Travelodge has unveiled a new room concept as part of a £223 million investment in the brand this year.
The new design centres around a king-size Sleepeezee bed which Travelodge describes as “the ‘Rolls Royce’ of beds”, and which features an 800 pocket sprung mattress, with a quilted mattress topper, “bounce back duvet and pillows”, and “a stylish swoosh stripes runner to help create a gift wrap feel to the bed”.
The bed also houses extra truckle beds within its base for families and larger groups, replacing the existing sofa beds.
Other room enhancements include a “tranquil blue” feature wall, abstract artwork above the bed featuring “relaxing sparkles and shades of blue”, a larger desk area, new reading lights, a phone charging socket built into the bed frame, and “a stylish white contemporary en-suite bathroom with a power shower”.
Travelodge said that feedback from customers stated they wanted “an inviting, functional, warm, relaxing environment, with the main focus of the room being an extremely comfortable bed”.
Commenting on the new design Frances Whitley, Travelodge in-house interior designer said:
“It has been great working with our customers to design a purpose built room for them. Interestingly key learning we learnt were customers now want a high level of coordination between colours, shades, patterns and features. They are no longer happy with everything being the same colour.
“Tastes are also moving away from dark shades, today hotel users want a clean, fresh and bright colour scheme which they find uplifting and energising upon waking up from a good night’s sleep.
“The number one requirement from our customers was a good quality luxurious bed. Interestingly customer fed back that the addition of a coordinated runner on the bed lent a sense of freshness and suggested that the bed had been carefully prepared and wrapped for them.”
The new concept will feature in all new hotels opening this year, and the group will invest £57 million rolling it out to existing flagship and popular city centre hotels from this spring.
Travelodge says that by autumn next year 80 per cent of its estate will incorporate the new design, and says it is also working with customers to redesign its restaurants and public areas.
In addition the chain has announced plans to open 14 new properties this year – 12 in the UK and two in Spain.
Four of the new UK hotels will be located in London (Bethnal Green, Hounslow, Vauxhall and Walthamstow), with further properties in Liverpool, Cambridge, Aylesbury, Southport, Kings Lynn, Sittingbourne, Manchester and Chertsey.
Travelodge will also open a second hotel in Barcelona and a third in Madrid, bringing the group’s Spanish portfolio to six properties.
Last year Travelodge announced restructuring plans as part of a Company Voluntary Agreement, aimed at tackling the group’s debts (see online news August 17, 2012).
For more information visit travelodge.co.uk.
Report by Mark Caswell
