Premier Inn Colchester - A12

Hotels
Premier Inn
8.6 (23 reviews)
Ipswich Road,Colchester,Essex , Colchester , GB

Facilities

Parking
Restaurant
Breakfast available (surcharge)

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Good location
Comfortable beds
Cons:
Cleanliness issues
Food quality could improve

Categories

Cleanliness
7.79
Some guests mentioned issues with room cleaning and maintenance, including dirty chairs and leftover items.
Service
9.26
Multiple reviews praised the staff for being friendly and helpful, indicating high service quality.
Location
8.8
Guests noted the convenient location near major roads and nearby amenities.
Room Quality
8.25
Rooms were described as comfortable but some cleanliness issues were reported.
Amenities
8.78
Good amenities such as free parking and decent room features were mentioned.
Value for Money
8.24
While some felt it was a budget hotel, others believed it offered good value for the price.
Food and Beverage
8.79
Positive remarks about the restaurant experience and quality of food.
Overall Experience
8.86
Despite some issues, the overall impression was positive with many guests expressing a desire to return.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-08 19:10

Property Description

Experience the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure at Premier Inn Hotel Colchester (A12), your ideal getaway!

Prime Location
Nestled close to the renowned Colchester Zoo and stunning local beaches, our hotel offers easy access to a world of excitement and history. Whether you're here to explore the zoo or soak up the sun by the sea, every guest will find something to enjoy.

Comfort and Convenience
Our cozy rooms are designed with your comfort in mind, ensuring a restful night’s sleep. After a day of adventures, unwind in a lovely comfy bed that guarantees relaxation for everyone.

Delectable Dining
Savor a delightful meal at our on-site Table Table restaurant, where mouth-watering dishes are crafted to satisfy your cravings, making every dining experience memorable.

Don’t miss out on the perfect getaway - book your stay at Premier Inn Hotel Colchester (A12) today!

Important information:

Approx 70 spaces, including 5 disabled bays. Can use restaurant spaces too. No height restriction. Large coach restriction. Please validate your vehicle registration via the tablet in reception upon arrival. This car park is managed by Horizon Parking.
Take J29 off A12 (Colchester Nth A1232). Follow to Colchester. Hotel is on the right, 200 yards from roundabout next to Balkerne Gate Table Table Restaurant.

Check-in and check-out hours:

Location

Guest Reviews

8.6
Based on 23 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.79
Service: 9.26
Location: 8.8
Room Quality: 8.25
Amenities: 8.78
Value for Money: 8.24
Food and Beverage: 8.79
Overall Experience: 8.86
N
Nana Kofi
10
Pros:

Very quiet, comfortable and affordable

2025-12-08 via Nuitee
M
mlendon NONE
6
Decline of Premier Inn
Pros:

We have stayed at this hotel on numerous occasions but sadly it has declined and needs a thorough update. We will not be staying here until improvements are made.

2025-12-02 via Tripadvisor
E
edwardrI7478ZX Solo travel
10
Good stay
Pros:

Comfortable bed and clean room, good wi-fi and quick check in. Used the pub next door in the evenings and food was good. Staying for work event in the nearby industrial estate.

2025-11-28 via Tripadvisor
V
V5291LJluciaf Friends getaway
10
Good hotel
Pros:

Great location near the A12, staff were very friendoy and helpful. Room was big enough and clean. Would definitely reccomend.

2025-11-19 via Tripadvisor
2
200cleanb Couples
10
Lovely stay
Pros:

I had a wonderful stay, the staff were friendly and the room was nice and clean. I couldn't find a fault with anything at all.

2025-11-19 via Tripadvisor
H
harrysS3256NK Business
10
Grate for the money
Pros:

Grate location to get onto the a12 and the rooms are extremely good and enough space you don’t feel crammed in, the parking is good and out of sight from the public with cctv and to top it off the staff where grate.

2025-11-10 via Tripadvisor
J
jpharding63 Friends getaway Holland-on-Sea, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England
10
Old Friends get together
Pros:

As we’ve done for years we all get together to catch up yearly and can’t recommend highly enough the hospitality and friendliness all the staff of the Hotel and adjoining pub and restaurant showed during our stay we will definitely be coming back again

2025-11-10 via Tripadvisor
M
marianwC4226QL Couples
10
Birthday treat
Pros:

Lovely clean hotel, the staff were great, friendly and couldn’t have been more helpful. No trouble at all to move us to a disabled room when we realised my husband wouldn’t be able to get into the bath.

2025-10-13 via Tripadvisor
G
GREGORIO
8
Pros:

un poco descuidado el restaurante y limitado en enl menu

2025-10-11 via Nuitee
M
martinpU8753VC Couples
10
Great hotel, Great restaurant
Pros:

Great hotel, Perfect location, room was quiet, so clean, bed was comfortable. Also had a lovely meal in the restaurant, staff were great and very helpful, when I’m back in this area I would not hesitate to stay again.

