Travelodge

Travelodge (formerly TraveLodge) refers to several hotel chains around the world. Current operations include: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. However, many of these are operated by independent companies who have no connection with the brand in other countries.

United States

The Travelodge brand was one of the first motel chains in the United States. It was established by the original Travelodge Corporation's founder, Scott King, in 1939 with the opening of the chain's first motels in Southern California. The first TraveLodge opened in San Diego in 1940. For many years, Travelodge was headquartered in El Cajon, California, east of San Diego. During its early years, TraveLodge emphasized itself as a budget motel chain that offered functional accommodations at rates lower than other chains by shunning fancy frills in favor of functional amenities such as comfortable beds, free TV and room phones, carpeted floors, in-room coffee pots and swimming pools. TraveLodge also emphasized that its motels were centrally located in or near downtown areas in order to be convenient to local restaurants, churches, theatres, shopping areas and tourist attractions. Today, however, there are many different hotel "tiers" that Travelodge offers, from budget-priced properties to full-service high-rise hotels. Travelodge purchased the Skylight Inn of America Inn in 1987, which was founded only five years prior in Cleveland, Ohio, and Lodge Keeper Group, which operated LK and Country Hearth, in 1990.