Holiday Inn or Premier Inn - Folkestone

[Zebette]

Hi all,

We are driving to DLP in May but have decided to stay overnight (Sun 16) in Folkestone to break up the drive from Ely to DLP, and then do an early Eurotunnel and be in the parks at lunchtime.

Does anyone have any experience with either the Holiday Inn or Premier Inn? We can get the HI for 114UKP with an interconnecting room as we are a family of 5 and I have priced 2 rooms at the Premier Inn for around 78UKP.

Which one is nice and clean, are they easy to get to the tunnel from? Anyone stayed at either of these before?

We won't be able to break the trip up on the way back as the rates seem to jump up higher due to us coming back through on a Saturday night.

 

[nightrider68]

If you're using the Eurotunnel, you are better of staying at the Premier Inn or Travelodge at the Eureka Park, Ashford. This is junction 11 on the M20 and Eurotunnel is 11A so it only takes about 10 minutes.

The Travelodge is quite old and dated but the rooms are cheaper (the Premier Inn is less than two years old).

There are various fast food restuarants located in the same estate.

 

[Zebette]

I did price the Travelodge in Ashford and it came out the cheapest at 74UKP but I wasn't sure how far time-wise Ashford was from the Eurotunnel.

If anyone has any further thoughts on this hotel too that would be great

 

[A Small World]

I have stayed several times at Ashford travel lodge and its been fine for a one night stay before an early tunnel crossing.
As previously said its one junction up from the tunnel one so approx 5 mins drive.
On the same lesiure park theres a cinema, frankie and bennies, burger king, pizza hut etc and a sainsburys very close by

 

[nightrider68]

Normally you can book the Travelodge at a saver rate (where there is no amendment or refund for cancellation) about £ 29.00 per room.

I have paid £9 and £19 in their sales !

Premier Inn is nicer but it depends on your budget.

We normally arrive about 8pm, have something to eat and then bed for an early Eurotunnel about 6am.

 

[jennytablina]

Hi all,

We are driving to DLP in May but have decided to stay overnight (Sun 16) in Folkestone to break up the drive from Ely to DLP, and then do an early Eurotunnel and be in the parks at lunchtime.

Does anyone have any experience with either the Holiday Inn or Premier Inn? We can get the HI for 114UKP with an interconnecting room as we are a family of 5 and I have priced 2 rooms at the Premier Inn for around 78UKP.

Another DISer from the Fens! Hi~ We live just down the road in Soham : D

I don't know about those particular locations but I have stayed at a few Premier Inns and they are normally of pretty good quality, stayed in one last year after my trip to Michigan and their beds were so comfy!

Holiday Inn tends to have a rep for being a bit pricey and I dont think theres much to them. So personally I'ld vote the cheaper option as your gonna possibly struggle with sleep anyways (I always find night before a trip is the hardest night to sleep on!)

 

[scampbunny]

hiya
holiday inn express is relatively new - think it was built in 2008. price for 1 room is usually 59gbp and u get breakfast with that - even if u leave early, u can get a breakfast to take away.
time wise, its a couple of min from the tunnel, and theres a tesco just across from it (great for fillin up!!)

 

[Zebette]

hiya
holiday inn express is relatively new - think it was built in 2008. price for 1 room is usually 59gbp and u get breakfast with that - even if u leave early, u can get a breakfast to take away.
time wise, its a couple of min from the tunnel, and theres a tesco just across from it (great for fillin up!!)

Yeah the thing is we need two rooms and that is what bumps up the price so much. I contacted them directly and they quoted me 114UKP for two interconnecting rooms, incl breakfast.
Pity as I love their location and the fact Tesco is so near by but might end up at one of the other two at this rate purely based on price as I can get either of the other two hotels mentioned for less than 80UKP with breakfast and not too far to drive still in the morning for a crossing.

 

[Jayney73]

We are staying at the Travelodge at Ashford when we go in July...cost us £62gbp for 2 rooms. A Room for the boys (3) and the girls (2).
Were driving down from Durham so need to break up the journey.
We are getting the Eurotunnel at 2am as we will never sleep and the kids will have slept all the way down in the car. We are hoping to get to the parks for EMH, and then have an early night as we will be exhausted by then( though kids may still be running on excitement )
Am glad there are some places to eat nearby, was wondering if we would have to go into Folkestone for something so nice to know we wont have to

 

[mulan1]

This is really useful info thanks everyone and OP. We're going be travelling down from London, is it worth breaking it up? I'm only thinking about getting my OH up on the day we go will be a headache and we'll end up not getting to parks till end of first day....so if we can be nearby will be better think.

 

[Zebette]

We are staying at the Travelodge at Ashford when we go in July...cost us £62gbp for 2 rooms. A Room for the boys (3) and the girls (2).
Were driving down from Durham so need to break up the journey.
We are getting the Eurotunnel at 2am as we will never sleep and the kids will have slept all the way down in the car. We are hoping to get to the parks for EMH, and then have an early night as we will be exhausted by then( though kids may still be running on excitement )
Am glad there are some places to eat nearby, was wondering if we would have to go into Folkestone for something so nice to know we wont have to

Jayney -do you know if your rooms are interconnecting, and does that price include breakfast? I had a look online and got 74UKP for 2 rooms ay Travelodge to fit the 5 of us and includes breakfast which I know the kids and hubby will want.

I just had email back from Premier Inn as I was wondering if I could get interconnecting rooms and they said they couldn't tell me as they use a "Live" booking system and things get booked minute by minute. Not very helpful I don't want to book two rooms and then find we are at opposite side of the hotel from each other or something.

 

[Jayney73]

Jayney -do you know if your rooms are interconnecting, and does that price include breakfast? I had a look online and got 74UKP for 2 rooms ay Travelodge to fit the 5 of us and includes breakfast which I know the kids and hubby will want.

I just had email back from Premier Inn as I was wondering if I could get interconnecting rooms and they said they couldn't tell me as they use a "Live" booking system and things get booked minute by minute. Not very helpful I don't want to book two rooms and then find we are at opposite side of the hotel from each other or something.

Hmmm...we booked online about 6 wks ago so I have no idea if rooms are interconnecting..may email them an make a request or even phone.
Dont fancy being at opposite ends of the hotel tho , if we cant have interconnecting just on the same floor would do I guess.Never thought about this when bookingJust saw the price and grabbed it!
As for breakfast no its not included but as we leaving at about 2am it isnt really an issue for us...I am taking a packed breakfast to eat on the way, cereal bars, pancakes, juice etc and then we will get something,brunch, when in the park.

 

[Jayney73]

Jayney -do you know if your rooms are interconnecting, and does that price include breakfast? I had a look online and got 74UKP for 2 rooms ay Travelodge to fit the 5 of us and includes breakfast which I know the kids and hubby will want.

I just had email back from Premier Inn as I was wondering if I could get interconnecting rooms and they said they couldn't tell me as they use a "Live" booking system and things get booked minute by minute. Not very helpful I don't want to book two rooms and then find we are at opposite side of the hotel from each other or something.

Have just phoned the Ashford Travelodge and they said it was no problem to put us in rooms next to each other

 

[IsobelJackmummy]

We went a couple of weeks ago, and stayed in the HIEx. It was a lovely, clean hotel, great continental breakfast, and free parking. As others have mentioned the Tesco nearby is very handy, and it is about 5 minutes from the tunnel - great! I would definately recommend. We paid £50 for a family room.