London Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) hotel

Having already checked in online, we confidently strode toward the machines that have replaced real human beings, expecting a swift, soulless transaction before heading off to watch the football. Fate, however, had other plans. One of the two machines was very clearly dead, not out of order, but emotionally deceased. The other was alive enough to give us hope. It blinked. It whirred. It asked questions. It thought. For a full five minutes it led us on, like a casino slot machine that occasionally flashes “WINNER” just to hurt you. Then, with the casual cruelty of a villain in a spy film, it delivered its verdict… No key available. Oh, but don’t worry, it did give us a room number. A room we now know exists. Somewhere. Possibly in another dimension. A room we are not allowed to enter, because keys are apparently a rare and sacred resource. So there we stood, checked in, assigned, approved, and utterly homeless. Staring at a machine that had successfully replaced human staff with pure, unfiltered spite. Eventually, salvation arrived in the form of a member of staff from the connected Beefeater, who knocked on a completely random door in reception. From behind it emerged a hotel employee. What they’d been doing in there remains a mystery, sleeping, playing Ludo, or enjoying a quick swim all seem equally plausible. We were then firmly told off for not ringing the bell at reception. The bell. The bell whose existence had been kept so secret that there was no sign, no label, and no indication that it was anything other than decorative. It’s funny, isn’t it? You’d think that handing a company your money would inspire at least mild warmth. Instead, it felt more like we’d interrupted a very exclusive members’ club, and were now being punished for not knowing the secret handshake. If Premier Inn are going to persist in staffing their hotels like a post apocalyptic bunker, it might be time for the prices to reflect that reality. Charging five star rates while delivering two star service is ambitious, bold, even, but ultimately delusional. To be clear, this isn’t on the staff. The staff are doing the work of three people, plus a machine that doesn’t work, plus a bell nobody knows exists. This is purely the company’s decision to squeeze every possible penny while hoping guests won’t notice they’re paying luxury prices for a self-service obstacle course. If cutting corners were an Olympic sport, Premier Inn would at least make the podium.

Stayed here numerous times without any problems but this time: Sofa bed not made up even though we'd booked a family room, given sheets to do it ourselves Only one towel given, asked at reception for another one Kettle spout had a dint in so leaked when pouring, got it changed Heating panel did not work so could not alter the temperature of the room, told reception who said they would put the heating on but felt no difference, the room was not freezing so not sure if anything had been done

I emailed in advance for a room on the 5th floor, this was no problem. The room was very nice and had all we needed. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. This is the second time we stayed at the Woolwich PI, and will continue to do so when we come to the UK. Easy to get to central London from Woolwich DLR or Elizabeth Line.

Stayed four nights on business. There is an open car park next to the hotel which can be payed for via machine or by app. Check in was quick and I was allocated a room on the first floor on the road side but I wasn’t disturbed by any noise. As usual the bed was big and comfortable. Breakfast was standard Premier Inn and servers were cheerful. There is a bus stop nearby where loads of buses stop every few minutes and the tube station is only a few minutes walk.

23/12/2025 at 13:30 I am writing to formally document a highly disappointing customer service experience involving an employee named Sharon. This feedback is provided with the intention of highlighting serious gaps in professionalism, communication, and customer engagement that negatively impacted what should have been a premium service interaction. From the outset of the interaction, Sharon demonstrated a lack of basic customer service fundamentals. There was no attempt to make eye contact, acknowledge my presence in a welcoming manner, or establish any form of professional rapport. This absence of engagement immediately set a negative tone and conveyed disinterest and disregard for the customer experience. Communication throughout the interaction was minimal, unclear, and unprofessional. Questions were either answered curtly or not addressed at all, requiring repetition and unnecessary clarification. There was no effort to explain processes, provide guidance, or ensure understanding—key expectations for an employee in a premium service role. The lack of verbal and non-verbal communication created confusion and frustration and reflected poorly on the organization’s service standards. More concerning was the employee’s demeanor, which came across as openly rude and dismissive. Responses were abrupt, lacking courtesy, and delivered with an unwelcoming tone. At no point was there an attempt to show empathy, patience, or professionalism, even when reasonable clarification was requested. This behavior is inconsistent with the expectations of a customer-facing role, particularly one positioned as premium. Overall, the experience suggested a significant deficiency in customer service training, accountability, and professionalism. Employees represent the brand at every point of contact, and interactions such as this undermine customer trust and satisfaction. I strongly recommend that this feedback be reviewed by management and that appropriate coaching, retraining, or corrective action be considered to ensure service standards are consistently met. This review is submitted in the hope that it leads to improvement and reinforces the importance of respectful communication, attentiveness, and professionalism in all customer interactions.