The Inn Collection Group is now a Which? Recommended provider after the UK consumer champion revealed its list of the best and worst hotel chains of 2023.

The pub with rooms operator is a new entry into the list of providers with the Which? seal of approval, a coveted accolated which marks out the brands of choice for the discerning purchaser.

More than 5,000 people rated their hotel stays for the annual hotel survey, with respondents invited to rate their experiences at 37 hotel chains across the UK.

Heralding warm welcomes, posh pub grub and a decent beer selection as key features of the group's offering, Which? Rated The Inn Collection Group as offering inns that were “cheaper, better and with more character” than other leading operators.

Placing third in the small operator listings, surveyed guests scored their stays out of five stars across 10 categories including cleanliness, customer service, bed comfort, how well the description matched the reality and value for money.

With sites across northern England and Wales, The Inn Collection Group came out with a customer score of 78%, which combines overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend.

In a table where the highest rated operated earned an 80% mark, it is a solid endorsement of what guests choosing to eat, drink, sleep and explore with the group in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Co Durham, North Yorkshire, Lancashire, North Wales and the Lake District are experiencing.

The Inn Collection Group scored particularly strongly for the cleanliness of the inns, whilst bedroom comfort, bathrooms, customer service and value for money were all on par with the brands ranking above on the list.

With a host of recent re-openings bringing The Inn Collection Group to more places than ever before, including Knaresborough, Ripon and from Monday, November 6, Tynemouth, now is the ideal time to sample these standards in person.

From November 1st, the group's cost of living crisis-busting Winter Breaks package returns, offering one-night dinner, bed and breakfast stays from just £49.50 per person, based on two people sharing.

Available all the way through to the end of March, these breaks are already proving more popular than ever, with a 57% increase in the number of nights booked at the same point in time in 2022.

A magical Christmas is also on offer at some of the most picture postcard locations in the country, with three-night Christmas Staycation packages from just £549 for two.

With breakfast included on each morning, dinner on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day and a delicious three-course Christmas Dinner and evening buffet on December 25, it too is proving a popular option for a festive getaway with more than 56% occupancy already filled.

Kate Bentley, rooms director at The Inn Collection Group said: “We're naturally delighted to earn Which? Recommended status and that our customers value the service and standards that we offer at our inns.

“We pride ourselves on offering excellent value for money and quality so to see that reflected in the verdict of Which? Is pleasing for us all.

“When you look at the scores across the areas measured by the survey, ours are in line or better than the benchmarks set by some of the biggest operators in our industry, so it is a massive endorsement of the hard work our site teams are putting into looking after our guests.

“With more sites open than ever before, we will be welcoming even more guests to stay with us and we will be striving to make sure that our performance in next year's survey sees us progress further.”

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel said: “With prices at many hotels rising further this year, finding good value, budget accommodation is increasingly difficult. For those looking for a reasonably priced stay, there are big differences between the best and worst chains.

“When you're booking your next trip, make sure to take time to research your options carefully, and read reviews from a range of sources to see what other guests thought of their stay.”