TRAVELODGE: KINGS CROSS (Travelodge Heathrow)

Member Name: nathaninnit

Product:	Travelodge Heathrow
Date:	26/01/08 (199 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No complaints about the stay following check-in

Disadvantages: Apparently does book-out, as experienced with a test booking

* 200 YARDS FROM THE TRAIN STATION
This past weekend saw myself and three friends embark on a trip to London, the reasoning behind it was actually to attend the auditions taking place for Big Brother at the Emirates Stadium, and for some reason this led us to staying at the Kings Cross Travelodge.. I'm not sure if it was actually the closest place to stay considering where we wanted to go, but it was supposed to be close to the train station nonetheless. Apparently there are two Travelodge's in close vicinity to the Kings Cross train station, 'the main hub for London, right?' Those two Travelodge's are Kings Cross and Kings Cross Royal Scot, looking at the pictures it appears they would be difficult to get mixed up as the latter seems to have a much more up to date exterior - I never saw it infront of my eyes, to my knowledge, so it's difficult to say if the picture of the Royal Scot is deceiving.

Surprisingly the actual Kings Cross Travelodge didn't look as dated on the outside as I thought the picture on the site made it out to be, in fact it looked dated in a modern way.. if that makes sense. And you know how us youth like the modern. Finding it was a lot more difficult than I expected though, in fact I was hoping to just step off the train and see it from the platform. Well, maybe I wasn't expecting to be that lucky. Asking for directions we did get pointed in the right direction, but a wrong turn from there soon meant we were walking around the streets at about 8pm hoping that any blue neo sign could be a clue. I had came prepared though and decided to give into the walking around in hope, and phoned the 'Lodge as I had put the number in my phone. An automated system meant I missed the first option, but the second option was to be transferred to the hotel reception. That was engaged, then one of my friends tried to phone them again and the first option was actually set up especially for directions - and the computer voice indicated we had more than likely gone in the wrong direction, so we retraced our steps and tried again. Asking someone at a newstand, it was soon very obvious we didn't have to walk far down a street and we would be there. Ooops, well, at least that was some exercise!
* I'M CHECKING INNNN

Two blokes just beat us into the Travelodge, so that meant standing around waiting for a little while, whilst my friends sat on the chairs that they have in the lobby. I was already in a bit of a mood about the time it hadn't taken us to actually find the building, and then the first thing that happens is I get questioned about my age. No identification was asked for, but it was not the service with the smile I have came to know from hotel stays (or the service with a smile I was taught to offer, and offered naturally, when I had my stint working on Travelodge reception a couple of years back). Infact, part of me wanted to question where the smile was, but I do not feel it was treatment just happening to me as I noticed the happy conversation wasn't exactly flowing during the check-in infront of me. I guess some people might not like having a dragged out check-in, but I think it's more polite than anything to not look so stern.
When I used to work for Travelodge card details were taken on the website as a way to hold the room, and then payment would be taken upon arrival. Seems things have changed since those days, as all that was needed to be done was be given a keycard for the room. Wow, a swipe card system - that's a step up from the keys I am used to at my old Travelodge as well. I can't say I honestly remember if there was an, "Enjoy your stay," but I know there was a "Your rooms on the first floor." The room cost £85, plus a £1 charge as insurance if I wanted to cancel the room, I'm not exactly sure why I took that out but 100p can't hurt too much. When you consider that only works out as just over £20 each, and the location of Travelodge Kings Cross it is actually pretty reasonable. On the other hand, if I was staying in that Travelodge on my own and had to pay the same price I would feel ripped off.

