With 5,714 rooms and 40 hotels in the Capital, Travelodge, the UK’s fastest growing hotel chain, has taken the title of being the biggest hotel brand in London from Hilton. 

Travelodge is also on track to have at least 50 hotels and nearly 7,000 rooms in London for the start of the Olympic Games - leaving its competitors clearly behind in the race to be biggest by the time of the opening ceremony.  These new openings will create around 250 jobs across the Capital.

Guy Parsons, Travelodge Chief Executive, said: “Nothing better demonstrates the evolution of Travelodge from our road side origins than becoming the biggest hotel brand in London.

“Whilst others scaled back their development in the capital during the recession we maintained our commitment to growth. This ensured we secured sites in locations such as Bank, Twickenham and Vauxhall that are the envy of the hotel industry.

“To be the biggest at the start of the Olympic Games also sends a strong message that everyone is welcome in London. The 5* and boutique hotels have a role to play but a strong budget hotel market ensures we can welcome the world with high quality low priced accommodation.”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: “As we gear up to welcome people from across the globe in 2012 it is great to see a big name hotel firm like Travelodge enjoying such vigorous expansion in London. By creating new jobs and extra rooms in all areas of the capital Travelodge is making a very important contribution to our preparations for what will be the best ever Olympic and Paralympic Games ever held.”

Travelodge is also announcing today that it has exchanged contracts on eight new hotels in the capital over the last six months. Combined, this represents a £60 million investment in London and will create 215 new jobs.
All of the entry-level jobs will be made available to the long-term unemployed in London thanks to Travelodge’s pioneering partnership with Job Centre Plus. Potential employees are given six-weeks training to provide them with the skills and confidence needed to re-enter the workforce.

Paul Harvey, Managing Director of Development for Travelodge, said: “Whilst the Olympic Games will undoubtedly provide strong returns for hotel companies, the long-term growth plan for Travelodge is concentrated in London’s suburbs.

“Across the outer London boroughs there is a clear lack of hotel rooms. Large numbers of residents, centres of employment and excellent transport links all drive room nights. Yet due to the dominance of the central London market, hotel companies have neglected these areas over the years.

“It is no exaggeration to say that every tube station could sustain a budget hotel and we have set an ambitious growth target over the forthcoming years in London”.

Travelodge currently has 466 hotels and 32,477 rooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain. The budget hotel chain has a target is to have 1,100 hotels in Europe with over 100,000 rooms by 2025.

Over the last five years Travelodge has heavily focused on city centre growth to rebalance its portfolio away from roadside locations. Today 18% of Travelodge rooms are in London, 62% of rooms are in major cities and towns with the remaining 20% of rooms located at major motorways and roadside locations. 

Travelodge opened its first hotel in London in January 1988 – Heathrow Heston Westbound (145 rooms)