Tag: Travelodge

Travelodge launches new multi-million pound advertising campaign for affordable getaways

Travelodge, the UK’s pioneering budget hotel brand, has launched a new multi-million pound integrated advertising campaign to highlight its role as a go-to choice for affordable getaways.

Travelodge’s ‘Better get a Travelodge’ campaign aims to position the brand as the top choice for travellers seeking affordability and comfort across a wide range of occasions and experiences. Using real-life stories, the campaign shows individuals and groups choosing Travelodge as their accommodation for various occasions, including birthday celebrations, visiting university-bound children, business trips, staycations, attending concerts or sports events, visiting family and friends, or attending colleagues’ farewell parties.

The ‘Better get a Travelodge,’ campaign was premiered on September 8, 2023, with two hero ads airing during the opening match of the Rugby World Cup, France vs. NZ on ITV. These TV ads also introduce the next-generation Travelodge room, a significant part of the company’s ongoing transformation. The new room includes features that customers have deemed important, such as bedside USB charging ports, blackout curtains, a comfortable armchair, and sustainable initiatives like recycled fishing net and plastic bottle carpets, and energy-efficient lighting.

Karen Broughton, Travelodge Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, said: ‘Our new advertising campaign showcases the many ways in which Travelodge is the perfect solution to the occasions in life where you ‘Better get a Travelodge.’

‘With rooms available right across the country, Travelodge provides a brilliant base to get out and about, whether it’s visiting friends and family, going to an event or having a business meeting. We are continuing to invest in our UK hotel portfolio, with a rolling programme to upgrade to our next generation rooms as part of our most significant transformation to date and look forward to even more customers choosing Travelodge.’

Travelodge collaborated with independent creative agency Isobel, media agency the7stars, and digital media agency Spark Foundry to launch this campaign. Out-of-home advertisements will be displayed in key transport locations like National Rail and London Underground stations, service stations, roadsides, and city centres. Radio ads and digital/social content will further remind potential customers of the diverse occasions where Travelodge is an option.

Britons to spend £20bn on staycations this summer

This summer, Britons are spending GBP20bn on their staycation holidays, despite the economic lull and ‘cost of living crisis’.

According to a recent travel study by Travelodge, the majority of Britons are unwilling to sacrifice their summer getaways and are looking at staycations to make their holidays cost-effective. Collectively, Britons are projected to spend GBP20 billion on domestic holidays.

According to the report, 63% of Britons have booked a summer holiday this year, marking a 50 percent increase compared to the previous year’s figure of 42%. Remarkably, 72% of these vacationers have chosen to explore the wonders of Great Britain, opting for staycations on British shores. The top destinations for British holidaymakers this summer include Cornwall, Devon, the Isle of Wight, Whitby, and Blackpool.

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokesperson, said: ‘Our latest research shows that Britons are prioritising and taking a well-deserved staycation this summer, despite the rising cost of living; as a break has become one of life’s necessities. Interestingly in these challenging times, our bookings data shows Britons are getting creative and resourceful with their budget and holiday planning. New travel trends we are seeing include Britons splitting their holidays into lots of shorter breaks and also planning multi-location holidays. This enables them to combine two different experiences within one holiday and obtain a better return on their money and time. Just a weekend break can make a huge difference to your wellbeing. With a network of over 580 hotels across the length and breadth of the UK, holidaymakers are using Travelodge hotels as their summer base to explore and experience what makes Great Britain so Great this summer.’

The report reveals that 24% of Britons have divided their traditional two-week holiday into multiple breaks throughout the year, taking two staycations during the summer months. Interestingly, Britons are extending their holiday duration from an average of three days to five days, and their average spending on British summer holidays has nearly doubled compared to 2022. This year, the average amount spent by staycationers is estimated to be GBP1011.30, in contrast to the previous year’s average of GBP513.13.

