I stayed at the biggest Travelodge in the UK – and it’s not what I expected

I’M a big fan of a Travelodge hotel, with there being hundreds in the UK that won’t break the bank.

So I decided to try out the biggest Travelodge in the country – and it’s found in the capital.

Travelodge London City, which opened in 2018, is the largest in the country with a whopping 395 rooms.

Just a short walk from Aldgate East station, it is ideal for anyone who wants a central London stay without spending too much with it being a short walk from many of the tourist attractions such as the Sky Garden and the Tower of London.

The flagship hotel is also a Travelodge PLUS which is essentially a fancier hotel than some of their others.

However, being the biggest Travelodge, I expected it to be pretty chaotic, if there are hundreds of guests staying at any one time.

But as I arrived at check-in, it was noticeably quiet, with just a few people in front of me although I was greeted by staff after just a few minutes.

I was also given a SuperRoom on the seventh floor – which is one of their “quiet” zones.

So while I expected some noise, I surprisingly received none the entire night I was there.

The views were left to be desired – I had great view of the other side of the hotel – but the rooms themselves were simple but clean.

This included USB plugs by the kingsize bed – something I swear by as someone who is forever forgetting a plug – as well as a comfy chair, iron and desk to work from.

The bathrooms are basic, but they come with a walk-in shower, as well as towels and body wash attached to the wall (so no swiping the toiletries).

The SuperRooms are great for an extra treat, coming with a Lavazza coffee machine, as well as hot chocolate sachets and a couple of KitKats.

The restaurant on the first floor was also surprisingly good. Some of my previous stays would have staff coming over telling me they were out of a number of ingredients and dishes.

Not this time – I had the whole menu to choose from which included burgers, pizzas and classics such as sausage and mash and steak and ale pie.

I opted for a chicken tikka curry which came with rice, naan and onion bhajis.

It was piping hot too – thankfully a glass of house white wine helped me wash it down, as well as a chocolate fudge cake.

Dinner options are a bargain if you are looking for a cheap eat, with a main and a side or dessert costing just £12.75.

While the service was quick, I opted to stay a bit longer at the restaurant for the good vibes.

The bar attracts nearby city workers, all who fancied a drink after work so there was a lot of buzz, in a good way, although none of the noise followed me to my room before getting a great night sleep in my double bed.

The only let-down was the unlimited breakfast service.

While I don’t expect the finest dining from a buffet, I struggled to eat the Full English with the hash browns and sausages oddly hard and impossible to cut into.

It was surprising due to dinner being an overwhelming win, as well as my other Travelodge breakfasts being a success.

So for £9.75, it wasn’t the best despite managing to throw a coffee and croissant down, so I’d recommend saving your money and heading to a nearby Pret.

However, being the biggest Travelodge in the country, I was left pleasantly pleased at how both clean and quiet the hotel was – the main two things I want from a budget stay.

So if you are after an affordable and peaceful stay in the city that is within walking distance of the attractions, Travelodge London City is the one for you – just maybe pop next door for your breakfast,

Here are some of the other Travelodges we’ve reviewed including St Albans.

And we’ve rounded up the best cheap hotels in London on TripAdvisor, which includes the London City Travelodge.

Rooms at Travelodge London City start from £45, with upgrades to the SuperRooms from around £20 extra.