Travelodge was the first budget hotel brand to launch in the UK in 1985 and now operates 380 hotels (over 26,000 rooms) - in Ireland, Spain and the UK. Travelodge is growing rapidly with plans to operate 70,000 rooms (approximately 1000 hotels) by 2020 and aims to be the biggest hotel operator in London by the 2012 Olympics.

Six and a half million people stayed with Travelodge last year and 87% of reservations are currently made online at travelodge.co.uk, where room prices start from £19 per night. The chain employs 5,500 staff and is owned by Dubai International Capital, who acquired the organisation from Permira in 2006. In January 2009, Travelodge launched the UK hotel industry's first retail-style price checking programme where it compares prices of all of the major UK hotel chains to ensure that it remains that number one on price.