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Britannia Scoops 'Worst Hotel' Award... Again

Which? readers rate Hale-based hotel group as the worst in the UK

Written by . Published on October 28th 2014.

Britannia Scoops 'Worst Hotel' Award... Again

WHICH? readers have cast their vote, and it's another bad year for Hale-based hotel group Britannia Hotels.

Members commented that Britannia's hotels were 'run down' and 'well past their best'

The survey of almost 6,000 readers ranked Britannia Hotels - who control 47 hotels including six in Manchester - as the worst hotels in the UK.

It is the second year running that the hotel group have propped up the table of 29 hotel providers.

Brittania scored a measly 33% customer score, ranked in categories including customer service, food, cleanliness and value for money.

This puts them a hefty 17% lower than the next worst performing hotel group, Old English Hotels with 50%.


The bad news for Britannia comes as Manchester City Council threaten the hotel group with a Compulsory Purchase Order (PCO) of the neglected London Road Fire Station, a landmark grade II-listed building that Britannia have neglected for nearly three decades - read here.

London Road Fire StationLondon Road Fire Station has been neglected by Britannia for three decades

Britannia's Sachas Hotel in the Northern QuarterBritannia's Sachas Hotel in the Northern Quarter

Other hotel operators that performed poorly in the survey are Principal Hayley Hotels with 55%, De Vere Hotels with 58% and Travelodge with 60%.

Topping the table were Sofitel with 83% (who only have three hotels in the UK, all in the south), Premier Inn came a clase second with 82%, then Warner Leisure with 80%, and 78% for both Hampton by Hilton and Q Hotels - who run Manchester's luxury Midland Hotel.

Premier Inn, the most-used hotel chain, goes from strength to strength with an increase in last year’s customer score from 76% to 82%.

Which? travel editor Jill Starley-Grainger, said:

“It can be a bit of a lottery staying with popular UK hotel chains as there’s such a massive gap in standards between the best and worst. Hotels that have fared badly need to look at their customers’ feedback and learn where they need to up their game.”

In another investigation, Which? found that September was the cheapest month on average for a hotel stay.

Britannia Hotels have been approached but have so far not given any comment.




DarrenOctober 28th 2014.

Who the hell stays at Sachas? A little search online and you'd see you have to stay clear of the place.

4 Responses: Reply To This...
Phil MurphyOctober 28th 2014.

The same people that use the 'official destination website for Manchester uk' www.visitmanchester.com/…/… As it's clearly has a primary business advertisement relationship, proudly promoting, the worst hotel group in the UK. VisitManchester could hire in an organisation with the specific aim of encouraging people to come back following an appalling experience with Brittania.

Phil MurphyOctober 28th 2014.

Visitmanchesteragainpleasewearesorry. Com

AnonymousOctober 28th 2014.

That's ridiculous! If you want people to come here and enjoy themselves then involving Sachas in any part of that is a mistake. Give your head a wobble Visit Manchester!

EdwardOctober 29th 2014.

Once I stayed at Sachas and a small poo came out of the tap.

SteveOctober 28th 2014.

Their hotels are a disgrace! Hopefully the CPO on the fire station will be successful this time and they can use the proceeds of the sale to help finance major refurbishments of the Brittania and Sacha's

AnonymousOctober 28th 2014.

It's not just the hotels the bars with the Britannia on Portland Street and Sacha's cause all sorts of problems in those areas, imagine how much better Manchester would be overall if these buildings were in different hands.

AnonymousOctober 28th 2014.

Sachas is disgusting and an insult to people who visit our lovely city, can someone please close it down and whilst they're at it transfer ownership of the london road fire station.

AnonymousOctober 28th 2014.

Some old colleagues of mine from Glasgow stayed at Sachas for 2 nights while they were in the north west doing some audits. The things they told me about the place was embarrassing. How it gets away with it and how it's still in business is a mystery to me. Do people not look at reviews online? I'd love to see Sachas flattened to make way for some sort of park, although if it was flattened the only park we would get is a bigger car park to join the one that's opposite it now. Visit Manchester is doing Manchester a disservice by endorsing and promoting this dump.

Ghostly TomOctober 28th 2014.

We must wrestle the London Road Fire Station away from this group before they do anything to it. Th upside of the years of neglect is that they haven't been able to do to it what they have done to Watt's Warehouse on Portland Street. All those tacky light bulbs, a lot not working, disfiguring the facade. If they can't keep them in good working order, at least switch them off. Friends from the south booked us into Sacha's as a 'treat' when they came to Manchester. Fortunately we found out what they were doing and were able to cancel, saving them embarrassment and us losing some good friends. We ended up in a Holiday Inn, clean comfortable and perfect for the amount of time we spent in it.

AnonymousOctober 28th 2014.

Manchester seriously lacks enough budget accommodation which is why these places survive.Sure premier inn and Travelodge can be cheap if booked months in advance,but usually not Saturday nights.There is a need for pod hotels rooms and large hostel like Meininger in London,with rooms between £25-£50 including weekends.The city is missing out on the benefits of more international backpackers coming to the city,because of a lack of appropriate accommodation.Sachas would be better giving its northern quarter location as being a upmarket hostel for young people.

AnonymousOctober 28th 2014.

They ask if you want a smoking room when you book, is this even still legal?

1 Response: Reply To This...
AnonymousOctober 29th 2014.


Poster BoyOctober 30th 2014.

Another result for Britannia's unique business model.

AnonymousOctober 30th 2014.

I was once put up at the Britannia by my letting agents after my flat's heating conked out during the winter. Even at free it was overpriced.

AnonymousNovember 2nd 2014.

Hardly a surprise. The owner of the Britannia Hotels has allowed their hotels to fall into ruin, all the while ensuring their lifestyle remains decadent.

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