst.

Thanks

Diana

[Teamedup]

The F1's were great when they first started. But I avoid them now. I like having a loo and shower in the room.

All these things vary really as to who runs them. And in principal I would no longer use a Mister Bed, what a badly run hotel chain I have found that to be.

[Tiddles]

We have always found B+B Hotels clean, comfortable and good value, with en-suite bathroom and a good breakfast.

Elaine

[Dick Smith]

And sawdust restaurants with oyster shells?

[Jill3<P>Jill3<P><P><a target=_blank href="http:www.france-on-line.info" target=_blank>www.france-on-line.info<A><P><P> <P><P> <P>]

I know they are not the cheapest but we always use Campaniles while travelling, like all the chains they are easy to find, as a rule.( I won't tell you about a horrendous night in Le Havre when the hotel manager had to talk us in on the mobile at midnight!) We like the fact that if you have driven a long way you can eat in the restaurant at a reasonable price, a lot of the food is help yourself buffet and they will be friendly managers and staff. At the last one we stayed, in our mobile could not seem to connect when we tried to make a call and the waitress lent us her mobile to ring my sister.

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

We mostly use B & B Hotels. The breakfast is good (except for the coffee which may be instant), they are generally clean and comfortable and many have air conditioning. Another advantage is that they have a locked car park at night, which not all hotel chains have. We chose them originally for their family rooms. Rooms for 4 are very practical (unless you have very small children) as there are two single beds on a mezzanine over the bathroom.

Village Hotels are also quite good. The breakfast is not as good as at B & B, but infinitely better than Premier Class and Mister Bed (which we didn't really like much overall). Again, they have family rooms with a double, a bunk over the double, and a single bed. Their car park is also closed.

Village Hotels also have no smoking rooms, which I wish B & B would introduce - but having said that, the B & B hotel rooms have mostly not had a smokey smell, whereas at a Villages Hotel, we once had a no smoking room which reeked of stale smoke. Their coffee is at least filter coffee! Just make sure no one steals your eggs! You put your own to boil, but once we went back for ours and someone else had taken them and the ones we took out were raw!

We have stayed in Bonsai hotels too. Their system of a room for 3 and a room for 2 as a suite (or separately) is an excellent idea and if you are a family of 5, the price isn't too bad. We are a family of 4, but used the Bonsai when the 2 kids were small enough to share a double with me.

I definitely prefer all the above to Formule 1.

[Barter]

This link takes you to a useful table of all the cheap hotel chains:-

http://www.eurapart.com/budget.html

From there you can access their websites.

Hope it helps, Barbara.

[Hoddy]

For several years now I've made sure that I picked up the booklet for the Envergure group - it includes - in descending order of expence - Blue marine, Kyriad, Campanile, and Premiereclasse.

I've found it extremely useful when travelling around because you can ring ahead when you know where you want to spend the night which ideal for aimless wanderers like us.

Hoddy

[Graham & Brenda]

We have stayed in B+B at Harfleur near Le Havre. Not only was the hotel ideal, clean, large enough, OK breakfast, easy online booking and easy late entry after the car park gate was closed but Harfleur itself was a discovery. Usually one just drives by on the big road but we had an extremely pleasant stroll round and found a lovely restaurant for dinner. (If you don't want to go far there's a popular looking Resto Marche [sp?] next to B+B).

Graham

[moon]

Would go along with those who have already replied and would highly recommend B&B chain. They are comfortable, clean and fantastic for when you are not sure what time you are going to arrive. Dont usually bother with breakfast as it is relatively expensive. B&B are especially good for families with a room for 4 persons is amazing value.

Chain not to touch FASTHOTELS.. They took our booking this summer for Narbonne, including deposit on credit card over internet (central reservations) and when we arrived said tough we have no rooms, the internet connection hasnt been working for weeks.

Bob

[Martinemj]

have stayed in b&b hotels many times in many different areas and all are clean and tidy with ensuite for cheap price.

like the security fence and gate (good for trailer if conected).

like the out of hrs booking and payement machine outside the door.

formula 1 were ok but a walk down the hall to the toilet.

campanile ..stayed in one of theese in fourgere?

meal was cold (but at 9pm without much food all day was too tired and hungry to complain)but the room was very good .

for a little more euros the ibis hotels are good.although the one at le harve has got really expensive compared with a couple of yrs ago.

martin

[JohnM]

I certainly like the Villages Hotels.  Only ever used those at Calais and Troyes, but they knock spots of the Formule 1 & Premier Classe that I've used. Used Quick Palace once and that seemed very nice.

 

[Teamedup]

Quick Palace, ..............LOL I had forgotten those.........  now what would people think that they were in the UK, I wonder?!

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

There is a Formule 1 in England isn't there? I think it might be in the Doncaster area. Such a pity that Villages or B & B don't open up in Britain but I don't suppose they could afford to charge such low rates in Britain. If they did open up in Britain, I imagine we would go away for 1 night stays more often - depending on where they were.

[Teamedup]

There are a few Formule 1 hotels in the UK.

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

Has anyone stayed in them in the UK? Are the prices as low as in France and are they just the same?

[Glenn]

There's a Formule 1 at Lakeside, Essex and i believe more are planned throughout the UK.

I heard that their UK prices are dearer than France! No surprises there then!

[Teamedup]

When they first opened in the UK the were around £20 a night, but that was years ago and I don't know how much they are now. Friends have stayed in them, but made no comment about what they were like. For some reason, I just imagined that they would just be like the french ones.