Premier Inn Saffron Walden hotel

My recent stay at the Premier Inn in Saffron Walden was, unfortunately, quite disappointing and fell far short of the usual Premier Inn standards I've come to expect. Upon arrival, there was no staff at reception, leaving us waiting around for a considerable amount of time. This is a basic expectation for any hotel, and it was a frustrating start to our stay. The issues continued into the restaurant. We felt ignored by staff who seemed to be deliberately avoiding eye contact. When we finally did get some attention, it was clear that the staff were unable to use the tills properly, leading to further delays and an overall sense of disorganization. Compounding these issues, we found some of the staff to be rude, which made for an unpleasant dining experience. Our room also presented several problems. The bed was notably small and uncomfortable, making it difficult to get a good night's sleep. To top it off, the body wash dispenser in the bathroom was empty, a minor but irritating oversight that adds to the feeling of a lack of attention to detail. Overall, while the location of the Premier Inn Saffron Walden might be convenient, the significant issues with staff availability, training, attitude, and basic room amenities made for a very poor experience. I hope these issues are addressed promptly to bring this hotel up to the expected Premier Inn standard.

There’s nothing premier about this dump. My first room was dirty, with a full waste bin, newspapers lying around, crumpled, stained bedding and wet towels. I asked to be moved and was given a room with three beds crammed in, like a basic hostel. The room facilities were poor. The tea was the weakest, most tasteless blend possible. I couldn’t sleep as it was one of the hottest nights of the year and there was no air con! The dinner menu was the worst I have ever seen. If you’re vegetarian, vegan or can’t stomach fried food then prepare to starve. There was no fresh fish (how hard is it to cook salmon or prawns? They had mixed grill - hello, it’s 2025 not 1975. The restaurant stank of chips and grease. Breakfast was a farce. Cooked items were overcooked and congealed under headlamps. Advertised items weren’t available. What really concerned me was that the breakfast orange juice had been substituted by an orange, grapefruit and pineapple juice. Grapefruit can be very dangerous for many people on a range of common medication. There was a sign, but it had Orange Juice in large letters and details of the swap in smaller print. I raised this with the manager who couldn’t care less.

The room was comfortable and everything was what you expect in a premier inn (I stay in a lot of Premier Inns for my work) However, this site has the worst customer service of any other Premier Inn I have stayed at. Stay here because it's comfortable, but don't expect to be valued as a customer

Same as every other premier inn apart from they do not have any fans fior the rooms and only tge usual air conditioning that is controlled from downstairs by staff.Only the fan speed is able to be changed in the room. The chef is surprisingly good and the staff are friendly. And helpful

Stayed with my husband for an overnight stay and took advantage of the £26 meal deal offer, 2 course evening meal with a drink and unlimited buffet break. Wow what good value for money. Great selection and good food choices. Giovanna served us our evening meal she was a delight, funny, attentive and deserves a pay rise for sure. Even though she was busy she may sure everyone was happy and not kept waiting and did everything with a smile. I always love a premier inn, however I felt a little let down by this one, the room felt like they were not as clean as the ones I had previously stayed in. Stairwells needed hoovering. Bathroom had timescale. Just felt tired and not as inviting. Receptionist needs some customer service training. I felt her attitude to some people quite rude. Overall stay average

The hotel itself is a typical Premier Inn, so no complaints with that, it was what we expected. However, the member of staff on reception upon arrival was not the most helpful. And then when we went down for dinner, our table was booked for 18:00, 4 of us, we were the first people in the restaurant but we were in there for 1 hour and 45 minutes, we had a main and the kids had a dessert, the restaurant never at one point got busy. The chef prepared the food and rang the bell numerous times but ended up bringing the food over herself. At breakfast, a lot of the plates, bowls, cups and cutlery were dirty.