A budget hotel chain has announced five of its hotels in Kent will have reopened to help support key workers and vulnerable groups needing accommodation.

Travelodge has confirmed its hotels in Ashford, Dartford, Dover, Maidstone Central, and Ramsgate Seafront are five out of 11 sites which opened on Monday.

The company, which has 14 hotels in the county, says it hopes opening the branches will help take pressure off key workers needing a place to stay during the pandemic.

Like other hotel operators, Travelodge had to temporarily close the majority of its premises when lockdown restrictions were introduced.

Some 51 remained open across the UK, including the site in Margate Westwood, for key workers, while one in Canterbury was used to house rough sleepers.

The chain says it has introduced a new hygiene strategy at all branches, along with social distancing measures to reduce the risk of infection.

The cleaning and hygiene programmes includes:

• Comprehensive cleaning throughout its hotels using an antiviral disinfectant effective against Coronavirus

• Additional post-clean room checks with digital tracking in place

• Increased cleaning in high frequency touch points in public areas and rooms
• All linen and towels thermally disinfected
• Comprehensive training of all staff on cleaning, hygiene and social distancing

• Installation of customer hand sanitiser stations

Social distancing measures will also be introduced including:

• Protective reception screens
• Signage to mark social distance points throughout the hotel including check-in markings
• Monitoring the number of customers in a designated area such as the reception area and lifts
• PPE provided for all hotel team members
• To minimise contact, housekeeping team members will not enter customer’s rooms during their stay
• Contactless payment
• Contactless check-out

Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman, said: “In these unprecedented times, our hotel teams across the UK are working enormously hard, under great pressure, to support key workers and vulnerable groups.

"We are delighted to reopen a further 11 hotels this week, which includes our five hotels in Kent.

"These 11 hotels will assist our 51 hotels that have been operating during the lockdown and support their local community.”

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