Guest User
December 20, 2023
The good: The hotel is conveniently located to the train station. I think that the room is a typical Premier Inn - well laid out and comfortable with a good nights sleep to be had. The bathroom is well laid out with good water pressure. The breakfast was plentiful with lots of choices. There were about 6 staff available in the morning. All staff were very helpful. The not so good: Parking - first come first served - I understand, however, not sure why you do not allow a prebook. Also, it was hard to explain when there were 3 spots out the back that were not utilised at arrival. Parking - a bit more of an explanation of alternate parking options would be good. Being told that there is a car park 3 mins down the road, struggling to find said car park and then walking in the dark down a dimly lit path with young children in an unfamiliar city is not the best welcome to either Essen or the Hotel. Evening Staffing/Restaurant/Bar - I arrived at 19.30h there were only 2 staff on duty. I came downstairs at 19.45 to arrange some dinner for my children and me. Unfortunately, the 2nd staff member was (rightly) taking a break to have some dinner. I queried, and I was told to wait at the bar. Whilst waiting at the bar, other people also came to wait for their drinks. After other people were served before me despite being first, I was finally served at 20.15h. Food was finally served at 20.50h. It is a long wait with children. Yes, I could have fed my children before coming to the hotel, however, Premier Inn has a restaurant and a menu... I could have researched alternative car parks should this one not be available. I just would have expected a little more assistance from a Premier Inn. So, not all Premier Inn's fault, but it is an accurate portrayal of the Saturday evening. So, in summary, if the staff had not been so nice I would have dropped the star level down further. I know it could be a one-off, but on a Saturday night, I would have expected a little more from a Premier Inn. Will I stay again, most probably not, but if you are going to Essen for business then it possibly is a good hotel to stay in and worth a go. The standardisation of the Premier Inn offer always ensures a good nights sleep.