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===Little Chef Lodge===
===Little Chef Lodge===
[[File:Little Chef Lodge logo.jpg|250px|thumb|right|alt=Little Chef Lodge.|The Little Chef Lodge logo.]]
[[File:Little Chef Lodge logo.jpg|250px|thumb|right|alt=Little Chef Lodge.|The Little Chef Lodge logo.]]
The first Forte hotel opened under the name '''Little Chef Lodge''' at [[Gretna]] in 1972. A further 27 branches opened. They played on the popularity of the [[Little Chef]] name, allowing them to advertise their cheap rates and the availability of a Little Chef breakfast in the morning. Prices started at £19.50 for a single room and £24.50 for a family room.
The first Forte hotel opened under the name '''Little Chef Lodge''' at [[Gretna]] in 1972. A further 27 branches opened. They played on the popularity of the [[Little Chef]] name, allowing them to advertise their cheap rates and the availability of a Little Chef breakfast in the morning. Prices started at £19.50 for a single room and £24.50 for a family room. They claimed this "new concept" was unique because of its simplicity.


As the Forte Travelodge began to appear on the roadside, this replaced all the Little Chef Lodges in 1988. However, Little Chef and Travelodge continued to be opened in pairs across the country, with each one bringing more trade to the other.
As the Forte Travelodge began to appear on the roadside, this replaced all the Little Chef Lodges in 1988. However, Little Chef and Travelodge continued to be opened in pairs across the country, with each one bringing more trade to the other.

Revision as of 21:43, 30 July 2019

Travelodge
Travelodge
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Locations:37 motorway sites
Introduced:1987
Predecessors:Forte Travelodge, Granada Lodge, Innkeepers Lodge, Purple Hotels, Little Chef Lodge
Successors:Days Inn, Welcome Lodge, Redwing Lodge
Official Website:
www.travelodge.co.uk

Travelodge is a budget accommodation chain which spread to roadsides across the country, and can now be found at most Moto services.

It is based on the US brand of the same name, which had the UK rights to it purchased by Trusthouse Forte in 1985. These opened under the name Forte Travelodge and were advertised as the UK's first cheap hotel options, primarily aimed at road users. These then spread to city centres, and to Ireland and Spain.

When Forte and their brands were purchased by Granada, their own Granada Lodges became Travelodges. Welcome Break was sold shortly afterwards, and those partner motels were changed to Welcome Lodge.

Now owned by Dubai International Capital, Travelodge customers usually book in advance, which means its hotels tend fill up even if they are in isolated locations. Since the advent of hotel comparison websites, some people have been caught out as they didn't realise many Travelodges are traditional motels and can't be safely accessed without a car.

Despite this, some hotels have closed, usually due to changes in the road network or changes to the neighbouring restaurants. These have then been bought by other names such as Redwing Lodge or Rivington Lodge. As Travelodge is no longer owned by a motorway service area operator, there is no guarantee that any more motorway sites will open.

As Travelodge provides the hotel only, in most locations dining is limited to any facilities nearby.

Little Chef Lodge

Little Chef Lodge.
The Little Chef Lodge logo.

The first Forte hotel opened under the name Little Chef Lodge at Gretna in 1972. A further 27 branches opened. They played on the popularity of the Little Chef name, allowing them to advertise their cheap rates and the availability of a Little Chef breakfast in the morning. Prices started at £19.50 for a single room and £24.50 for a family room. They claimed this "new concept" was unique because of its simplicity.

As the Forte Travelodge began to appear on the roadside, this replaced all the Little Chef Lodges in 1988. However, Little Chef and Travelodge continued to be opened in pairs across the country, with each one bringing more trade to the other.

Opened in 2001, the Peterborough Eye branch has a Little Chef inside the motel, where you may expect to find the bar in other establishments. At most others, the two were either next door to each other or connected by a corridor. Little Chef menus would be provided in the rooms, usually with discounts available.

Travelodge and Little Chef were sold as a pair and as a joint company in 2003 to Permira of Canada. The rumour was that Permira were only interested in Travelodge, but the two were too interlinked to separate them. Permira spent a year separated Little Chef before selling it in 2005. This ended the partnership.

Locations

Travelodge operate at almost all Moto services. They are: [view on a map - Download KMLrefine search]

A-road Services

Travelodge can be found at many A-road services:

Former Locations

Travelodge no longer operates at the following locations:

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