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A few days ago, we wrote about the superb rates Premier Inn is currently offering. It is possible to book hotels in most parts of the UK for just £29 per night, with plenty of options in central London for under £40. I’m a big fan of the brand, but there is one problem: how to get free breakfast at Premier Inn hotels?
There is no loyalty programme, so no elite status, so no free breakfast. However, there is one way*…
How to get free breakfast at Premier Inn hotels
The secret to getting free breakfast at Premier Inn hotels is to become a shareholder in the brand’s parent company – Whitbread.
“Shareholders with a holding of 64 shares or more are eligible to receive a shareholder benefits card. The Premier Inn and restaurant benefits are available through the shareholder card. Those shareholders who are already registered to receive offers should automatically receive the card with the Annual Report mailing.
Free Premier Inn Breakfast for shareholders
Great news! Whitbread shareholders staying in a Premier Inn hotel in the UK – and their guests – can enjoy a free Premier Inn Breakfast for each morning of their stay (subject to availability).
You can claim a free breakfast for up to two adults and two children (age 15 and under) per room, for up to two rooms – and you must be staying in one of them.”
Free breakfast for up to 8 people in total (4 adults, 4 kids) – sounds pretty generous to me!
* The catch…
64 shares doesn’t seem like a lot. The problem is that each share would set you back about £22 at the moment. This means you would need to invest ~£1,400 to cover the whole 64:
Bottom line
Investing £1,400 may seem quite a bit just to get some free breakfasts, but regular Premier Inn guests can likely get some value.
On the plus side, it seems you would also get 10% off when eating at at any of Whitbread’s restaurant and pub brands…
Are you eligible to get free breakfast at Premier Inn hotels?
Note: post updated. An earlier version incorrectly stated that 64 shares would cost £140,000!
Terms
• This offer is only available to eligible Whitbread PLC shareholders who have received the shareholder offer card. It is non-transferable and has no cash alternative.
• The offer entitles up to two adults and two children (aged 15 and under) per room, to a free breakfast for each night of stays booked at any participating Premier Inn in the UK or Ireland.
• This offer is not available at certain restaurants providing a Premier Inn breakfast where the restaurant is not owned by Whitbread (Whitbread owns restaurants under the following brands: Thyme, Beefeater, Table Table, Cookhouse & Pub, Brewers Fayre, Whitbread Inns and Bar + Block) and is subject to availability. If you are in doubt as to whether it’s a Whitbread restaurant or not, please ring the hotel.
• Limited to a maximum of two rooms per shareholder and the shareholder must be staying in one of them.
• Valid for stays up to and including Sunday 31st May 2021.
• This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount (e.g. Meal Deal, Emerald card, Whitbread Privilege card).
• Please show your Whitbread shareholder card and booking confirmation email when checking into Premier Inn to claim your free breakfast(s). Copies and photographs will not be accepted. Further proof of ID may be requested.
You are incorrect
Whitbread shares are 2200 pence each not pounds – so investment £1400.
You need to add dealing costs and ongoing broker holding charge ( a few pounds yearly or price for a certificate – no ongoing cost).
And the current climate you may lose your money!!
Thanks C – updated. Yes, whether Whitbread is a smart investment right now or not is a different question of course.
You made a mistake here, most shares on LSE are listed in GBp (note the lower case) or GBX, Whitbread is about 21GBP per share, 64 shares worth about 1344GBP
Thanks for the correction Jil!
the 52 week low is 2258 gbp?
Share prices in the UK are always quoted in pennies, so nowhere near as bad as you think!
Cheers Rob! – it did seem extraordinary. In mitigation, I just used whitbread’s own calculator which does display it rather confusingly. Amended.
ya. its about 1300 to 1400 gbp. considering whitbread doesn’t get screwed in the coming year (they have announced 6k redundancies) and/or you have holding capacity for a few years, it should technically mean free bfast provided share remains at current levels or better still, goes up in the coming years if they survive the covid crisis.
Cheers Vk! – sorted now.
This article is an excellent example of Cunningham’s law: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cunningham%27s_Law
Haha -in addition, I am now familiar with Cunningham’s Law, thanks to you!
It’s worth noting that most online brokers will hold your shares in nominee form. (i.e. you won’t be listed as shareholder)
So there’s another step involved… having a broker willing to do the donkey work to get you your shareholder card.
Fun idea though…
Yes, Always an annual fad getting my shareholder card through ii !
Nice lateral thinking!
Yeah, no it’s definitely pounds unless I’m missing something. The dividends alone were way more than 22 pence when you said that and it went up since then