The new Travelodge in Ealing, which opens today (31 March) with 99 rooms, has brought the brand’s total room count to 5,714 across its 40 London hotels.
Hilton Hotels has 5,690 rooms across the capital, according to hotel consultant Melvin Gold, who, Travelodge claims, independently verified the number.
When contacted by Marketing a Hilton spokesman did not dispute Travelodge's claim though he said it had 6,321 rooms across its Hilton Hotels & Resorts group in London, including airport hotels and Hilton Croydon, and a total of 7,283 across its whole Hilton Worldwide portfolio in London.
Travelodge intends to have at least 50 hotels, housing nearly 7,000 rooms, in the capital by the London 2012 Olympics, after exchanging contracts on eight projects worth £60m over the past six months.
Guy Parsons, Travelodge chief executive, said: "While others scaled back their development in the capital during the recession, we maintained our commitment to growth. This ensured we secured sites in locations such as Bank, Twickenham and Vauxhall that are the envy of the hotel industry.
"To be the biggest at the start of the Olympic Games also sends a strong message that everyone is welcome in London. The five-star and boutique hotels have a role to play, but a strong budget hotel market ensures we can welcome the world with high-quality, low-priced accommodation."
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