A significant number of savvy Britons (41%) are opting for the holiday hotspots across Britain by creating bespoke two-centre holiday packages. By staying at two different locations within a single holiday, they can enjoy diverse experiences, such as combining a coastal or seaside holiday with a rural escape or a city break.

The report also highlights the British love for the seaside, with 43% of Britons choosing coastal destinations for their summer holidays this year. Cornwall tops the chart with over 250 miles of coastline and 300 beaches to explore. Rural breaks in the British countryside, such as the Lake District, North Wales and Scottish Highlands, are the second most popular type of summer holiday, chosen by a quarter (25%) of Britons. One-fifth (20%) of Britons are opting for UK city breaks this summer, with London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff ranking as the top city destinations.

The findings are part of the 2023 Travelodge Travel Index, which surveyed 2,000 British adults to assess their holiday plans for the summer. Key findings from the report indicate that 25% of Britons consider a summer holiday as one of the few non-negotiable expenses in their lives.

Whitbread secures two Travelodge sites for Premier Inn

Whitbread, the owner of the UK’s Premier Inn, has signed contracts to secure two trading Travelodge hotels for Premier Inn.

The agreements with separate private property owners will see the Travelodge Bury St Edmunds hotel and Travelodge London Uxbridge hotel convert into Premier Inns. The conversions will meet Premier Inn’s demand for additional bedrooms in the two prime locations.

Mark Anderson, Managing Director for Property and International at Whitbread, said: ‘Securing new Premier Inn hotels in Bury St Edmunds and Uxbridge is a strategic investment by Whitbread in popular markets for business and leisure travel. It’s part of our ongoing strategy of growing market share, through Whitbread’s strong balance sheet and financial flexibility and resilience, in locations where we are underrepresented and where we see opportunities to create long-term value for our shareholders and guests.’

The Travelodge Bury St Edmunds hotel, which opened in 2018, is located to the north of the town centre, close to transport connections and leading local employers such as British Sugar. Premier Inn’s existing hotel is located to the south, within Bury St Edmunds town centre.

The Travelodge Uxbridge hotel is located on Bakers Road adjacent to Uxbridge underground station. Premier Inn has been actively pursuing a site in Uxbridge town centre to complement its existing 80-bedroom Premier Inn hotel on Riverside Way, west of the town centre, which opened in February 2016.

The time schedule for the conversion of the hotels into Premier Inns is yet to been confirmed.

Whitbread PLC is the owner of Premier Inn with over 800 hotels comprising over 78,000 rooms and restaurant brands including Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Table Table, Bar + Block, Whitbread Inns and Cookhouse + Pub. Whitbread currently operates a 75-bedroom Premier Inn hotel on Reingate Street in Bury St Edmunds Town Centre which opened in 2015. The Travelodge Bury St Edmunds hotel is located on Etna Road in the town.

More than half of Britons choose staycationing this summer

More than 55 per cent of British adults will be holidaying in Great Britain in summer this year, according to Travelodge’s annual holiday index.

The Travelodge research, which surveyed 3,000 British adults, reveals that 2017 will be another strong year for staycations. However, the figures reflected a drop of three percentage points in the number of Britons holidaying at home this year (55 per cent), compared to 58 per cent last year.

Over half (55 per cent) of Britons surveyed reported that they choose to holiday at home this year as it is too expensive to go abroad and a staycation offers better value for money. The most sought after staycation destinations are Cornwall, Devon, North Wales, Blackpool and the Isle of Wight.

Over a third (36 per cent) of adults said that they were looking to holiday at home this year as part of supporting the British economy following Brexit.

According to the research, British holidaymakers will be spending an average of £599.80 on their annual break this year – contributing nearly £17bn to the UK economy. The average spend of £599.80 is £130 less when compared to the £729.80 in 2016, though it equates to a collective spend of £17bn, Travelodge said.

The study also revealed that nearly half of Britons are taking a one-week holiday supported by three short breaks throughout the 2017. Only 17 per cent of adults are taking a ‘traditional’ two-week holiday.

