Budget hotel chain Travelodge has completed a £1 million revamp of its website travelodge.co.uk.
The new site aims to offer a faster booking process with a modern look and advanced search facilities.
Guy Parsons, chief operating officer for Travelodge said: “We get about 500,000 visitors to the site every week and 87 per cent of our business comes via our own website. But we are continually doing research for our customers and two things became apparent. Firstly that our customers are looking for a fast booking process and secondly that they want to know what is around the area [where they are staying].”
The new site has halved the ten-step booking process, and, in a first for a hotel company, Travelodge has used Google Maps technology to create a feature called Explore the UK.
This function allows travellers to see what attractions and events are located in the hotel’s local area, as well as plan their journey to and from the hotel.
Parsons says: “When you are on business the most important thing is to be close to where your meeting is - you don’t have a choice as to where that is. But we want people to be able to find a local restaurant or place of interest near the hotel.”
Other benefits for guests booking online are: the ability to book wifi internet access in advance at £10 for 24 hours; a ten per cent discount on breakfast rates; and a two-course meal voucher for £8.
The new Travelodge Light Start Breakfast includes: PG Tips or Kenco, a cereal pot, a Fairtrade flapjack, a cereal bar and a natural fruit smoothie. It costs £4.50, while the eat as much as you can breakfast costs £7.50.
Travelodge continues to expand with 44 new hotels opening this year (4,000 rooms) and it expects to triple its estate by 2020.
For more information see travelodge.co.uk.
Report by Felicity Cousins
