Premier Inn declare themselves Bike Friendly

[mattc]

https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/bike-friendly.html

Sorry Trikies

We’re proud to say that every one of our hotels are bike friendly. Whether you want to keep your bike in your room or have it stored away safely, the choice is yours.

We welcome clean bikes with dirt-free tyres but if your bike needs a little wipe down, ask at reception about local facilities to help you out.

All we ask is you walk your bike around the hotel, lean it gently on the wall of your room and don’t over crowd your room with lots of bikes.

[grams]

That page has been up since 2015:
https://web.archive.org/web/20151126074621/https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/bike-friendly.html

[Peter]

And should be in "Grammar that makes you cringe".

[mattc]

That page has been up since 2015:
https://web.archive.org/web/20151126074621/https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/bike-friendly.html

Thanks grams. That's really interesting!

Could be useful for audaxers who want a warm welcome, even with their bike.

You've brought a positive contribution to the forum, what a great start to New Year's Eve 

[Kim]

Existing thread here: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17062.msg2460920#msg2460920

[Lightning Phil]

I can’t believe you’ve only just discovered their policy

[C-3PO]

Non-excellence expunged.
Wishing and hoping for an excellent New Year!

[mattc]

I can’t believe you’ve only just discovered their policy

I prefer my own room in a hostel*, but I know AUK has fans of Premier Inn, so wanted to share this to my brethren.

[and yes of course I searched for it first - but you know what yacf and searches are like. Didn't think to search outside "Audax" ...]

*If necessary I buy the whole hostel in advance.

[DaveReading]

That page has been up since 2015:
https://web.archive.org/web/20151126074621/https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/bike-friendly.html

Though I see they have now removed the commitment to provide you with a bucket of water and a brush. 

[Lightning Phil]

That page has been up since 2015:
https://web.archive.org/web/20151126074621/https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/bike-friendly.html

Though I see they have now removed the commitment to provide you with a bucket of water and a brush. 

I think you now get an actual shower in the rooms.

[mattc]

 

[citoyen]

That page has been up since 2015:
https://web.archive.org/web/20151126074621/https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/bike-friendly.html

I’m sure the policy goes back even further than that - I’ve been using them for pre/post-audax accommodation since well before 2015.

Maybe I’ve just been lucky but I’ve generally found most hotels to be bike friendly, not just Premier Inn. For the WCW one year, I got a good deal on a room at the Marriott near Heathrow for the night before. The ride over there was in a torrential downpour and I was expecting them to be difficult about me bringing my dripping bike in, but in fact they were extremely welcoming. They even swapped my assigned room for one on the ground floor.

[Lightning Phil]

Moving you to a ground floor room is a common occurrence when I’ve used them.

[Wycombewheeler]

Moving you to a ground floor room is a common occurrence when I’ve used them.

better still is to make them aware beforehand, so they assign you a ground floor room. Turning up at midnight may find all the ground floor rooms already occupied

[toontra]

better still is to make them aware beforehand, so they assign you a ground floor room.

After many years of Travelodging I actually choose the top floor in preference, even if it means carrying stuff upstairs.  I've had too many experiences of being woken in the night by clomping on the ceiling, and when you're short on sleep time anyway it's not a good thing.

[giropaul]

I’ve always found hotels in general very helpful indeed.
The best ever was a “ bijoux” hotel in Edinburgh. I raced near Carlisle on the Sunday, and travelled by car onwards to Edinburgh for 4 nights. I’d already rung to ask about parking ( client booked the hotel), and finding that it was public parking explained my concern about the bike in the car.
“ no problem, bring it in”
I arrived and booked in. “ You’re the man with a bike?” I was. I was told to bring it in and put it safely in the reception office.
Next evening I finished smartly, returned to the hotel, got changed into cycling kit and went to reception. No bike! It was downstairs in the boiler room. The maintenance chap was keen on cycling, and had taken it and thoroughly cleaned it and polished it from the previous day’s mucky race.

[mattc]

better still is to make them aware beforehand, so they assign you a ground floor room.

After many years of Travelodging I actually choose the top floor in preference, even if it means carrying stuff upstairs.  I've had too many experiences of being woken in the night by clomping on the ceiling, and when you're short on sleep time anyway it's not a good thing.

Yes. I can't see any desirability for ground floor unless you lack mobility.

[mattc]

That reminds me: Kingston-UT Travelodge tip.

Do NOT accept any room near the lifts. Their fire-doors are the noisiest in Christendom, and Friday night traffic is frequent 

[bhoot]

Yes. I can't see any desirability for ground floor unless you lack mobility.

or you have a tandem, which introduces another level of challenge... Having said that it is surprising what staircases it can be manoeuvred up when necessary.

[Ian H]

I shall be in a Premier Inn avec velo this Friday, along with others too stupid not to ride a 200 in mid-winter.

Interestingly there is now a Premier Inn in Bude, which makes possible a low-rent version of the Kernow & Southwest 600.  Though I wouldn't watch this space too intently.

The Holiday Inn near Aylesbury was very welcoming during my October 600.  Bike not in the room, but in a secure place.

Best ever was when riding home from my first PBP, got tired and decided to stop at the first hotel I found, turned out to be a rather grand place. The porter came out to park my bike for me.

[mmmmartin]

The porter came out to park my bike for me.

Surely this is your entitlement, and only befitting Audax royalty such as yourself?

[sg37409]

Yes. I can't see any desirability for ground floor unless you lack mobility.

or you have a tandem, which introduces another level of challenge... Having said that it is surprising what staircases it can be manoeuvred up when necessary.

The north end of the tay bridge when the lift is out of action was the toughest for us.

[John Stonebridge]

iirc the Premier Inn Goole (England's Audax capital surely) has no lifts. 

I did a 400 last year that involved a memorable combination of

- late arrival
- early departure
- a 1st floor room
- a narrow staircase
- an over zealous fire door.

[Redlight]

Message hasn't got through to all Premier Inns.  I stayed in the Runcorn one while riding LE-JoG last year and was told very bluntly that not only could I not take my (completely dry) bike into the room but also that I should not have brought it into the reception area when checking in.  It ended up secured with the lightweight cable lock that I use when touring in the least visible place I could find, with the front wheel and saddle taken with me. I slept a little less soundly that night.