Travelodge has today strengthened its presence in Spain by opening its biggest hotel in the country’s second largest city, Barcelona. The new purpose built 250-room hotel which is situated in the heart of the most innovative district in Barcelona “22@” – also known as the city’s ‘Silicon Valley’ represents an investment of €30 million.
Barcelona Poblenou Travelodge is the Company’s fifth hotel in Spain and is also the first of two new Spanish hotel openings for the budget hotelier this year.
The second hotel will be located in the famous Julian Camarilo commercial district in Madrid and is scheduled to open this summer.
These two new properties double Travelodge’s room stock in Spain to 700 and boost the number of hotels to six which comprises of three properties in Madrid, two in Barcelona and one in Valencia.
Paul Harvey, Travelodge Managing Director, commented: “We now have a strong presence in Spain’s top three largest cities and we are delighted today to open our largest Spanish hotel in the heart of Barcelona’s up and coming business district 22@.
“The demand for branded budget accommodation is rapidly growing across Spain. Like the UK market the recession has forced many Spanish businesses and financial institutions to make cutbacks. As a result, we have seen a significant rise in corporate business come through our doors. In addition over the last 12 months, 65% of Spaniards have taken a Staycation break. Just like Britons, price is a key deciding factor for the Spanish domestic market, when booking a hotel room. Therefore by offering rooms from 20 Euros we have been able to capitalise upon this growing market and achieve high occupancy across our Spanish hotels.
“The opportunity to grow in Spain is still huge as the branded budget hotel sector represents just two per cent of total hotel stock. This is substantially lower than other European countries such as France which is 24% and the UK which currently stands under 20%. Going forward we want to focus on growing our existing portfolio and are looking for suitable sites across Spain’s top ten largest cities such as Granada and Seville.”
With over seven million visitors annually visiting Barcelona, the new Travelodge hotel has got off to a flying start with a high level of bookings. Room rates start from 20 Euros. Each room has en-suite facilities, a luxury king Size bed, air conditioning / heating, a flat screen TV and Internet connection. The hotel also has a Bar Café which offers a 24-hour food and drink service and has two meeting rooms and underground car-parking.
