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A hotel brand once associated with Brierley Investments is making a return to New Zealand after more than 10 years.
Two New Zealand hotels are to take on the Travelodge name and more are planned.
In January, the National Roads and Motorists Association - Australia's equivalent of the AA - bought Palmerston's Novotel hotel from the Hanover Group and in March it was rebranded Travelodge. This month, renovation work will start on a second Travelodge hotel, in Wellington, which is jointly owned by Australian property fund manager Eureka Funds Management and Toga Hospitality.
Toga has the management rights for Travelodge in Australia and New Zealand.
Travelodge has 15 hotels in Australia where it has operated for more than 40 years. Previously Travelodges in New Zealand were managed by the South Pacific Hotel Corporation.
In the late 80s, Magnum Corporation, which was majority owned by Brierley Investments, bought the Travelodge hotels in Auckland, Rotorua and Christchurch. It later sold them and eventually the Travelodge name was rebranded under the Centra hotel chain.
Travelodge NZ area manager Brett Walker said the new Travelodges would be more upmarket than the old chain, which had a budget focus.