2025-09-18 via Tripadvisor
D
Dr. Sad
8
Pros:

Nettes Personal

2025-09-07 via Nuitee
B
Bodpage NONE Leicester, Leicestershire, England
8
Good but...
Pros:

They now charge £15 for a check in before 3...yet the confirmation email makes no mention of this and with 800 or so premier inn in the UK they must be naking a mint fir providing NOTHING!

2025-08-25 via Tripadvisor
R
rinkip2021 Family
6
Decent hotel but quality of dinner at restaurant could be much better!
Pros:

Disappointed hotel wifi is down for the 3 nights we been here. Otherwise reasonable size spacious room, the shower tub could be better not the best and shower gel dispenser wasn't working. You get what you paid for.

2025-08-04 via Tripadvisor
C
Charli_A96 NONE Norwich, Norfolk, East Anglia, England
4
Like a hostel but with a dearer price tag really
Pros:

Went as a family, and upon arrival was told we hadn’t booked properly as hadn’t added our 18month old on the booking - online doesn’t have an option for a child of this age unless they require a cot which was not the case. The floorboards squeaked everywhere you travelled so you could constantly hear the other guests despite signs everywhere to “tiptoe” around. The room wasn’t cleaned very well - leftover false eyelashes from a previous guest, disgustingly stained chair in the room, bath needed showering down before you could use it. There was one tabletop fan to cool the entire room, which wasn’t very effective either.
However, the bed was comfy, there was plenty of plug sockets, and you could see the car park from the room so you’re able to keep an eye on your car (also free parking which is always a bonus!). Of course it’s a budget hotel so you don’t expect much overall, but for what we received you’d expect to only pay £30 or so for the state of things.

2025-07-29 via Tripadvisor
T
T8315YSianc Business
10
Great customer service
Pros:

We have stayed in lots of Premier Inns over time. This one at Colchester had really personable and knowledgeable reception staff who answered all our questions comprehensively.
Yes it was a VERY long walk to our room but it was fully air conditioned - very welcome on one of the hottest days of the year so far!
Great room and we slept well.

2025-06-30 via Tripadvisor
S
S3523HGalie Business
4
Forget about breakfast
Pros:

The hotel itself was fine. We were lucky to have an air conditioned room which was very welcomed. There are no lifts which is a bit of a pain when carrying luggage.

The service and cleanliness in the hotel itself was fine but the food, especially breakfast was a real problem. The restaurant is woefully understaffed and although the staff that were there worked hard, there just weren’t enough of them and evening wait times were huge. Even just to get a drink!

We paid for breakfast for both mornings of our stay but then didn’t actually get to have it on the first morning as there was no chef! We did manage to get a breakfast on the second morning but they were understaffed yet again and we got it late, having to throw it down and leave rather than enjoy it.

The staff that they had were lovely, there just weren’t enough of them to provide a service.

2025-06-30 via Tripadvisor
A
alanhR7133PC Family Needham Market, Suffolk, East Anglia, England
10
THE HOTEL IS EXCELLENT but
Pros:

As your feedback does not seem to be working I will try here.
This was for my wife's birthday booked by our children. We cannot fault the Hotel they were excellent but the restaurant was the complete opposite you walked through the entrance which was filthy and because of my disability were allowed to sit at large oval table it was excellent so we booked the same table again for our family gathering for the follow evening which booked there and then. On the following evening we arrived and found the table was given to a party of 3, we given a smaller table at the far end of the restaurant with a small table on the end which made it very tight and uncomfortable and awkward as I have to use crutches most of the meals were ok but one was the Steak salad when it arrived the steak was cremated on top & underdone underneath the salad contained chips, peas, onion rings and half a tomato when asked for the salad it arrived with a very small bowl containing lettuce, half a tomato and sweetcorn and at no time was offered a replacement meal and as the rump steak was not edible we returned the meal. an excellent birthday surprise, Thank you
Alan Harkett also Kathryn Root

2025-06-29 via Tripadvisor
S
spocos NONE
10
One of the best premier inns
Pros:

Amazing staff, well kept hotel , very clean and very high standards here, staff are well trained and courteous as well as polite and friendly.

2025-06-22 via Tripadvisor
H
H5207NLrobk Business
10
Great team
Pros:

Again Lee and his excellent team warm welcome and professional attitude
makes the many stays in Colchester here bearable brilliant team

2025-06-20 via Tripadvisor
A
angelafL4723OG NONE
6
Disappointing
Pros:

The room was very dusty, the room was for 2 people, only one towel and had to ask for toilet paper, the dispenser was practically empty

2025-06-16 via Tripadvisor