Travelodge is set to open a number of hotels in Hertfordshire following the official opening of its Letchworth branch on Tuesday.
The budget hotel chain has kick-started its Herts expansion with its Avenue One branch, and is currently looking for locations in Stevenage, Potters Bar and Radlett, among other towns in Herts.
Letchworth Travelodge is the firm's 582nd hotel and the 10th in Hertfordshire. It represents a third party investment of £7 million from the landlord and has created 22 new jobs within the community.
The 73-room new build hotel features an on-site restaurant called the Bar-Café and free on-site parking.
The Letchworth branch hotel manager, Aileen Day, said: "To be given the keys to a new hotel that is the first Travelodge in a growing town is the perfect way to celebrate my 10th working anniversary.
"I feel very privileged to be managing Letchworth's Travelodge and I am very proud to have built a fantastic team who are as passionate as me about delivering the best customer service.
"I am looking forward to developing my team and to give them the same great opportunities that I have experienced and to help them successfully climb the career ladder."
Travelodge's district manager for North London, Andrew Wiggins, said: "We are delighted to celebrate 20 years of trading in Hertfordshire by kick-starting our local expansion with the official opening of our first hotel in Letchworth.
"This is the first of nine hotels that we want to open in county, so that we can offer more choice of greater value to business and leisure travellers visiting the area.
"We are currently searching for hotel sites in Hertford/Ware, Hoddesdon/Broxbourne, Potters Bar, Radlett, Rickmansworth, Stevenage, Waltham Cross and Watford."
Travelodge opened its first Herts hotel in Hemel Hempstead in 1999. Overall, the entire expansion is expected to create 200 new jobs in the county.
All rooms feature the company's signature king size Travelodge Dreamer bed, LED ceiling lighting, a 'comfort cooling' system, a 32-inch Freeview TV, WiFi and free in-room tea and coffee-making facilities.
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