Travelodge unveils its ‘budget-luxe’ upgraded hotels – are they worth a visit?

Travelodge has announced the completion of the first phase of its ‘budget-luxe’ hotel upgrade programme.

68 hotels have been overhauled, of which 65 are refurbishments and three are new-builds designed around the new template. The plan is to drive up the quality of the entire estate, presumably moving it nearer to Premier Inn.

Is it worth a look though?

We are pro-Premier Inn on Head for Points, with multiple UK experiences finding them to be surprisingly good quality and – in many cases – on a par with a low end Hilton or Holiday Inn. Here is our last review of the Premier Inn at Heathrow Terminal 4 for example.

Travelodge, on the other hand, tends to have reputation on a par with ibis Budget. It doesn’t help that I drive past the Battersea one on a regular basis which must surely be the most desperate looking hotel building in the UK.

This is a little unfair though. Back in 2018 we reviewed the new Travelodge PLUS hotel in the City and were impressed.

What is the ‘budget-luxe design’?

According to Travelodge, the new look has three elements:

• a new ‘timeless classic style’ reception

• a ‘next generation multi-dimensional room’ (not entirely sure if that means it offers time travel!)

• a contemporary restaurant and bar called The Bar Cafe

Whilst this is clearly PR nonsense of the highest level, the actual offering sounds OK:

New reception areas

These are:

‘designed in a warm timeless classic style featuring a decorative panel design, soft low LED lighting, stylish leather bench seating and wooden style flooring. The new colour palette includes the new warm Travelodge signature navy blue shade complemented against a palette of fresh tranquil neutral shades’

New-look bedrooms 

As you can see from the top image above, it looks perfectly acceptable.

To quote:

‘The bespoke luxurious king-size Travelodge Dreamer bed remains the king of the room and is dressed with crisp white bed linen which includes a cosy 10.5 tog duvet and comfy pillows. The bed sits within a light box bed frame that emanates a soft, warm glow to aid relaxation and features bedside reading lights and USB charging points.  Located above the bed is a bespoke piece of artwork commissioned by Travelodge which has been inspired by classic lullabies, with clever use of playful and discoverable elements to help you drift off to sleep.  

The en-suite bathroom also features a new brilliant white complementary design and décor with complimentary hand, hair and body wash.’

You are also getting:

• A spacious desk and a stylish desk chair
• A ‘cosy statement’ armchair
• Blackout curtains
• Complimentary tea & coffee making facilities 
• A TV with Freeview 
• LED lighting in the room and bathroom 
• Complimentary WIFI for 30 mins £3 for 24 hours

The new restaurant and bar

To quote:

‘The stylish Bar Café features a well-designed space for guests to work, relax and socialise. The restaurant features a contemporary design, with key statement features and a warm relaxing ambiance.  The restaurant offers distinctive zones designed to suit the needs of business and leisure travellers. These include counter seating with built-in USB and laptop power for those working outside the room, dining zones with intimate booths and dining benches for groups.  Situated in the heart of the Bar Café is a stylish statement bar which offers a selection of wines, popular spirits and a range of ales.’

Where do I find these new-look Travelodge hotels?

We haven’t been given a list. The three new-build hotels are London Docklands Central (East India DLR), Wimbledon and Hexham.

There is a dropdown menu on this page of the Travelodge website which shows you where to go. They are also clearly flagged as ‘New Design’ during the booking process.

If we can find a suitably cheap deal near the HfP office we may send Rhys down to give it a go ….

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