Portsmouth Dockyard hotel

We stayed at Premier Inn Portsmouth Dockyard and unfortunately had a very disappointing experience. At approximately midnight, a man was behaving violently in the hotel, discharging fire extinguishers and causing the fire alarm to sound. The entire building was evacuated, and the Fire and Rescue Service attended. Following the incident, the alarms were switched off and guests were allowed back inside. However, we received no meaningful explanation from hotel staff about what had happened, what checks had been carried out or why it was considered safe to return. There also appeared to be no process for checking or accounting for guests during the evacuation. After returning, we observed broken glazing in internal fire doors. We also found that an internal security door was unlocked and could be passed through without a key card, despite key-card access equipment being fitted. Reception was not continuously manned, which added to our concerns about the hotel’s security arrangements. There were also problems with the water supply. We had no water during the early hours until approximately 8am, when the supply returned but only cold water was available. This meant we could not shower or wash properly when we needed to. What has made the experience even more disappointing is the way our subsequent complaint has been handled. Premier Inn issued a £52 goodwill refund, representing 50% compensation, and has described this as its final offer. I have made it clear that I am dissatisfied and have requested a full refund of the room rate, excluding breakfast. I am also aware that other guests affected by the same incident received 100% compensation, yet our request for equivalent compensation has been refused. I have not accepted the £52 as full and final settlement, nor agreed that the complaint is resolved, despite Premier Inn treating it as closed. I appreciate that the initial incident was caused by another guest, but I believe the lack of communication, the concerns about security and fire-safety arrangements, the interruption to the water supply and the subsequent handling of the complaint all deserve proper consideration. This was a very unsettling experience, and the response afterwards has done little to restore our confidence. I would have expected better communication, reassurance and customer care from Premier Inn. Based on our experience, I would think carefully before booking this hotel again.

Stayed at this site with while working at the Portsmouth Dockyard. Convenient for easy access to the site, room was good. On the first 2 nights some staff were slow and looked like they didn't want to be there. On my last night I went to get a drink at the bar and was greeted by Peter who was full of the energy and customer service I expect from premier inn. Him and the girl at the bar with him (I didn't get her name but I think it started with an m) were friendly all evening even when they were dealing with lots of other things happening

Good location for visiting Dockyard, close to Bus station and shops. Wasn’t a happy atmosphere, staff didn’t look at all happy. Our room was on 5th floor with a lovely view and very quiet.It was clean but very warm. Very little soap in bathroom, one bottle was empty. Breakfasts were ok, until our last day - no tables had been cleared, food not topped up, no napkins ( hadn’t had any for 3 days) Evening meal - food was good. Staffing was another matter. Most evenings only 2 staff to serve drinks at bar, serve food to tables, clear away plates from tables. We had to ask if we could have our desserts every evening, after waiting 90mins. Then had to ask for spoons every evening. The waitresses, I felt were not trained well. The was no organisation of jobs etc.

Having visited several times over the years, this place has really tumbled in terms of value and proposition. The staff were great - breakfast and reception (big shout out to Daisy). However the rooms are scuffed, the bathroom was not clean - in fact it was dirty. The room wasnt set up correctly for the number of people - towels, mugs missing. The bar lounge area was locked up and abandonned during the day - lights off, only to come on at night - not that there was any info to suggest it to be so, or what could be ordered. Added to this, a collection of tatty signs stuck on the street entrance door to say that only guests can eat there now. From what I could see, few guests did. and I'm not surprised. In a city with enough choice. I'll choose elsewhere now. I'd rather pay more to get more. I dont know what's happened there but it's a shame. The staff deserve better, and so do the guests.

Disappointing stay – cleanliness and hygiene well below expectations We stayed at Premier Inn Portsmouth Dockyard between 14–16 October, and unfortunately, our experience fell well below the standards we have come to expect from Premier Inn. On arrival, my wife and I were allocated room 307 for our first night. Almost immediately, we noticed cleanliness issues, including a pillowcase that appeared heavily saturated with sweat from a previous guest. The room did not feel properly cleaned, the air conditioning was not working correctly due to a blockage, and the bed was extremely springy and uncomfortable, leaving us both with a restless night. When I raised these issues with reception the following morning, the response from one member of staff was blunt and unhelpful, with little interest in resolving the situation. Thankfully, when we returned later, the reception manager was more understanding and arranged for us to move to room 306. Unfortunately, the problems continued. Although the second room was cooler, we discovered a bathroom towel with visible blood staining and pink staining around the showerhead. Finding these issues in two separate rooms was particularly disappointing and raised serious concerns about the hotel’s housekeeping standards. I regularly stay at Premier Inn hotels across the country for work and have generally found the brand to be reliable. That is why this experience was such a let-down. I appreciate that things can occasionally go wrong, but basic cleanliness, hygiene and functioning facilities should be a given, not something guests have to complain about. Credit to the reception manager for listening and trying to help, but the overall experience suggests that housekeeping, maintenance and staff training need closer attention. I hope the hotel takes this feedback seriously and uses it as an opportunity to improve. Nobody expects perfection, but guests paying for a stay should be able to expect clean bedding, fresh towels, a comfortable bed and a room that is properly maintained. Sadly, this was one of the most disappointing Premier Inn stays I have experienced, and I hope meaningful action is taken to prevent other guests from having the same experience.