I honestly don't know London at all, I don't go there on a regular basis and have barely been there since I was a young kid. This made me quite amazed at how much stuff was actually so close to the Travelodge, including a Subway straight opposite, at least two very close McDonalds, not to mention all the Burger Kings and off-licences. The only things missing were a Tesco Express and a Starbucks. Taking the elvators up to the first floor, only one of them appeared to be working (well that was the one we had to use everytime anyway) and they were quite small considering. The Travelodge was a lot bigger and nicer inside than I was expecting though, and even included it's own bar/cafe.. not that we visited that. They did seem to have a television in there, but seeing as they weren't showing the Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack double eviction there was no reason to sit down in there. To access the corridor are room was in we had to use the swipe card, and then obviously use it again to enter the room... here comes the big part.
* A VIEW FROM A TRAVELODGE

Typical Travelodge room. Window with a sofa in front of it, that has a pullout bed underneath and turns into a bed itself. Then the double bed in the centre of the room with the bible in the bedside table for good measure. A table, television (four channels only), and supplies for making yourself a coffee or a tea. The biggest surprise came in the bathroom really when there was actually no bath supplied, but just a shower. I'm not sure what that was about, perhaps because we were only staying there one night perhaps they save rooms with baths for guests that are staying for longer? I know if I was staying there longer than that I would have really wanted a bath, as I'm more of a bath person than a shower person.. especially when it comes to hotel showers because they don't actually make you feel the cleanest in the morning. As we were on the first floor, the window was a security window and barely opened obviously so no body could fall out. The view out of it was just windows though, no pretty view of the lights of London city.
I know from experience from working with Travelodge that when you specify that more than two people are staying a room they often get the housekeepers to make up the extra beds for the room, now that didn't happen in my room.. but that's more of a benefit than a disadvantage really though, because our group were obviously going to want the use the sofa before going to sleep for the night. Luckily the extra duvets, pillows, etc were supplied, but I think they come as a given in all rooms and I got a pretty good sleep considering I was trapped between the double bed and the sofa bed on the floor with a bedside table to crack my head on many a times. I guess that means Travelodge has just about passed the test of being able to hold four young people in a room.

Recently I remember reading a review of a Travelodge were there were a lot of noise from other guests coming from the corridor, but my stay was pretty free of disturbances, and I hope we weren't the people disturbing anyone else. Our very own little corridor meant we didn't see anyone else in it, and maybe we had been cut off from the rest of the hotel on purpose. I literally saw very few other guests, so I'm not sure how busy the Travelodge actually was that night but in a prime location like that on a Friday night you would expect more guests. I did hear the sirens of London's streets in the middle of the night though. There were indications of CCTV operable in the building, including being able to see the CCTV screen in the little staff room the reception had. There is no carparking avaliable here.
* DON'T HAVE NIGHTMARES

The plan was to wake up early, meaning we could get to the Emirates and queue up early, but that didn't exactly work with a hangover and the kids television programmes in the morning made me even more neuseous. As long as we were out by midday there wouldn't be a problem, as I believe a late checkout costs extra just as early checkin does. On our way out it was a good idea to ask for the best way to get to Emirates, and there was a different, slightly more friendly receptionist. She suggested taking a tube, and it would take about 10-15 mins. Uh-oh, I know nothing about tubes, and from my small amount of release I really did think it was a distance we could walk in 10-15 minutes. Turned out, the Travelodge receptionist did offer the best advice and after some walking we did take a tube.
I have been won over by Travelodge after my stay there, even if they are less than friendly. I feel for group trip their prices are more than reasonable, and I hope not to be let down by them if I choose to use them again in the future. I forgot to return my swipecard, although I presume they set on them how long the card works for so if I tried a break in attempt it wouldn't work. The booking the room online was probably the worst part of the trip, which is always a good thing, considering they got me to sign-up for some online payment thing before I could actually pay that I had never had to use before. The site is all quite clear though, except for promoting sales everywhere and never having a sale on what you want! After getting a load of hot hair blown down on me as I pushed myself out of the double doors I thought, Travelodge Kings Cross is somewhere I would like to return to, but first things first... lets get auditioning!

Summary: Bad customer service but hard to pick other faults.