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Budget hotel chain Travelodge has opened its first hotel in Gravesend at Coldharbour Road, marking the company’s 13th hotel in Kent.
The hotel is the first of two hotels that the company will open in the county this year. The other will be the company’s first hotel in Dover. The 108-room hotel with Bar Café is located in the new St James’ development. Collectively these two hotels represent an investment of £14.5m for third party investors and will create 45 new jobs.
The Gravesend property is a 61-bedroom hotel with on-site car-parking and has been designed in Travelodge’s new contemporary brand design and offers the new upgraded room concept – which has been designed by the company’s business and leisure customers.
Gravesend Travelodge is managed by Eric Dagrou, who joined Travelodge four years ago as assistant manager at Croydon Central Travelodge. During his time with the company he has also managed the Dartford and London Sidcup Travelodge hotels.
Dagrou, commenting on the opening, said: “I am thrilled to have made history by managing the first Travelodge hotel in Gravesend. We have been looking for some time to open a hotel in the town, especially as there is a desperate need for good quality accommodation at a great value price. Our new hotel is ideally located for business and leisure travellers visiting the area.
“I have built a great team and together we have got the hotel off to a flying start. Business on the books is looking good for the year ahead with business customers staying with us during the week and leisure customers during the weekend. This is great news for the local community as our research shows our customers will collectively spend, over £2m annually with local businesses during their stay.”