The seaside remains the favourite destination for Britons, with 53 per cent of adults choosing the British seaside for their annual break. A relaxing rural break is what a third of Britons surveyed opt for and the top destinations for this year include the Lake District, Scottish Highlands, Norfolk Broads, Yorkshire Dales and Peak District. Meanwhile 27 per cent of adults are looking at a city break this summer with London, Edinburgh, Bath, York and Oxford being their top destinations.

The research revealed that the UK’s top staycationers are from the Welsh town of Aberystwyth with 85 per cent of its people choosing a staycation break this year, and the average household spending £456.75. Gloucester, Sheffield, Plymouth and Worcester are other location where the most number of people choose a staycation.

Travelodge opens its third hotel at Gatwick Airport

Travelodge, a hotel chain in the UK, has opened its third hotel at London Gatwick, the UK’s second busiest airport, on January 29, 2014.

Crawley Travelodge is a 110-room new build property with six floors. It represents a GBP7 million investment and has created 20 new jobs within the local community. The hotel is located on Pegler Way in Crawley, which is less than five miles from Gatwick Airport.

The hotel is claimed to have a warm and cosy ambiance, and to help customers to benefit from a good night’s sleep, Travelodge worked with a chromotherapy expert and has introduced a sleep inducing colour palette to the room’s decor. The feature wall has been painted a tranquil blue, which Travelodge says makes one feel relaxed and sleepy.

The new room also features a stylish white contemporary en-suite bathroom with a power shower, stain & water resistant carpet in a dark shade of blue, a larger desk area, new reading lights and a phone charging socket built into the bed frame. The room also includes artwork above the bed in an abstract design featuring relaxing sparkles and shades of blue, which is also said to be restful for the eyes.

Andrina Wooler, Crawley hotel manager said: ‘I am so thrilled to be managing Crawley’s first Travelodge hotel in such a prime location. There is a growing demand for good quality, low cost accommodation in the area, as getting value for money is hugely important for consumers in today’s market. As a result, we are ideally placed to be the smart choice for business and leisure travellers.

‘By attracting new visitors to the area, this hotel will annually boost the local economy by GBP1.2 million, as our research shows the average Travelodge customer will spend on average GBP36 in local businesses during their stay.

‘The hotel has got off to a flying start and there is no doubt that our new room design has had a great impact on sales. Customer feedback has been phenomenal, especially in relation to the Travelodge Dreamer Bed and the overall enhanced new experience.’

Since 2007, Travelodge has added more than 500 rooms near Gatwick Airport and has a total of 602 rooms today. Travelodge research shows the average customer will spend £36 a day in local shops, restaurants and bars during their stay. If so, the three hotels could boost the local economy by as much as £9.5 million per annum.

Britons clueless about the real value of essential toiletry bag, says Travelodge

Over 80 percent of Britons are clueless about the actual value of their essential toiletry bag, according to a holiday survey.

A new report by Travelodge has revealed that 82 percent of the respondents did not know the contents of an average toiletry bag were worth £156.69. The research, which surveyed 3,000 British adults, was conducted as the hotel chain witnessed a rise in the number of toiletry bags being left behind at its 521 hotels.

The average adult estimated their wash bag, with contents, was worth £52.23. However, in reality, the bag of essentials is actually worth nearly three times more.

The survey also found that 52 percent of people typically carry two toiletry bags, one that they will use whilst travelling and the other bag they use daily at home, at the gym or at work. A third of women surveyed (34 percent) stated their toiletry bag is the most important item on a travel or vacation, while a fifth of women, 20 percent, admitted they purchase more expensive toiletry items for a holiday.

The study also analysed the beauty regimes and habits of British men and women.

