Best Premier Inn alternatives in 2026 (we tested 7)
Premier Inn was the dependable mid-week £45 room. That number is gone. Central London rates regularly clear £130 and even regional sites that used to sit in the £60 band have crept north. The Flex rate premium that lets you cancel close to check-in widens the gap further. The good news is that the UK branded-hotel market has more credible competition than it had five years ago. Below we compare seven Premier Inn alternatives on the metrics that matter for an actual booking: real average rate, cancellation window, breakfast inclusion, and whether the bed is consistent across sites.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Free to try | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travelodge | the cheapest UK chain rate when booked early | Free app | 600+ UK hotels with Saver rates routinely under £40 |
| Holiday Inn (IHG One Rewards) | loyalty points that unlock free nights | Free app | IHG One Rewards earns points on every stay across 6,000+ properties |
| Hilton Honors | consistent rooms with status perks at scale | Free app | Hampton by Hilton sits at the Premier Inn price point with status benefits |
| Marriott Bonvoy | the deepest portfolio across price tiers | Free app | 8,500+ properties across 30+ brands on one loyalty account |
| ibis (ALL Accor) | European travel beyond the UK | Free app | 5,400+ Accor hotels across Europe and worldwide |
| Booking.com | comparing chains, independents, and apartments in one search | Free app | 28 million accommodation listings worldwide |
| Premier Inn Business Booker | regular Premier Inn customers who book recurring trips | Free app | Discounted Business Booker rates on Premier Inn stays |
Why people look for Premier Inn alternatives
City centre rates have doubled in five years. Mid-week London bookings that used to land at £65 are now £130 to £160. The Saver rate is locked in and non-refundable.
Flex rate carries a 25 to 40 percent premium. Need to keep the option to cancel? Expect the rate to jump by a third over the headline price.
Hub by Premier Inn rooms are tight. The compact city format trades square footage for location. Guests over six feet routinely complain about bed length and shower size.
Breakfast is no longer the bargain it was. £11 to £12 per adult adds up fast for families and is rarely included in the room rate.
The 7 best Premier Inn alternatives
1. Travelodge: best for the cheapest UK chain rate when booked early
Travelodge is Premier Inn’s direct competitor and routinely undercuts on Saver rates when you book three or more weeks out. The fit-out has had a refresh over the last two years and the new SuperRooms category narrows the gap with Premier Inn on bed quality and shower pressure.
Where it falls short: Customer service experience varies more than Premier Inn, especially on overbooking and out-of-hours issues. Breakfast quality is below Premier Inn’s.
Pricing: Saver rates from around £35 for off-peak regional stays; £50 to £80 in central London midweek. Flex rates carry a similar premium to Premier Inn’s.
Switching from Premier Inn: Set up a Travelodge account once and the booking flow mirrors Premier Inn’s exactly. Business Account holders get consolidated invoicing.
Bottom line: First call for budget-conscious UK travel. The savings versus Premier Inn add up over a year of trips.
2. Holiday Inn (IHG One Rewards): best for loyalty points that unlock free nights
The IHG app covers Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, voco, and a long list of other brands under one loyalty programme. Express rates sit roughly between Travelodge and Premier Inn, with breakfast often included. The free-night threshold is achievable within a year of regular travel.
Where it falls short: Mid-range brands within IHG vary widely on standards; Express is consistent, full-service Holiday Inn varies by site.
Pricing: Holiday Inn Express rates from around £70 outside London; £100 to £140 in central London. Earned points cap out roughly every 10 to 15 stays.
Switching from Premier Inn: Sign up for IHG One Rewards before booking. Points earn from the first stay and the app handles upgrades and check-in.
Bottom line: Strong choice if you stay 10+ nights a year and want loyalty value rather than a one-off cheap rate.
3. Hilton Honors: best for consistent rooms with status perks at scale
Hampton by Hilton is the brand most directly comparable to Premier Inn on price and format. The rooms are larger than Hub by Premier Inn, breakfast is included as standard, and Hilton Honors membership unlocks late check-out and room upgrades once you hit Gold.
Where it falls short: Hampton coverage in the UK is thinner than Premier Inn’s; outside major cities the options drop fast.
Pricing: Hampton rates from around £80 to £140 across UK cities. Full-service Hilton brands command meaningful premiums.
Switching from Premier Inn: Join Hilton Honors free before booking. The app handles digital key check-in at most properties.
Bottom line: Best like-for-like swap in major cities where Hampton is present. Less useful for regional UK travel.
