Simon Stewart
Comfortable, Friendly, Convenient.
At the time of writing this review, the paint has barely dried on the external walls of this Premier Inn. I have spent the last two weeks living in this hotel with my young family, and I have found it to be better than I could have possibly expected.
The hotel layout is simple, clean, and aesthetically pleasing. It has the typical modern styling of most Premier Inns, with no unnecessary flourishes, which is exactly what I would expect from a hotel of this type. It is not meant for luxurious breaks, but instead, is a place to be comfortable for a few nights stay. There is a double sliding door entry system at both sides of the hotel; one from the street and one from the car park. Beyond the reception is the single restaurant area which doubles as a breakfast and dinner eatery. There is also the added benefit of a Costa Coffee machine in the restaurant.
Breakfast is a combination of buffet style continental/british foods, with cooked foods alternating between table orders or buffet style. Whichever is the format of the day, the food is more than serviceable, and has been entirely enjoyable. Notably, despite an early hiccup, the restaurant has been certified for serving gluten free meals. All you need to do is ask your server. As I said, there was an early hiccup as some gluten free bread was placed next to regular bread, which of course is a no-no due to cross contamination. This was dealt with immediately, so I cannot fault the staff in this regard. All in all, the food is excellent. I cannot comment on the dinner selection as I have not tried it yet. If it is anything like breakfast, there would be no complaints.
The room I stayed in was spacious, clean, tidy, and had many, many lighting options. It was equipped with a wall mounted flat screen TV. The best feature of this was a breakout panel positioned at the desk which allowed the connection of an assortment of devices via HDMI, USB, Component etc. It is a small, but significant feature for this kind of hotel. The bathroom was large, clean, and well furnished with a good, powerful shower. The air conditioning in the room, while functional, did have a habit of reverting to some kind of default temperature if you were not paying enough attention. I didn't find this a big deal as it was easy to manage. The AC unit however can lead to some noise issues on windy/rainy nights, but it is not dreadful. The bed is very, very comfortable, which is of course incredibly important for any hotel. It also has the added bonus of being HUGE (Ok, huge compared to my double at home). It is however absurdly high off the floor. I definitely would not want to fall off it.
The staff have been nothing short of excellent. Friendly, professional, efficient, and always happy to help. Housekeeping ensure you have a nice room to come back to each evening, and they are happy to provide extra pillows, towels, soaps, coffees etc... any time. The management, and customer relations staff all seem to wear different hats depending on what they need to do throughout the day, and I have noticed that their shifts are incredibly long, yet they are always able to bring a smile and a friendly hello when I pop by for a cup of coffee.
In summary, I can safely recommend this hotel for anything from a golfing weekend, work related accommodation, or just if you are visiting St Andrews as a tourist. If you are not looking for a Spa, room service, mini bar, and you want somewhere that doesn't cost the earth, but provides you with a great room each day, then this is the place.
Accommodating Gluten-Free