The image-conscious Britons spend over £14 billion on toiletry products each year, and it is not just women who overspend. Half the men (49 percent) who responded to the survey said that they have set aside soap and water in favour of a more sophisticated daily beauty regime for cleansing, toning and using anti-ageing skin care products, while one in four (25 percent) male respondents even said that they overspend on premium brands that are usually used by women.

One in five, or 20 percent of women do not mind spending £50 on anti-ageing creams and admit to owning 10 different bottles of expensive perfume.

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman said, ‘I think the main reason why so many Britons are clueless to the actual value of their toiletry bag is due to the fact that most adults purchase their toiletry essentials on an ad-hoc basis.

‘It’s very rare that you would go out and purchase all items in one go therefore you don’t really know the exact total cost as you have brought the items individually.’

The study also revealed the rise of the metrosexual, as men spend more time getting ready to go out than women. On average men spend 81 minutes a day on personal grooming, including cleansing, toning and moisturising, shaving, styling hair and choosing clothes. In contrast, women have their beauty regime completed in just 75 minutes.

The average toiletry bag calculation:
Toiletry Bag £16.50
Electric Toothbrush £50.00
Toothpaste £2.00
Deodorant £2.00
Shampoo £2.50
Moisturiser £10.00
Hairbrush £5.50
Razor £5.00
Perfume / Aftershave £27.00
Hair Conditioner £2.50
Shower gel £2.00
Facial Wash £3.00
Hair styling products £10.00
Body Cream £5.00
Dental floss £2.00
Cleanser £5.00
Mouth wash £3.50
Facial wipes £3.00
Cotton Buds £1.50
Nail clippers £3.50
Pain killers £2.00

Total £156.69

The toiletry items that men regularly borrow from their partners without asking prior permission include moisturiser, hand cream, hair conditioner, perfume, body butter, anti aging serum, night cream etc.

Travelodge enters conference market

Travelodge, the budget hotel chain based in Thame, UK, is to venture into the conference market with the introduction of bespoke meeting rooms at 60 of its UK properties.

The venture has been introduced with the intention of fulfilling a range of business requirements, with up to full-scale conferences for 150 delegates where capacity allows, and the rooms will cost from GBP 200 per day with breakfast included. On completion of a trial period at Travelodge’s London properties, Covent Garden, Waterloo and City Road, the service will be made available at the other 57 properties across the country that have been designated as suitable for its inclusion.

Grant Hearn, Travelodge CEO, said, ‘Despite today’s focus on social media, businesses still recognise the value of a good old-fashioned face-to-face meeting. However, trying to find inexpensive meeting space can be a challenge for businesses, especially in major UK city centres. Therefore to support our business customer base, which has doubled in terms of growth and revenue within the last 12 months, we are launching a new meeting room service in 60 of our hotels. Our meeting rooms have been designed in line with our room product, so that they offer everything you need to run an effective meeting at a great value price.’

Since its creation in 1985, Travelodge has grown to operate more than 450 hotels in the UK, 11 hotels in Ireland and 3 in Spain. It is estimated to employ more than 6,000 workers on either a full or part-time basis.

The new Travelodge meeting rooms can be booked at travelodge.co.uk/business.

 

Travelodge offloads properties

Travelodge, the budget hotel chain that originated in the USA, is offloading 18 of its UK hotel properties.

Following financial difficulties last year, the company agreed a restructuring package with its creditors in October, and the property sale forms part of that restructuring. Beneficiaries of the sale include rival hotel chains Best Western, Ibis and Metro Inns, who have all committed to taking some of the properties. Customers that have pending booking at the hotels in question will either have those bookings honoured by the new owners or have them transferred to another Travelodge property nearby.

In addition to the outright sale of the 18 hotels that will be re-branded, 20 more Travelodge properties have been sold to new owners, but as franchises that will continue to be operated under the Travelodge banner. A further 11 properties will continue to trade as Travelodge for the time being, but only until new owners are found for them.

