Travelodge benefits both leisure and conferences

The opening of Travelodge Wellington earlier this year, following an $11 million total hotel transformation, signals a major step in Toga Hospitality’s expansion plans for New Zealand.

The Wellington property is Toga’s second New Zealand Travelodge, following the opening last year of a sister property in Palmerston North. Next on the drawing board is a Medina Apartment Hotel beside Travelodge Wellington, with potential Auckland and Christchurch locations also being eyed by the ambitious, fast-growing Australian based accommodation provider.

Toga Hospitality chief executive Rachel Argaman says the company is hoping to gain traction quickly in New Zealand.

‘We are very excited we have grown our portfolio and expanded in New Zealand. We have wanted to do this for a long time and we finally realised it with Palmerston North. Now we have doubled our number of New Zealand properties, plus we have a site next door to Travelodge Wellington which we plan to open as a Medina within the next year or so.

‘We’re certainly working on plans for Auckland, obviously it’s a logical gateway to the country, plus Christchurch, and we’re not adverse to others in Wellington as well.’

The economic downturn did not seem an issue for Argaman, who says Toga’s clear and concise strategy for growth was matched by market confidence.

‘In Wellington occupancy is relatively stable. Talking around town you sense a real confidence. We’re really getting that feel in New Zealand, there seems to be a groundswell of confidence right now across the corporate and conference markets.

‘Toga is privately owned so we are able to take a long term investment view and we are committed to hospitality for the long term,’ she adds.

Argaman said the new Travelodge Wellington offered fresh, modern, comfortable accommodation with up to date technology. The hotel’s location, at the top of Plimmer Steps beside Wellington’s business and shopping precincts, presented a rare chance to offer new inventory in the heart of the Capital.

Toga took over the former Copthorne Plimmer Towers last year, closed its doors, stripped the interior back to the concrete and started again from scratch.

In the process guest rooms were standardised and increased in number from 92 to 132. All 12 accommodation floors are now identical, with 11 rooms on each offering king double or twin configurations and brand new fittings, including LCD televisions. Room sizes range from 18 to 27 square metres, 48 larger rooms also offer a small dining table and pull out, single sofa bed. Those on the top four levels enjoy harbour views.

The beds, bedding and drapes and distinctive red, orange and yellow décor are consistent with all of Toga’s 15 Travelodge properties throughout Australia and New Zealand.

‘You will find the same components and décor throughout so there can be a real sense of trust about Travelodge, wherever you are,’ says Argaman.

The hotel’s five conference rooms have also been totally revamped, providing capacity for small to medium conferences catering for 50 to 100 delegates. A smaller boardroom caters comfortably for ten.

The new Steps Restaurant (named for Plimmer Steps) provides breakfasts, a la carte dinner, room service and catering for in-house conferences. Other facilities in the new hotel include a well equipped gymnasium and small business centre.

‘Originally we (Toga Hospitality) started with apartment style hotels, then we looked around and said we believe we can apply our experience to conventional hotels. We thought, modern travellers don’t want concierges, they want streamlined services and value. They want to know they can trust the value of the brand, not spend their money on services they don’t want.’

As a result, Argaman says Toga launched a successful bid to take on the Travelodge brand.

Travelodge Wellington was officially opened by the city’s deputy mayor, Ian McKinnon. He says the development shows confidence in Wellington and will provide benefits to both the conference and leisure markets.

‘The conference market is growing in the city and with a high quality mix of rooms Travelodge is contributing to that. The city’s leisure and recreation market has grown against national trends and a hotel of this calibre will have tremendous appeal and further that market. ‘

Wellington deputy Mayor, Ian McKinnon, Toga CEO Rachel Argaman, Eureka Funds Management ‘s Glen Boultwood	Tina Narsey, Angela Moriarty, Rebecca Mitchell of Positively Wellington Tourism