August 8, 2006 If camping is not your go, but from time to time there’s an outdoor music festival or some other gotta-be-there outdoor event, take heart – help is on the way. British budget hotel brand Travelodge is exploring the concept of mobile hotel rooms. Each Travelpod is sealed in a 6 x 2.4 x 2.6 metre clear polycarbonate box but inside has features that you will find in any Travelodge hotel across the country. The room comes complete with a luxury double bed, bedside tables, lights, duvet, pillows, fully carpeted floor, dressing table with light, mirror, chair and even its own WC. The concept is being evaluated in a series of soft trials and trials will be opened to customers next summer, targeting festivals and other major outdoor events. It is envisioned that the mobile room will be transported on the back of a lorry to each location and positioned by crane as required. The trial price will match the company’s leading room rate of UKP26 per night which makes it an entirely new class of accommodation – wonder if they’ll offer a luxury suite?
The Travelpod will be trialled this summer in a number of ‘soft’ tests in various environments, with a festival ear-marked for next year to run the first customer trials.
Wayne Munnelly, Travelodge’s Director of Sleep said, “we are always looking at new ways of making budget accommodation more accessible to the public. The Travelpod is a great way of taking our Travelodge room to the customer."
“This summer we are running a few private trials which will allow me to work on the levels of light, noise and privacy allowed by the Travelpod. We will be opening up the test to customers next summer, targeting festivals and other major outdoor events.”
“It is a great concept where guests can enjoy the festival, dance through the night and climb in to a nice comfy bed. Not everyone who goes to a concert wants to sleep in a tent – this is the ultimate budget fun alternative.”
Customers will have the chance to be a part of the trial next year by following the progress of ‘Travelpod’ on the company website.
