Travelodge

[Martyn B]

So what do CFers think of good old Travelodge?

They seem to get a lot stick on some other forums, and I personally cant see why.

Ok, I will only stay with them when they have their brilliant sales on.(After all, this is a rather expensive hobby, so IMO a chain like Travelodge can really help keep the costs down for doing little trips away.

The rooms aren't exactly amazing I know, but then I have never really paid much to stay with them before. Next months stay at the Borehamwood hotel is actually the most I have had to pay - £23 per night. Which is still a bargain when consider that 4 adults can share a room. We have normally paid around £10-15 per night for other hotels (Maidstone - trips to France/Belgium etc) plus a few others.

So yeah, whilst I do like them, I would never, ever pay the full 'on the day' asking price, which can be anything upto £70 (Premier Inn would then be my choice if we needed a room there and then).

 

[Smithy]

Love.

Cheap, tidy, usually in decent locations.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

They're okay. When I book trips I usually go to hostelworld.com because they have the best prices for hotels and such, but as far as Travelodge goes I just find them standard and run-of-the-mill. I paid an arm and a leg for a night at the one near Alton actually.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

There's a few things people say about travelodges that are ****.

"They are all the same"
No, they are not. It's the same with all the similar brands, there is no quality control.

"They are filthy"
Well, this is true, but they are no more filthy than any other hotel.

"They are cheap"
Depends where they are.

I use them because they are usually the best price. When they aren't the best price, I don't use them. It's that simpel really.

 

[marc]

Some are ok and some are not.

If you get one that's been done up then it's ok, but if you don't then good luck trying to sleep.

 

[EnigmaHyena]

They're fine. How much time do you actually need to spend in a hotel? You're only really going there to sleep, wash in the morning and then leave (certainly the case with Lives) so it doesn't have to be a 5-star premium hotel setting you back £70 per person.

Besides, some Travelodges are so hideous they create brilliant banter. I've lost count of all the 'Lodge in-jokes I have now.

 

[Gavin]

They're very hit and miss really. Most of them are fine in the "cheap and cheerful" kind of way, and as a place to crash, there's usually nothing really wrong with them.

Unfortunately, some of them are pretty dreadful though. For example, the bigger one in Manchester city centre is actually decent, but the smaller one (Ancoats?) is a bit of a **** hole. It's better located and usually cheaper though.

The whole "cheap" thing isn't always true either. I think too many people use Travelodge as a default "cheap" option without actually looking around first. Unless you're paying £40 or under for the room, you can usually find something quite a bit nicer for the same price or less. Well, outside London at least. Again, back to Manchester. Last time I stayed there I got a room at the Ibis (not exactly luxury admitedly, but much better than Travelodge), which was better located, for about £10 less than even the crappy 'lodge, and I've got rooms in the Britannia, an actual hotel, for £20 before now.

But yeah, basically if I'm paying £40 or under for the room, I'm happy enough, but when it gets to be more than that (£80 minimum for the outskirts of London at the weekend for example), then I do view it quite differently.

The Southend one is VILE though. Just going to post my Tripadvisor review for **** and giggles. It's not entirely accurate, in that I actually paid less for the Ibis room and have stayed in both Manchester city centre 'lodges before, but I just wanted to emphasise a point.

I've stayed at quite a few Travelodge properties in the past, so I thought I knew what to expect: a basic, but clean, neat and functional room at a price that matches this. Not so in Southend! Clearly, at £60 we weren't going to get 5* luxury. However, in my experience, as this is at the higher end of the Travelodge price range (I've paid £80-£90 in London, but usually considerably less), I was expecting this place to at least be comparable to others in the chain.

It's not; it's completely vile.

The receptionist was friendly and efficient when we checked in, so no complaints there at all. We'd booked specifically for three people, but the room was clearly only made up for two. There were only two towels and no bedding at all for the pull-out mattress. It's only because we'd stayed with Travelodge before that we even knew there was a pull-out mattress tucked under the sofa. For a first (and presumably last) time guest it would seem that the third person is supposed to sleep on the couch.

