Premier Inn Birmingham Central Hagley Road

Sadly, this was another disappointing experience - and one that’s really made me question my continued loyalty to Premier Inn. The newly refurbished room might look sleek at first glance, but it’s completely unfit for a working trip. The old desk setups were ideal - plenty of space for a laptop and everything else you need to get work done. Now, you’re left with a small, awkward round table that barely fits a laptop, and because it’s floating in the middle of the room, you end up trailing cables across the floor. It’s impractical, uncomfortable to work at, and frankly a bit of a safety hazard. Then there’s the shower. I was told at check-in that I was the first guest in this freshly done-up room, which gave me hope that the shower might finally live up to the standard Premier Inn used to promote. No such luck. The shower head wasn’t detachable - always a frustration, especially if you’re a bigger person. And the water pressure was poor to say the least. I noticed the website no longer mentions “powerful showers” for this hotel, which feels like a quiet admission that they’ve given up trying. What should have been a quick 10-minute shower turned into a 25-minute struggle just to rinse properly. If Premier Inn think this is an acceptable level of quality in a brand new room, then their priorities are definitely shifting in the wrong direction. On top of that, the HDMI port on the TV - as usual - didn’t work. That’s frustrating enough on its own, but now, with the table being positioned away from the wall, you’re forced to run cables across open floor space. Not only does that risk damaging your own equipment, but it creates even more of a trip hazard. Overall, it was a real let-down. I’ve stayed in Premier Inns for over 11 years and always recommended them for work trips. If this is the new room standard going forward, I’ll be rethinking that recommendation. It might be fine for people travelling for leisure, but for business users, it’s a frustrating and poorly thought-out experience.

Such a lovely stay here. Room was so clean and spacious. Location really good. Staff really friendly. Overall a great stay.

Room and bathroom were spacious and pristine. The bed was comfy, and the air conditioning worked quickly to cool the room. There were blackout curtains too. The cooked breakfast was cooked to order, so piping hot and fresh - you can order more if the first round isn't enough! Great service from all the staff.