What is it like to stay in a hotel so poorly regarded it has been branded the worst in the United Kingdom for twelve years running? To find out, I checked into a Britannia hotel just before Christmas, bracing myself for the notorious experience that has become this chain's legacy.
A Legacy of Disappointment
Britannia Hotels is a chain with a fifty-year history, now encompassing around 60 properties including the acquired Pontins holiday camps. Despite this scale, its reputation is firmly rooted in criticism for turning historic buildings into what guests describe as grimy, uncomfortable, and poor-value budget stays.
My first encounter was in 2022 at a Bournemouth location, now used for asylum seekers. The experience featured sealed windows, a strong smell of paint, and an atmosphere of neglect, complete with an empty pool and littered grounds. With this memory, I approached the Britannia in Hampstead, North London, with significant trepidation.
The Hampstead Experience: Eerie and Windowless
The six-storey hotel was disturbingly quiet for the festive season, feeling more like a vacant conference centre than a welcoming retreat. My room, while cleaner than the Bournemouth nightmare, was profoundly uninspiring. The decor was dated and the air heavy with chemical cleaners.
The most telling feature was the lack of a window, which cost an extra £10 to have. Opting out meant spending the night in a cell-like atmosphere. The staff were present but seemed as lost in the empty building as I was, with the restaurant and bar mysteriously closed.
Stark Contrast: The UK's Best Large Hotel Chain
To understand what Britannia lacks, I compared it to a stay at The Manor in Blakeney, Norfolk, part of the Coaching Inn Group. Voted the UK's top large hotel chain for 2025 by Which? readers, the difference was night and day.
Where Britannia was silent, The Manor was buzzing with warmth. Its rooms, though budget-friendly, were cosy, clean, and well-appointed. The staff, many long-serving, were engaged and helpful, creating a sense of community utterly absent at the Hampstead site.
The Bottom Line on Value
Price is a key battleground. My windowless London stay, with breakfast, cost around £90. A room with a view would have pushed it to £100. The average Britannia room rate is £84. Meanwhile, a room at The Manor averages £128, a price which secured it four stars for value from Which? – a rating matched only by Wetherspoon's hotels.
The verdict is clear. Britannia operates on a model of acquiring grand buildings and offering rock-bottom rates, seemingly without the investment needed to maintain them. It is a franchise of tired properties delivering minimal satisfaction.
Conversely, the Coaching Inn Group proves that for a similar price point, guests can enjoy character, comfort, and genuine hospitality. For the traveller, the choice is simple. Until significant investment is made, Britannia Hotels seems destined to retain its unwanted title for a thirteenth consecutive year.