The room was falling apart with bits hanging off the desk and stains on the walls and lampshades.

The "pillows" were a joke, not that I got to use one since I picked the short straw and got the pull-out mattress, which as I've already mentioned had no bedding despite the room being booked for three people.

As luck would have it, since the room was hotter than Susan Boyle doing star jumps, wearing a fat suit, in Death Valley in July, I didn't need the bedding anyway.

The heat really was just beyond ridiculous. The windows only open a couple of inches, presumably to prevent people throwing themselves out of them when they realise that they've made nothing of their life if they're reduced to staying here, so there was just no way whatsoever to prevent the room from feeling disgustingly sweaty at all times of the day and night, despite the weather being decidedly cool and pleasant outside.

Yes, it was noisy as others have noted, but I'm not bothered about that since it was expected and is not the fault of the hotel. I'm only mentioning it so that anyone reading this is made even more aware of the fact. To be honest, if you're that stupid that you've looked at the location of this place, seen the website, read these reviews, booked the room anyway and then complained about the noise, then you don't deserve nice things in your life anyway.

Travelodge needs to take a good, hard look at this place and either completely renovate it or get rid of the thing altogether. It's an absolutely shameful representation of the brand. First time Travelodge guests, if they had any sense, would NOT be staying with the company again, and Travelodge regulars, like myself, are having their faith in the product really shaken.

In fact, I'm going to Manchester in a few weeks and have opted for a slightly more expensive Ibis room as I don't want to take the risk that anywhere else in the chain even remotely resembles the seventh circle of hell that is Southend Travelodge.

 

[marc]

They're fine. How much time do you actually need to spend in a hotel? You're only really going there to sleep, wash in the morning and then leave (certainly the case with Lives) so it doesn't have to be a 5-star premium hotel setting you back £70 per person.

Besides, some Travelodges are so hideous they create brilliant banter. I've lost count of all the 'Lodge in-jokes I have now.

The problem is some of us are old and need to sleep after a 4 hour drive and I just cannot half the time.

Gavin's right as well some times they are not cheap and when a premier inn is only £10 more a night for me that's better value for money.

Tbh the one near Drayton and Oakwood were fine. The Gatwick one is really bad. I'm not even going to mention the one we all slag off lol.

 

[nadroJ]

I think the worst I've ever stayed in was Preston. Bloody awful place, the car park was unnegotiable, the window had been left wide open so the bedding was damp, the glasses in the room had lipstick on and there was a giant cock drawn on the wall.

When I can, I try now to stay in B&Bs. Much more pleasant of an atmosphere, breakfast included and it's nice for things to be a bit different. But Travelodges will do when they have to. Tolworth is disgusting (Curry-dor <//3) but is fun when with the right people so I don't really notice when I stay there with CF. If it's just me and Sam though it gets uncomfortable when there's nothing to distract you from the dreariness.

So meh, they're OK, but I'd rather an Ibis or something else.

 

[Smithy]

I'm the opposite, I much prefer the 'take your key and I'll see you when you check out'' feeling of a Travelodge than the 'homely' feel of a B&B. Can come and go when I please, usually decent and safe parking, easily booked and paid for online. Basically I'm just not a people person so the lack of any sort of personability you get from a Travelodge suits me to a tee :lol: .

 

[Ian]

I'll always book the most suitable hotel depending on cost and location.

I've stayed in hotels worse than Travelodge's and, obviously, plenty of better ones. The problem with Travelodge is, like Thorpe Park, most of us use them frequently therefore we are likely to scrutinise each hotel.

They're prefectly fine as a simple, cheapish bed for the night but I wouldn't want to spend an week long holiday in one. I'm usually drunk when I stay at a Lodge so getting to sleep isn't a problem

 

[ATTACKHAMMER]

Don't like them. Dirty, also ways next to motorways and the bar closes early.

