Today, Travelodge, the UK’s first branded budget hotel brand to launch in Spain has announced its Spanish business has had a record year. Travelodge Hoteles España which operates five hotels with restaurants in Madrid (2), Barcelona (2) and Valencia (1) grew sales by over 20% for the year to 31st December 2016.
With record customer numbers the company also saw a significant increase in business customers driving good occupancy growth, with customer metrics also improving.
Travelodge Hoteles España opened its first hotel in Madrid in 2004. Today the company operates in Spain’s three largest cities and employs around 100 people.
In the UK, Travelodge is the UK’s largest independent hotel chain and operates 526 hotels in the UK and 12 hotels in Ireland. It is also the largest hotel brand in London and Edinburgh.
To help continue to grow its business in Spain and to attract new business and leisure customers, Travelodge and its property landlord, ALRRA, has jointly invested €700,000 to upgrade its first hotel in Barcelona – which opened in 2006.
The hotel is located opposite Fira De Barcelona, the second largest trade fair and exhibition centre in Europe. It’s the only branded budget hotel within the area and provides great value accommodation to the thousands of business and leisure visitors attending events at the centre throughout the year.
The investment has included upgrading the hotel in line with Travelodge’s new contemporary brand design. This includes a new upgraded room concept which has been created by Travelodge customers, a new modern reception area and contemporary designed restaurant - where customers can enjoy breakfast, dinner and a bar service.
All 83 rooms in the hotel now feature either an upgraded luxurious queen size bed or two twin beds, modern en-suite facilities with power shower, air-conditioning, flat screen TV with digital channels and WIFI.
In addition Travelodge has worked with a chromotherapy expert and has introduced a sleep inducing colour palette in the room's décor. The feature wall has been painted a tranquil blue, as research shows our body clock is programmed to relate the colour blue to the hours of darkness. So when we look at the colour blue, our metabolism slows down, making us feel relaxed and sleepy.
Also as part of this upgrade investment; Travelodge has renamed the hotel from Barcelona Hospitalet to Barcelona Fira to mark its close location to the trade fair and exhibition centre - as it’s a key accommodation provider for the visitors coming to the centre.
Angel Beleno, General Director, Spain said: “We are delighted to report a record year in Spain. We now have a strong presence in the country’s three largest cities and our business is growing from strength to strength. We are filling the gap in the market by providing good quality and great value accommodation, and as a result we are seeing significant growth from business customers.”
“As we look forward we continue to grow our business and enhance the customer experience. I would like to thank our landlord, ALRRA for their investment support to modernise our first hotel in Barcelona. As part of this upgrade, we have also re-branded the hotel name from Travelodge L’ Hospitalet to Travelodge Fira, as the hotel is located opposite Fira De Barcelona, the second largest trade fair and exhibition centre in Europe. This investment is delivering excellent results and our new-look rooms are driving substantial improvements in guest satisfaction.”
In addition to Barcelona Fira Travelodge, the company also operates a 250 room hotel in Barcelona’s 22@district,Barcelona Poblenou, which is also the company’s largest hotel in Spain.
Images of the new look Barcelona Fira Travelodge are available by calling the Travelodge Press office on 01844 35 8703.
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For further information please contact:
Spain
Ainhoa Soria, Account Director for Marcode Comunicacion
T: 0034 618 038 876
E: ainhoa@marcodecomunicacion.com
UK
Travelodge Press Office
Tel: 01844 35 8703
E: pressoffice@travelodge.co.uk
Notes to editors:
About Travelodge
In 1985, Travelodge opened the UK’s first budget (value) hotel on the A38, in Barton-under-Needwood. Today, it is the UK’s largest independent hotel chain and has hotels in all major UK cities, towns, airports and holiday locations. The company operates 543 hotels in total - across the UK (526), Ireland (12) and Spain (5).
Travelodge is owned by GoldenTree Asset Management, Avenue Capital Group and Goldman Sachs.
Travelodge is on a journey to become Britain’s favourite hotel for value. In December 2015, the company successfully completed its £100 million nationwide hotel modernisation programme - showcasing the company’s new contemporary brand look and a new improved room design. The programme was completed in just 34 months by Travelodge’s in-house - 200 strong maintenance team.