The location: 20-minute walk to London City airport or a five-minute cab ride. A short walk to ExCel. Two minutes' walk from the DLR station Prince Regent, albeit it through dodgy-looking wasteland. Wouldn’t recommend it at night.
The check-in: No queues at 9pm on a Sunday evening so it was painless. I only had to wait for the receptionist to get change after pre-paying for the all-you-could-eat breakfast for £7.50. I could hear the buzz coming from the bar/restaurant area adjacent – surprisingly for a Sunday.
The room: Decent-sized, simple yet functional room with A/C, ten-channel TV, online access, tea and coffee-making facilities, very comfy Premier Dream bed, hairdryer, plenty of mirrors and a desk. Small bathroom with all the basics including, gratifyingly, instructions on how to use the shower. Hoorah!
The business: One meeting room with capacity for ten people. Day rate is £200.
The restaurant: Warm and cosy space, called SLICE, with contemporary blond wood furniture, bar and blinds, cheery-coloured carpet and glass dividers breaking up the large area. Decent size menu, from snacks to three-course meals. I overheard one customer moaning about the quality of food but my soup and ciabatta was spot on (£3.95), and the apple pie too filling (£3.75). My only whinge was how long it took the three staff to notice me and find me a seat.
The facilities: Good size and well-lit car park (operated by ExCel – evenings free, daytime £12), bar with pool table, adjacent restaurant, small lounge area, key-card controlled lifts, 24-hour reception.
The CHECKOUT: Fast and efficient.
The verdict: Great value hotel, well located for London City Airport.
The details: Premier Inn Docklands, Excel East, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 ISL. Tel: 0870 238 3322. £82 per room per night weekdays and £65 Friday to Sunday.
See: www.premierinn.com Gillian Upton
