Travelodge, the UK’s first budget hotel brand which operates over 600 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain, has agreed to acquire 11 hotels across the UK, adding to its existing portfolio of 588 UK-based hotels. This forms part of the Company’s focus on targeting rebrand opportunities as part of its UK and Spanish growth plans.

Nine of the hotels Travelodge intends to acquire are former Hotel Campanile hotels, totalling 951 rooms, five acquired on a freehold basis and four to be acquired long-leasehold. This acquisition builds on Travelodge’s strategy to enhance value by diversifying its freehold/leasehold split. The hotels are located in Birmingham, Bradford, Dartford, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Swindon.

The other two UK hotels for which Travelodge has recently exchanged contracts are in Bromsgrove and Wakefield. Bromsgrove is a former Ibis hotel, where Travelodge has taken a new, 25-year lease. Featuring 43-rooms, the hotel is currently being refitted by Travelodge and is due to open in May. The newly acquired hotel in Wakefield is a former independent hotel (CitiLodge), with 74-rooms, and is being converted to the Travelodge brand by the owner, with the hotel expected to open in August, at which time Travelodge will enter into a new, 25-year lease. Both hotels will be fully refitted to Travelodge’s design and brand standards before opening.

Travelodge has also recently opened a new hotel in Bromley Town Centre, which was a former Ibis hotel. The Company exchanged contracts in January and has fully refitted the hotel to its brand design. The hotel opened for trading last month.

The acquisition of these hotels marks another positive step in our UK development strategy, as we seek to grow and optimise our estate of hotels and enhance value by diversifying our freehold and leasehold split. There are still many locations throughout the UK and Spain where we can open a new Travelodge hotel, to provide great value and quality accommodation. Acquisitions of properties which can be rebranded to Travelodge are a key part of our development strategy, as we look to continue to grow our footprint. We have a requirement to open over a further 300 hotels across the UK, and are seeking prime opportunities when they become available. Steve Bennett, Chief Property and Development Officer at Travelodge

About Travelodge

Founded in 1985, Travelodge is Britain’s very first budget hotel chain and today is one of the largest budget hotel chains in the UK, with a portfolio of over 600 hotels and over 47,000 bedrooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain.

In Spain, Travelodge has an established profitable presence and as of April 2024, its portfolio doubled to 12 hotels, having recently acquired a further six properties. Travelodge has ambitious growth plans within this market and has identified the top 20 key locations where it would like to open additional hotels in Spain.

Welcoming over 22 million guests annually across the UK, Ireland and Spain, the majority of Travelodge hotels are located in major cities, towns and holiday hotspots as well as by airports and key business hubs. With 90% of its hotels rated 4* or above on TripAdvisor, Travelodge is proud to offer guests across its diverse customer base a good value experience – whether they are travelling for business or leisure. In 2023, approximately 50% of rooms were sold for less than £60.

Whether out celebrating a birthday, going to a concert or sporting event, visiting friends and family, taking a business trip, working away from home, or taking a short break, we help people to go and do their thing by Being the Brilliant Base.

Travelodge continues to invest in its ongoing hotel refit programme which is expected to see 50% of the Travelodge room estate upgraded to its new design by the end of 2024. The brand is also continually evolving its quality offering to deliver a better experience for its diverse mix of business and leisure guests such as its new look Bar Cafe design, 85 Bar Café, which has been rolled out to selected UK hotels as part of the refit programme.

Travelodge is focussing on its environmental and social impact, with sustainability integral to its business strategy. It’s Better Future sustainability plan aims to build a more sustainable future for its customers, colleagues and the planet, and it is underpinned by three core pillars: Inclusive – ensuring we are accessible, inclusive and well-priced to our customers and colleagues; Caring – creating a caring and healthy environment for our colleagues and customers and ensuring their wellbeing; and Conscious – Travelodge is conscious of its impact on the planet, taking into account the waste it produces, the energy and other resources it consumes and the carbon emissions it generates.

For further information visit travelodge.co.uk or the Travelodge Hotels Limited LinkedIn page.

Alison McNulty
Property PR Manager
Travelodge