Grant Hearn, chief executive of Travelodge said, ‘It is great news that we have been able to find new operators and introduce franchise contracts for the majority of these hotels. We were always confident that we would secure a future for these properties and the deals that have taken place just demonstrate the huge strength of the Travelodge brand and the success of our operations model.

‘Going forward, we are very excited to continue to grow our business, strengthen our product offering and make Travelodge the best value hotel chain in the UK.’

By the end of this year, Travelodge intends to have refurbished around 20,000 of its 37,000 rooms as part of a £57 million project.

Hotel chain boss asks UK MP’s to back tourism

The head of Travelodge, a UK-based budget hotel chain, has written to a number of British politicians urging them to use their influence to fight for the nation’s tourism industry.

Grant Hearn, the hotel chain’s chief executive, has written to 106 members of parliament whose constituencies have tourism interests, asking for their support in raising the profile of the UK’s tourism industry from what he sees as its ‘second class’ status in the eyes of policymakers.

Hearn claims that with the right regulatory framework, the tourism industry has the potential to create 300,000 UK jobs by 2020. He has put forward a 10-point plan that he believes would develop the tourism industry into a force that could lead the economy with growth and new jobs. To achieve this he believes that the government needs to give more priority to tourism and reassign its responsibility from the government’s Department of Culture Media & Sports, to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

A tourism taskforce that would be headed by a minister for tourism – and which would be responsible for delivering growth and creating a cross departmental cohesive strategy in cooperation with all tourism partners – is also on Hearn’s agenda, along with easier visa access for foreign nationals, especially those from Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC).

With his rallying cry coming on the eve of English Tourism Week, Hearn said, ‘English Tourism Week celebrates a vital industry in terms of providing economic growth, inward investment and job creation but it has been largely ignored by successive Governments. The industry needs more than just lip service, as we have a huge opportunity within our grasp to help the economy recover.

‘A lack of action is costing jobs, growth and investment, and whilst we dither, our European neighbours and the USA are successfully pursuing growth via forward-thinking tourism strategies.

‘The difficulties in the economy are well publicised, but British tourism can act as a catalyst to help grow the UK’s economy and create much needed jobs. It’s crucial that the Government does everything it can to unleash the true potential of one of the few industries that is continuing to grow, but to be able to do that we need MP’s who will champion its cause.

‘Our 10-point plan is about positioning tourism as a key element of a sustainable economic recovery, so we hope this provides the catalyst for MP’s to stand up and fight for it.’

Travelodge Appoints New Chairman to Tackle Finances

Travelodge Hotels, a UK-based company that owns and operates hotel properties, has appointed a new chairman, Brian Wallace, who is expected to help steer the company out of its financial troubles.

Wallace has extensive experience of serving in the hotel industry and was the deputy chief executive at the Hilton group. He is taking over the hotel chain at a time when it has announced a decision to offload around 49 properties to other operators.

Grant Hearn, the chief executive of Travelodge, said, ‘I am really excited to welcome Brian as the new Chairman of Travelodge.

He has extensive experience of the hotel industry, which will be invaluable as we continue to grow the Travelodge brand and deliver on our successful growth strategy.

I have known Brian for over 12 years and believe he will be a real asset to our company.’

Previously, the company had agreed a financial restructuring, for the long-term future of the business, in conjunction with a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). Under the terms of CVA, 347 hotels and 70 percent of the estate will be left as it is, and 109 hotels will be offered a rent reduction on completion of the restructuring. The company has also identified 49 hotels that will be handed over to new operators. To date, only two of these have been handed over to new management.

Grant Hearn has previously explained, ‘The financial restructuring, including the CVA, will leave Travelodge in a much stronger position going forward and will ensure a long-term, sustainable future for the business. Once this joint process is completed, Travelodge’s debt, interest costs and lease liabilities will be significantly reduced. This new appropriate level will provide greater security for our staff, suppliers, landlords and developers. This is a successful brand with millions of customers and the company will emerge in excellent shape from this process.’