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The Hotels: A Journey

I'm.looking for next month, towards the end of Mardi Gras. £170 odd for a room, £88 for the shed. Neither feel at all worth it. Cbeebies were significantly more but have sold out, so people are clearly willing to pay it.
 
Is the breakfast really that bad?

I remember it being perfectly fine when I last stayed in 2019, but admittedly, I only tend to eat the Continental options from hotel breakfast; I’m not overly big on cooked breakfast myself.

Although the pancakes I had were fine, from memory; I don’t remember any complaints from my mum and nan, either, and I think they might have had cooked.

I’m staying next month, so I’ll report back my updated 2022 thoughts in this thread. Although I’m admittedly not much of a foodie myself, so I wouldn’t expect a proper food connoisseur style critique… it’ll be some brief general thoughts at best.
 
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I guess the hot is edible yet its pretty bland really and the hot drinks are rank ! I do remember when the breakfasts did taste better they also offered black pudding then.
 
I stayed in 2019 as well and whilst I don’t really like a belly buster full English, I do like sausages and eggs at breakfast. The sausages tasted like they were tinned and the scrambled eggs were sawdust with milk.
 
The breakfast is average to poor. It's not better than it was 10 years ago. The choice is mediocre, the quality of beverages average at best. The sausages are tasteless. I do hear fried eggs are back, though. What a treat.

Your typical chain hotel breakfast (Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Jury's) is better.
 
I think it's far worse than 10 years ago. Sausages were edible back then (I actually quite liked them), now taste like a slightly herby mush. Bacon seemed of a higher grade. Pastries were freshly baked, now just spongy tasteless packaged things. Would far sooner have a Premier Inn breakfast which are actually half decent.
 
Matt.GC said:
I think it's far worse than 10 years ago. Sausages were edible back then (I actually quite liked them), now taste like a slightly herby mush. Bacon seemed of a higher grade. Pastries were freshly baked, now just spongy tasteless packaged things. Would far sooner have a Premier Inn breakfast which are actually half decent.
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Speaking of Premier Inn. Do we think that if the commercial opportunity was there, they’d take over the hotels from a branding and operational perspective? Certain things would have to remain of course. At least you’d know you’d be getting a decent bed and decent breakfast.
 
There will be many operators, both well know brands and the behind-the-scenes operators who I’m certain would snatch your hand off at the chance to operate accommodation at Alton Towers.

However, as it stands, the hotels are a licence to print money for the park, as seen in the absurd prices of peak nights that still manage to achieve high or full occupancy. The demand is there and they will continue to push the prices up while keeping costs down for as long as they can until that demand starts to decrease.

I can’t see Towers wanting to sacrifice that revenue to a third party operator without then expecting a significant cut of the takings. This would no doubt still mean high, if not higher prices for the guest as the two companies vie for their margins. Though at least the quality would hopefully be more representative of the price.

I do think outsourcing and subcontracting the hotel operations would be the way to go at this point, as the resort seems completely incapable these days of operating to the standard it should and previously has had. But I’m under no illusion that it would see any radical change in pricing (though I’d love to be proved wrong).
 
Part of the issue is that your typical family forking out for Alton Towers are not familiar with standards at your major chain hotels.

I never thought I would say this, but I wish that one of the major chains did operate the hotels to bring internationally recognised standards in such as 24 hour food / room service, late bars, later check out times, swimming pool/gym etc.
 
AstroDan said:
Part of the issue is that your typical family forking out for Alton Towers are not familiar with standards at your major chain hotels.

I never thought I would say this, but I wish that one of the major chains did operate the hotels to bring internationally recognised standards in such as 24 hour food / room service, late bars, later check out times, swimming pool/gym etc.
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Hilton would be an ideal brand to take over the Alton Towers Hotel. They understand that guests might want a drink in their room at 1am and / or may prefer to have room service at 11pm after visiting the park for Scarefest.

They’re also a fun brand as well, offering things like complimentary cookies on check in.

But, it all comes down to staffing. It’s all very well a major hotel brand taking over but if all they’ve got to work with is the current staff and no more then it just won’t work out.
 
Merlin have previously worked with Holiday inn? With resort hotels, but it was taken back in house.

Holiday extras I'm sure are tasked with bringing in the most £££ per room as it is them that sells/ prices rooms ?
 
Matt N said:
bad?

I remember it being perfectly fine when I last stayed in 2019, but admittedly, I only tend to eat the Continental options from hotel breakfast; I’m not overly big on cooked breakfast myself.
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Back when we last stayed there in 2019 it was the continental selection that was the biggest problem for me. Almost no fruit, just a little tinned stuff and whole oranges, I don’t remember decent yoghurt either, just the cheapest Brakes own “strawberry” jam, no Nutella, no marmite nothing interesting about the buffet at all.
The pancakes were hard and dry for me, again with the cheapest possible syrup.
 
When it comes to hotel breakfast buffets, EP are a good place to look! As well as your standard continental and hot foods (including no less than 6 ways of having your eggs), there are a variety of meats, many cheeses, pancakes, different types of sausages, themed specialities (meatballs in Krønasår for instance), smoked salmon, countless different bread rolls, fruits, yoghurts... I could go on! Breakfast is always a highlight of staying on-site at EP and you could have a different meal to start your day each day of your trip!

Meanwhile at Towers, the last time we stopped over we decided to avoid the included breakfast altogether and head to Denstone Farm Shop. A good decision too, it is lovely there!
 
I'll always remember my first breakfast at EP. Was staying in Bell Rock, and we were lucky enough to eat whilst sat outside on the terrace. Can't believe that was nearly ten years ago now. It's a struggle to find a hotel breakfast anywhere that's as good as that, and Towers quite simply doesn't even come close.
 
Even the quality of the breakfast you get at Travelodge is far better than anything Towers serves. I know you pay extra at Travelodge, but that towers prices very much charge for it without you knowing. If you ever add on extra people when searching the prices always jump up.
 
Matt.GC said:
The worst sausages I've ever tasted
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You were actually able to taste the sausages? I am impressed by your taste buds!

Every breakfast I had on my trip to Europe last week was far better than what you get at Alton Towers. This included a Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Ibis Styles, Plopsaland Hotel, Europa-Park Hotel, Rock Cafe at Europa-Park and heck, even what I bought from Edeka to eat in our Rust apartment.
 
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