After exploring Travelodge's redesigned rooms and their SuperRoom concept, I couldn't resist trying another of Travelodge's innovations—the Travelodge 'Plus' room. Priced at an enticing £32.99 for a Sunday night in June 2025, it was an offer too good to pass up. With Travelodge clearly stepping up its game to rival Premier Inn, I was eager to see how this new concept measured up.
So, I hopped in my car and headed to the Travelodge (Central) in Bracknell, Berkshire. Bonus point: free parking!
What's a Travelodge Plus Room?
That's a good question and one I was curious to find out. Travelodge has already made a fanfare of its newly designed rooms, as well as it's ultra high-end 'Budget-Luxe' SuperRoom. So where do Plus rooms fit in?
Well, as you may have guessed, the Plus room sits somewhere between new design and SuperRoom. It has some (but not all) of the features of the SuperRoom, but for just £10 more and most locations that have Plus rooms also feature the new '85 Bar Cafe' concept which means full hot meals available at both breakfast and dinner.
The room itself is one of the brand's 'new design' rooms which means that the dubious male emission stains are gone, bathrooms are fresh, as is the bedding. In addition, the Plus rooms feature:
- New look Standard Rooms with contemporary décor, blackout curtains, and a king-size Travelodge Dreamer bed for a restful sleep.
- A Lavazza coffee machine
- Hansgrohe Raindance 3 jet shower
- Bedside USB charging points.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi for your entire stay
- A stylish Bar Café for dining and socialising
..but there's no iron/board, air conditioning, comfortable chair or hair dryer, as found in SuperRooms (reviewed here)
The Welcome
I was pleasantly surprised upon arrival to find free parking available at a city centre hotel—a rare perk these days, as most hotels tend to follow the airline industry's practice of charging for every little extra. Even better, I didn’t have to register my car. A great start to my stay!
The staff member who checked me in at 2:30 PM was warm and welcoming. This deserves a special mention because Travelodge typically enforces a strict 3 PM check-in policy, often charging extra for early access. I was expecting some resistance for arriving early, but to my delight, there was none. Instead, I was asked a simple yet thoughtful question: “Would you prefer a room with a road view or a car park view?” While not the most glamorous options, I opted for the car park view for its promised peace and quiet. A small gesture, but it left a positive impression.
So, my Plus room, any good?
Well, as readers of my recent reviews will note, I have been distinctly frustrated with stays at Premier Inn of late, and with Travelodge really getting its act together on their desire to chase the mid-market spender, yes, I liked my room.
Like the SuperRoom, the Plus room features a Lavazza coffee machine and two kit-kat's. Premier Inn offers similar.
What I really liked though was the hot chocolate - it's quite rare you see things like this these days but it's welcome (it's the little things!)
I also liked the black out curtains which are an absolute god send at this time of the year when the sun rises at around 5am.
There is no mood lighting here as you would find in the SuperRoom but apart from that, for just £10 extra, the Plus room felt good value.
The bathroom was fitted to what I would say was more traditional Travelodge standards ie nothing special but, as with other hotels where the brand has located Plus rooms, the bathroom was modern - readers should note that this particular Travelodge was only opened in 2023 so by virtue had that new car feeling.
The fixtures and fittings here were nowhere near as plush as the SuperRoom where guests get the Hansgrohe shower and a more upmarket shower curtain. That said, I had no complaints.
Free Wi-fi? Their best ever speeds? Seriously?
Well, yes and no. This remains a total shambles to be perfectly honest.
My biggest gripe staying in any hotel is the terrible Wi-Fi which usually consists of either flaky coverage or very slow speeds.
Travelodge Plus rooms boast "our best ever Wi-Fi with our Wi-Fi partner, Virgin". What they don't tell you is that by best ever Wi-Fi it means a maximum 5mbps and limited to just two devices. As someone who never travels with less than five devices requiring Wi-Fi, this was, frankly, a terrible experience.
Travelodge isn't alone in offering this awful experience however. Anyone who has ever tried to use Premier Inn Wi-Fi will have faced a similar fate. It's the one thing that the budget chains just don't get - the need for decent Wi-Fi these days isn't just a nice to have, it's often the deciding factor in choosing a hotel.
Travelodge and Premier Inn Wi-Fi is just a failure. It's that simple. I resorted to using 5G cellular tethering, but I shouldn't have to.
You ate here too?
I did. I got a two course meal for just £14.65 at the newly designed '85 Bar Cafe' (85 signifies the year 1985 when Travelodge opened its first hotel in the UK).
Tonight I chose the Steak & Ale Pie with mash (chips are a no cost option) and Knickerbocker Glory. Both of which were perfectly acceptable.
Verdict
Travelodge has made significant strides in moving away from catering exclusively to the ultra-low-cost budget traveler. Think of it as shifting focus from Ryanair's audience to more of easyJet's clientele.
In the UK, Travelodge is on a mission to redefine its brand identity. As of June 2025, half of its rooms have been upgraded to one of three new categories: 'New Design,' 'Plus,' or 'SuperRoom.' The company, however, has remained tight-lipped about the future of the remaining 50% of its rooms. It's likely that these rooms will either undergo upgrades or be sold off to budget players like OYO Hotels, which has been acquiring former Travelodge locations deemed unfit for the brand’s evolving standards. OYO's expansion, notably, is backed by SoftBank of Japan.
The Plus room I stayed in offered fantastic value for the £32.99 I paid. Coupled with a two-course meal deal for just £14.65, my total for the night was an impressive £47.64.
However, there’s a glaring issue that Travelodge still needs to address: the complimentary Wi-Fi. The speed is disappointingly slow, and the limit of just two devices is frustratingly restrictive. For the type of guest Travelodge is now targeting, this simply does not meet expectations and requires urgent attention.
That said, if you’re someone who doesn’t rely heavily on staying connected, the Travelodge Plus rooms offer an excellent experience at a very reasonable price.
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