Travelodge, the UK’s first budget hotel brand, announces it has started work on a brand new 182-room hotel on the site of the new 16,500 seat national arena in Cardiff that will attract world-class artists and entertainment to the city. 

Located on the same site as the new arena, which will be operated by Live Nation, the new Travelodge forms part of the regeneration of Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff Bay. The new hotel will be approximately a five minute walk from Cardiff Bay Station, with frequent rail services to and from Cardiff Queen Street Station which has connecting services to the rest of the UK via Cardiff Central Station. There will also be designated parking at the hotel and additional parking close by, as part of the overall Atlantic Wharf redevelopment. 

The hotel will feature Travelodge’s new, premium look and feel design, including a modern reception area and next generation rooms designed for comfort and convenience. Guests will be able to unwind in the hotel’s 85 Bar Café, a perfect spot to relax after an iconic event at the new arena.

As part of the arena development by Live Nation, Robertson Property and Cardiff City Council, the hotel is being delivered by Mclaren Construction as the principal contractor.

As Travelodge continues to grow its portfolio across the UK, the Cardiff Gate hotel  represents an exciting and strategic addition to the portfolio, helping to meet growing demand for affordable accommodation within easy reach of national events venues. The new hotel will also contribute to the local economy through job creation and increased visitor footfall.

Tony O’Brien, UK Development Director comments: “We’re very excited to begin construction on our new hotel at the national arena in Cardiff. Once finished, the arena will hold world class events, making it a prime location for visitors, and the 182-room Travelodge will be one of our flagship assets, providing a well-connected, great-value base for business and leisure customers attending events at the new area or visiting Cardiff and the surrounding area.

This project is a brilliant example of how Councils can deliver very significant inward investment that will attract thousands of visitors to Cardiff every year. Travelodge has opened nearly 30 hotels, throughout GB, in partnership with Councils, delivering hundreds of new job and career opportunities and accommodating thousands of new visitors, who spend millions of pounds in the local areas.

“We’re delighted to see work now underway at this fantastic development and look forward to welcoming guests when the hotel opens.”

Leader of the Council, Cllr Huw Thomas, said: “Cardiff’s reputation for hosting prestigious events has firmly established the city on the global stage. We know there’s a growing need for modern hotel accommodation to support the increasing number of visitors to the Welsh capital. The new Travelodge hotel will help meet some of this demand and contribute to the regeneration of Atlantic Wharf, creating valuable jobs and opportunities for the local community.”

Elliot Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Robertson, said: “Working closely with Travelodge has ensured that the new Cardiff Gate Hotel will play an integral role in the regeneration of Atlantic Wharf.  The vision for the redevelopment of the area was always to support the venue with accessible accommodation that would also be ideally positioned for other visitors to Cardiff, and enhance the night time economy. With the works to deliver the hotel now underway we will see further economic benefits delivered to the community as the regeneration progresses.” 

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Notes to editors:

For further information, supporting images or a staff case study, please contact:

The Travelodge Press Office

T: 01844 358 703

E: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk 

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 620 hotels and over 47,000 bedrooms across the UK, Ireland and Spain.  

In Spain, Travelodge has an established profitable presence and has ambitious growth plans within this market and has identified the top 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 over 96% 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. 

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 and has already upgraded c.60% of the Travelodge room estate to its new design. 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 focusing on its environmental and social impact, with sustainability integral to its business strategy. Its Better Future sustainability plan aims to build a more sustainable future for its customers, colleagues and the planet, 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 the Travelodge website or Travelodge LinkedIn page.