 

[caffeine_demon]

Basically, if I need a hotel night - I may use them if:

1 - They're keenly priced compared to other hotels/bnbs nearby
2 - They're well located

 

[nadroJ]

I'm the opposite, I much prefer the 'take your key and I'll see you when you check out'' feeling of a Travelodge than the 'homely' feel of a B&B. Can come and go when I please, usually decent and safe parking, easily booked and paid for online. Basically I'm just not a people person so the lack of any sort of personability you get from a Travelodge suits me to a tee :lol: .

Every B&B I've ever been in I've booked and paid for it online, been given my own key so I can come and go as I please and I've had my own parking space. AND I got breakfast included. So there.

 

[Jake]

Meh, I'm quite impartial to them really.

I just look at price and location before I book anything. They're quite connected too, as in, a hotel miles from the centre will cost you more to get to and from, so ends up being more expensive (plus the hassle) than one in the centre which is £10 more or whatevs.

Even the bad travelodges are like palaces compared to some of the dumps I've stayed in!

I've never been a hotel snob though. Never spent enough time in them to really care to be honest.

So, yeah. In the UK I've probably used them less than half of the time. There's usually something cheaper, but if not, I'll end up in a lodge.

 

[Smithy]

Every B&B I've ever been in I've booked and paid for it online, been given my own key so I can come and go as I please and I've had my own parking space. AND I got breakfast included. So there.

I stand corrected.

 

[Martyn B]

I only really book Travelodge's if I've got a trip in mind, and I'm not fussed with the date. I'll have a quick search on their website, and if a cheap room comes up, I'll book it. If not (and if I'm after a specific date), I'll go elsewhere.

Premier Inn's have good sales on now too, I've booked a couple for £29 before (and they stand by their 'good night guarantee').

 

[Colossus]

I don`t like them and will avoid them if I can.

We inherited one for 2 nights in Central Watford for our Legoland / Thorpe weekend, and although it cost nothing it still really wound me up, for two reasons.

A) No Car Parking - the only place to park the car was in the multi-story car park next door, and that costs £26 to park over night and they lock it so your car was inaccessible from 11pm to 6am, so we had to park 15 minutes walk away in a long stay car park at Watford Junction. I might be willing to excuse this a little as its in the center of Watford town, but the website clearly stated Car Parking Available, what it does not state is that its £26 or 15 minute walk away. As we entered and left the hotel on numerous occasions over the weekend, there was always somebody at the desk complaining about this.

B) Breakfast - now I know this is not really a big deal to some, but for me, especially on a park day, breakfast is vital, and breakfast here, was crap. It was cold, there was no selection, even the OJ didn't taste right, quite simply the worst breakfast I have ever had, period.

Although I didn't pay for my stay so I weren't overly bothered, if I had I would have I would have been very cross indeed.

I prefer B&B`s over mainstream chains.

 

[Smithy]

I've only ever paid for a breakfast once, it was at the Docklands one in London. The food was awful and expensive for what it was, so since then I tend to just make sure I've got postcodes for the nearest McDonalds/Tesco and nip out for breakfast.

Kettle in the room means can snack on Pot Noodles though

 

[Martyn B]

A) No Car Parking - the only place to park the car was in the multi-story car park next door, and that costs £26 to park over night and they lock it so your car was inaccessible from 11pm to 6am, so we had to park 15 minutes walk away in a long stay car park at Watford Junction. I might be willing to excuse this a little as its in the center of Watford town, but the website clearly stated Car Parking Available, what it does not state is that its £26 or 15 minute walk away.

They should (and probably do) state that there is a charge for parking, and it is at an 'off site' car park. Most city centre Travelodge's do state that, and if that is the case, it's kinda your fault for not doing your homework. No matter where I'm going, I always try to do as much research as possible.