SCOTTISH budget hotel chain Travelodge has opened new accommodation in Inverness.
The Inverness City Centre Travelodge represents an investment of £5 million for third party investors and has created 22 new jobs within the community
The company’s 43rd Scottish hotel is located in the heart of the city centre.
Inverness City Centre Travelodge, the company’s 557th hotel, is located on Academy Street and was built in 15 months. The 54-room Travelodge is the company’s first hotel in Inverness to feature a bar cafe offering a breakfast, dinner and bar menu.
The hotel has been styled in the company’s new upgraded contemporary brand design which has been influenced by feedback from business and leisure customers and features free WiFi for half an hour, an unlimited breakfast menu and for each paying adult two children eat for free.
The hotel was officially opened yesterday by the Provost of Inverness, councillor Helen Carmichael, and Travelodge’s new UK operations director, Nigel Mackenzie.
Inverness City Centre Travelodge is the company’s fourth hotel in the Scottish Highlands. In addition, over the last 24 months, Travelodge has invested nearly £500,000 upgrading its other Highland hotels in the company’s new contemporary brand style.
Nigel Mackenzie said: “I am thrilled to be officially opening my first Travelodge in Inverness in my new role as UK Operations Director. This city is very special to me, as I have spent many years living in the city as well as exploring our wonderful Scottish Highlands with my family.”
He continued: “We are delighted to open our third hotel in Inverness and bring our great value bar cafe offering to the city. With year on year growing visitor numbers to Inverness and the Scottish Highlands, there is a desperate need for good quality and great value accommodation within the area. With the opening of Inverness City Centre Travelodge, we now operate four hotels across the Highlands and we are seeking a further hotel site in Aviemore.”
The Provost of Inverness, councillor Helen Carmichael, said: “I am delighted that Travelodge is continuing to invest in the city of Inverness, opening today its third hotel in such a prime location, and of course offering even more jobs for local people. As Inverness continues to grow and attract tourists, it is vital that the City can offer a wide range of good quality, budget accommodation. I hope this new hotel will encourage more people to come and spend time in Inverness before exploring the rest of the Highlands.”
Mark Carrington, hotel manager at Inverness City Centre Travelodge, said: “Looking ahead, business on the books is very encouraging and we are set for a very busy 2018. This is great news for the local economy too, as research shows that our customers will spend £2m with local businesses during their stay.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here