The Leader of Dover District Council, Councillor Keith Morris, and Chairman of the council, Councillor Sue Chandler, joined Travelodge UK Property Director, Tony O\u2019Brien to officially open the company\u2019s first hotel in Dover.<\/p>\n
Travelodge\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Dover <\/span><\/a>, a purpose built, 108-room hotel with Bar Caf\u00e9 and on-site car-parking, represents a \u00a39 million investment for the landlord, Legal & General, undertaken by the council\u2019s development partner Bond City Ltd, and has created 30 new jobs within the local community. \u00a0It overlooks Dover Castle and is one of the first businesses to open at St James retail & leisure development.<\/p>\n The hotel has been styled in the company\u2019s latest contemporary brand design. All rooms feature the luxurious, king-size Travelodge Dreamer bed which is surrounded by mood lighting and also offers spacious bedside shelves for smart devices and USB charging points.\u00a0All family rooms include two individual beds for the children.<\/p>\n The rooms have LED ceiling lighting, providing a warmer ambiance, Travelodge\u2019s \u2018comfort cooling\u2019 which enables guests to regulate the temperature of their room, a 32 inch Freeview TV, complementary tea and coffee making facilities and WiFi.<\/p>\n The hotel\u2019s Bar Caf\u00e9 offers a breakfast, dinner and bar menu. Travelodge\u2019s \u2018Unlimited\u2019 breakfast menu is just \u00a38.95 per person and for each paying guest two children eat for free.<\/p>\n At the official opening ceremony of Dover Travelodge, Kent\u2019s first branded budget hotel operator announced that it is looking to almost double its portfolio in the county and is seeking a further 12 hotel sites.\u00a0This expansion represents an investment of \u00a360m, a job creation of 300, and will boost Travelodge\u2019s portfolio in Kent to 25 hotels.<\/p>\n Locations include: Beckenham, Bluewater\/Ebbsfleet, Canterbury,\u00a0Dartford, Deal\/Sandwich, Folkestone, Gillingham\/Rochester,\u00a0 Herne Bay\/Whitstable, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Swanley and Tonbridge.<\/p>\n Tony O\u2019Brien<\/strong>, Travelodge Property Director said:<\/p>\n \u201cToday is a double celebration for Travelodge. Not only have we opened our first hotel in Dover but this opening also cements our presence at the UK\u2019s busiest cruise ship ports. Dover was the outstanding port and we are thrilled to bring good quality accommodation at a great value price in the heart of the town centre, close to the cruise and ferry terminals.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLooking forward, Kent remains a key growth area for Travelodge. The county\u2019s reputation as a great short break destination is flourishing and attracting record visitor numbers. However, there is still a shortage of branded budget accommodation across Kent. Therefore to meet this growing consumer demand we are looking for 12 new hotel sites across the county. \u00a0This expansion will nearly double our presence in Kent to 25 hotels and represents an investment of \u00a360 million and a job creation of 300.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Leader of Dover District Council, Councillor Keith Morris,<\/strong> said:<\/p>\n \u201cTravelodge was one of the first tenants to sign-up for the St James development, and we\u2019re delighted to see the new hotel open for business. It\u2019s particularly pleasing to see this investment create 30 new jobs, and we thrilled that Travelodge is looking for future sites in Deal and Sandwich as well as across the Kent county.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDover Travelodge is perfectly located for visitors to enjoy everything on offer at St James but also have Dover\u2019s rich array of attractions on their door step. This includes: Dover Castle, The White Cliffs, Dover Museum and the Bronze Age Boat, many of which are within walking distance of the hotel. Not to mention the close proximity to Dover\u2019s magnificent waterfront, and the ferry and cruise terminals at the Port of Dover.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Dover Travelodge is being managed by Paula Brown<\/strong> \u2013 who started with the company seven years ago as a team member at Margate Westwood Travelodge.<\/p>\n Paula is one of hundreds of Travelodge managers who have successfully climbed the career ladder from an entry level position in to management. \u00a0Paula was promoted to her first management job in 2013 at Canterbury Whitstable Travelodge.<\/p>\n Paula Brown<\/strong>, Hotel Manager, Dover Travelodge said:<\/p>\n \u201cI am very proud to have built a fantastic team who are as passionate as me about delivering great customer service. Our new hotel has got off to a flying start and customers are loving our new look rooms, especially the Travelodge Dreamer bed. Also our unlimited breakfast menu has been a big hit especially as children get to eat for free.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLooking ahead, business on the books is very encouraging and we are set for a very busy 2018. This is great news for the local economy too; as research shows that our customers will spend \u00a32 million with local businesses during their stay.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n