Travelodge, one of the UK’s largest hotel chains, has opened 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 £7m 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 said, “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.”
Travelodge has hotels close to the UK’s top 20 shopping centres which includes 17 intu shopping centres.