I’d planned on a straightforward, quiet stay at Premier Inn Chelmsford Boreham, and that’s really not what I got. First, the positives: the staff were genuinely lovely. Special shout-out to Ann who checked us in, she was welcoming, efficient, and made a great first impression. Her manager (I’m really sorry, I’ve forgotten their name) also seemed professional and helpful. Unfortunately, that’s where the praise ends. The biggest issue is the setup of the building. The hotel shares reception with a doctors’ surgery, so you’re walking through a waiting area of unwell patients every time you come in or out. It might be practical from a property point of view, but as a guest it’s pretty grim, and not exactly the relaxing start or end to your day. Then there’s the noise. The floorboards are so loose that anyone in the room above sounds like a herd of elephants. Being woken up at 2am because someone takes a few steps overhead is beyond frustrating, and it’s not something earplugs can fix. It’s a building issue, not a staff issue, but it ruins any chance of a decent night’s sleep. On top of that, there were repeated disruptions from other guests. One night a group of young lads were causing so much trouble the police had to be called. Then on my final night there was a party in room 129, directly opposite. I went down to reception to report it and Jay genuinely didn’t seem sure how to handle the complaint. What really shocked me was him suggesting I go back upstairs with him. That’s a dangerous position to put a guest in, full stop. He told me it had been dealt with, but it hadn’t, they were still partying, swearing, and shouting in the corridor at the top of their lungs. Overall, it was an utter shambles. I don’t blame the front desk for the building flaws, but the lack of effective handling of the disturbances, and the fact guests were left to deal with it, was unacceptable. I won’t be returning to this hotel, and after this experience I’m very unlikely to stay in a Premier Inn again.