4. Marriott Bonvoy: best for the deepest portfolio across price tiers
Marriott Bonvoy spans Moxy and Courtyard at the budget end through Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, and the luxury brands. Moxy is the closest fit for Premier Inn city-centre customers, with a younger aesthetic and decent on-site bars. Bonvoy points are valuable across the full portfolio for redemption flexibility.
Where it falls short: Lower-tier elite status carries fewer benefits than IHG or Hilton equivalent. Resort fees apply at some leisure properties.
Pricing: Moxy and Courtyard rates from £90 upward in UK cities; Marriott and Sheraton from £130. Lots of variation by city and date.
Switching from Premier Inn: Bonvoy is free to join. Existing SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) and Ritz-Carlton accounts are linked.
Bottom line: Best loyalty programme if you mix budget city trips with the occasional resort holiday.
5. ibis (ALL Accor): best for European travel beyond the UK
Accor’s ALL programme rolls ibis, ibis Budget, ibis Styles, Novotel, Mercure, and the Sofitel luxury brands into one app. ibis is the closest match for Premier Inn’s value proposition, with stronger continental European coverage than any UK chain. Loyalty rewards include rebates on future stays rather than free-night certificates.
Where it falls short: ibis Budget rooms are smaller than Premier Inn standard and some older sites need refurbishment.
Pricing: ibis Budget rates from around €55 across Europe; ibis from €80; Novotel from €110.
Switching from Premier Inn: Join ALL free before booking. The app supports digital check-in at most Accor properties.
Bottom line: First app to install when your travel routinely crosses into mainland Europe.
6. Booking.com: best for comparing chains, independents, and apartments in one search
Booking.com is the metasearch you reach for when chain loyalty does not matter. The catalogue covers most major chains alongside independent hotels, B&Bs, and short-term apartments. Genius loyalty tier unlocks 10 to 20 percent discounts on participating properties after a handful of completed stays.
Where it falls short: Direct-to-chain bookings often beat Booking.com on cancellation flexibility and loyalty points. Some properties charge a partner fee that surfaces only at checkout.
Pricing: Free to use; no commission to guests. Prices match the property’s distribution rate.
Switching from Premier Inn: Set up the app and link a payment method. Existing chain loyalty points usually do not earn on Booking.com bookings.
Bottom line: Best app for finding the absolute cheapest available room on a given night, regardless of brand.
7. Premier Inn Business Booker: best for regular Premier Inn customers who book recurring trips
If two-thirds of your hotel nights end up at Premier Inn anyway, the Business Booker programme discounts the same room by 5 to 12 percent and consolidates invoices. The app is the same one you already use; the loyalty work happens in account settings.
Where it falls short: Discount is meaningful but the underlying rates are still climbing. Does not solve the affordability gap on big-city peak nights.
Pricing: Member rates apply automatically when signed in. Annual sign-up is free for businesses; individual sign-up not available.
Switching from Premier Inn: Activate Business Booker through the existing Premier Inn account. Bookings appear in one consolidated view.
Bottom line: Not a real alternative, but the right discount layer if you cannot leave Premier Inn entirely.
How to choose
Pick Travelodge first if price is the deciding factor and you can book three or more weeks out. The Saver rate advantage is consistent.
Pick Hilton Honors (Hampton) or IHG One Rewards (Holiday Inn Express) if you stay 10+ nights a year and want the loyalty value to compound.
Pick Accor (ibis) if your travel mix is more European than UK. The coverage difference is large.
Pick Booking.com when no chain has a hotel near the postcode you need or when you want the absolute lowest rate available without brand loyalty.
Stay on Premier Inn for regional UK locations where the alternatives are sparse and the Premier Inn property is rated well. Add Business Booker to recover some of the rate inflation.
FAQ
Why are Premier Inn prices so high now?
Premier Inn lifted rates aggressively post-pandemic and city-centre demand has supported the higher pricing. The chain also invested in a refresh programme that gave them cover to reset the floor rate.
Which is cheaper, Premier Inn or Travelodge?
Travelodge usually wins on advance Saver rates, especially regionally. Premier Inn often wins on last-minute Flex bookings in major cities thanks to deeper inventory.
Are Holiday Inn Express rooms larger than Premier Inn?
Holiday Inn Express rooms run slightly larger on average with bigger bathrooms. Premier Inn’s hypoallergenic bedding and consistent mattress quality remain ahead.
Does Premier Inn have a loyalty programme?
Premier Inn does not offer a points programme for individual consumers. The Business Booker programme offers discounts but not points or status.
What is the best hotel chain for UK city breaks?
Premier Inn and Travelodge dominate budget tier in coverage. Hilton Honors (Hampton) and IHG (Holiday Inn Express) compete on price in major cities with loyalty benefits added in.
