During lockdown in Northern Ireland, very few hotels were permitted to stay open, and only for essential reasons. One of them was the Premier Inn on Alfred Street in the heart of Belfast.
Now, education was listed as an essential reason, a purpose I used sparingly as I could often go to Belfast and back in one day. When this wasn’t possible, this Premier Inn was a very reasonably priced, clean and functional option within walking distance of Queen’s University.
Look: this won’t win prizes for its amenity list, but that isn’t the product on sale here. One Insta commenter (follow me on Insta) called it a “salesman special” and that’s not far wrong. It’s comfortable, has a big TV, slow but free wi-fi, a budget-friendly dinner and breakfast option (depending on Covid rules) and a pay-in-advance, leave-quickly approach.
I am lucky enough to travel a lot and I’ve stayed in some great hotels (try out the Rhapsody Resort on the Gold Coast, or the Crowne Plaza in Santiago, Chile) and some shockers (click on the Hotels link for more)! For this kind of cashola, proximity to the city and with reasonable expectations, the Premier Inn brand is hard to beat in Belfast. Throw in some front desk staff with an acerbic wit, and you’ve got a winner.
Now, whenever I want to treat myself (or be treated) in Belfast, I’ll pick the Merchant, Fitzwilliam or Malmaison… but those are future stories to be told!
Check out my short video on the Premier Inn, Alfred Street below.