ZIP by Premier Inn Cardiff

I really enjoyed the service at Zip premier inn… Milad and Evan where really nice and welcoming… they made me feel welcomed and comfortable.

Crikey - it was one of the most surreal experiences of my life to stay in what appeared to be a cross between a laundry cupboard and a space age pod! To be fair to Zip I didn't know i was staying in a new type of Premier inn as someone else had booked this for me. On entering the room i thought i had walked into a broom cupboard by accident - The pros - it was cheap (but not that cheap when you added up the potential extra's). Free parking (first come first served) It was clean and the staff were nice. Also i did like the fact they had an ironing room - something you don't find in hotels - only on cruise ships. Now for the cons - tiny room no-where to put anything, no drawers, no wardrobe - just a ledge for your bag like you get on trains no kettle - but you could buy drinks at reception (self service - but pay cafe prices) You only got one pillow - if you didn't want a crick in your neck you had to pay £3 to hire another one. The bed wasn't even made. You only got one towel (no hand towel provided) - if you wanted another it was £5 to hire. And OMG no window (as i say i didn't know what had been booked for me so it was a surprise and not a pleasant one) The breakfast was £10.95 each day. Although i only paid £45 per night (i stayed two nites) if i'd ordered another pillow, towel, had breakfast on both days AND had two hot drinks on both days my total cost would have gone up by £38 - not quite the bargain you think you are getting. My advice - take an extra towel, pillow and a thermos flask to fill up on hot water at reception - and buy those little UHT milks they sell and places like B&M.

Generally really good, staff were professional and friendly and the whole hotel was pretty clean and tidy, with ample parking, the free Wi-fi is okayish but if you need good Wi-Fi may be worth paying the extra. Just a couple of small things light box in room wasn't working (which without having a window might have been nice) and the double room consisted of 2 single beds pushed together whereas a double bed would have been a bit more comfy. A bit more choice for breakfast might also have been good. Overall for the cost it was a good stay.

I had an amazing stay at ZIP Hotel by Premier Inn. What really stood out for me, was the incredible customer service. Malid, Tom, and Evan went above and beyond to make me feel welcome from the moment I arrived. They were friendly, attentive, and genuinely cared about ensuring guests had a great experience. Whether it was helping with check-in, offering local tips, or just being kind and professional throughout my stay, they truly made a difference.

This was my first time staying in a zip. The extra small room size was actually larger than I'd anticipated, perfectly adequate for 1 person for a basic overnight stay. The room was well laid out with space underneath beds and a high shelf etc. to make best use of the space available. The facilities were paired down, with no hot drink facilities or even a glass for water, with additional charges for things like an extra pillow. But the price reflected the no frills and space saving approach. My room had a shower that made an awful high pitched loud squealing noise which they'll hopefully repair before putting anyone else in that room. For me, this was a good concept that I could have got on board with, had the bed been comfortable. I found the bed to be really hard and that just made it really difficult for me to sleep even though I was exhausted from a late arrival. It was so disappointing. It's such a shame they haven't prioritised a comfortable mattress. I'm assuming the bed mattress under the sheet was the same as the settee base on the other side of the room to allow them to configure the room as either a bed and settee or twin beds/ a double bed. I'd have rather been in a twin room with 2 comfortable mattresses than had a settee and bed I couldn't sleep on. Sadly, I won't be staying in a zip again unless they rethink and replace all their mattresses, which I don't see happening. Would not recommend unless you're someone who likes a firm mattress / can sleep anywhere!