Travelodge opens a trio of hotels in shopping centres this year
Today, Travelodge, one of the UK’s largest hotel chains officially opens the first hotel at intu Lakeside shopping centre - also home to the forthcoming Nickelodeon fun park.
Thurrock Lakeside Travelodge is a purpose built, 74-room hotel with Bar Café and on-site car-parking. It has been designed in Travelodge’s new contemporary brand design and is situated overlooking Alexandra Lake at Lakeside shopping centre.
This hotel opening represents an investment of £7 million for the landlord, intu and has created 21 new jobs. It is Travelodge’s 550th hotel.
The hotel features the next generation of the company’s ‘Travelodgical’ contemporary room design. Together with the bespoke king size Travelodge Dreamer bed, this upgrade includes new bedside USB charging points, new softer LED ceiling lighting to give the room a warmer feel, comfort cooling system and a Samsung 32-inch digital television.
Thurrock Lakeside Travelodge is one of three hotels; the company has opened in a shopping centre this year. Over the last couple of months the hotel chain has opened a 65 room hotel at The Quadrant shopping centre in Romford and a 78 room hotel at London Wood Green shopping centre.
Craig Bonnar, Chief Operating Officer at Travelodge says: “We are delighted to be the first hotel brand to open at intu Lakeside shopping centre. This new hotel is a great representation of how Travelodge has evolved as a brand. Thurrock Lakeside Travelodge will provide great value accommodation and help attract nationwide visitors to the shopping centre and to the new Nickelodeon fun park scheduled to open next year.”
“Thurrock Lakeside Travelodge is the third hotel we have opened in a shopping centre this year. Building a Travelodge hotel in a shopping centre is a win-win solution. It helps shopping centre owners to add value, generate additional income and increase footfall by developing underused assets such as: empty office space, the top of low rise buildings and car parks. Our customers benefit by being located in a desired quality location with a host of shops and restaurants on their door step.”
Rebecca Ryman, Regional Managing Director at intu, said “We’re investing millions at the country’s most popular shopping destination, Lakeside, to create an amazing leisure experience. Nickelodeon’s first UK shopping centre attraction is one of a number of exciting leisure brands we’ll be introducing to the centre next year. Having Travelodge on-site will attract even more customers to the centre for longer and from further away.”
intu Lakeside is one of the country’s most popular shopping and leisure destinations, attracting an annual footfall of 25 million and home to more than 250 shops and restaurants including Debenhams, House of Fraser and Victoria’s Secret. Owner intu is investing millions in intu Lakeside to extend the centre and bring in a number of new leisure brands.
To mark the official opening of Thurrock Lakeside Travelodge a cocktail party is being held this evening where The Worshipful, The Mayor of Thurrock, Councillor, Tunde Ojetola will join Travelodge, Chief Operating Officer, Craig Bonnar to officially open the hotel.
Travelodge has hotels close to the UK’s top 20 shopping centres which includes 17 intu shopping centres
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For further information, please contact:
Travelodge Press Office
01844 358 703 / 07817 900 836
Notes to editors
Thurrock Lakeside Travelodge has been styled in the company’s new contemporary brand design. All rooms feature the new luxurious king size Travelodge Dreamer Beds and family rooms include individual beds for the children or for sharing adults. All rooms also include: an en-suite with power shower, flat screen TV with free digital channels, free tea/coffee-making facilities and WIFI.
In addition, Thurrock Lakeside Travelodge also offers an unlimited breakfast menu at just £7.95 and an unlimited lighter breakfast at just £5.75. For each paying adult, two children eat for free.
As part of its commitment to offer customers the best value, Travelodge is now offering free Wifi in all of its hotels for 30 minutes and it has slashed its 24 hour rate to just £3.
About intu
intu is the UK's leading owner, manager and developer of prime regional shopping centres with a growing presence in Spain. We are passionate about creating uniquely compelling experiences, in centre and online, that attract customers, delivering enhanced footfall, dwell time and loyalty. This helps our retailers flourish, driving occupancy and income growth.
We own many of the UK's largest and most popular retail destinations, with super regional centres such as intu Trafford Centre and intu Lakeside and vibrant city centre locations from Newcastle to Watford.
We are focused on four strategic objectives: optimising the performance of our assets to deliver attractive long term total property returns, progressing our UK development pipeline to add value to our portfolio, leveraging the strength of our brand and seizing the opportunity in Spain to create a business of scale.
We are committed to our local communities, our centres support over 120,000 jobs representing about 4% of the total UK retail workforce, and to operating with environmental responsibility.
Our success creates value for our retailers, investors and the communities we serve.