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Original poster

To live in a Travelodge

286 replies

oakkiln · 08/02/2025 11:14

Inspired by the other poster who started a threads about liquidating their assets and living in luxury hotels in their old age (but, for us, sadly without the assets!)

My husband and I are in a desperate situation. We are both late middle age and still rent. We are doing everything we can to save for a deposit for a house and live very frugally.

Rent, rates and all house costs etc come to £21k a year. But we could live in a Travelodge for £11k. Storage for furniture etc would be £2k

Are we crazy to consider it for just a year or two?

OP posts:
Canonlythinkofthisone · 08/02/2025 12:24

We ended up technically homeless for a few months, we "lived" in a travel lodge on occasions we couldn't get an air bnb or a caravan somewhere, it was awful. We also spent a fortune eating out because there's only so many sandwiches you can handle 🤣
Caravan/converter campervan. Go for it. Budget hotel, no way

Waterweight · 08/02/2025 12:25

Maurepas · 08/02/2025 12:19

What about your mail? You will need some sort of permanent address for many things.

You can redirect your mail & collect at a post office + you'd have no outside bills so not going to fall behind if you don't get your electric/water/tax ect.

Ginisatonic · 08/02/2025 12:25

A room in a shared house might be a better option. Cooking facilities and washing machine would be available. Look at spare room.

biscuitsandbooks · 08/02/2025 12:26

What about meals? Laundry?

reesiespieces · 08/02/2025 12:26

There are better ways to save money on housing short term.

Threewheeler1 · 08/02/2025 12:27

Lilactimes · 08/02/2025 12:16

I reckon a really lovely static caravan could be better instead. At least you could cook and they often are in nice locations. My froend’s dad does this and loves it.

I know someone who lives in a static in a lovely location.
At least life would feel more normal OP, with cooking, washing, access to outside etc. I think I'd soon go nuts shut in a room 😬

There's a list on this website of residential parks in the uk.
www.parkhome.org.uk/residential-parks-uk/

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 08/02/2025 12:29

How would you cook, wash clothes, wash up, get some space from each other etc

I have heard of people that do this. Eg taking an air fryer into rooms

EvenMoreFuriousVexation · 08/02/2025 12:31

I think you'd be better off looking to rent a studio or a double room in a house share. I live in hotels a significant proportion of the week as I travel for work and it gets old really quickly. Laundrette and eating out adds to the cost. There's only so many times you can eat a Tesco meal deal for breakfast dinner and tea before you soul starts to die.

Plus as pointed out any mortgage provider is not going to be happy with a period of "no fixed address" on your records.

ShoesAddict · 08/02/2025 12:34

Crazy idea

RatedDoingMagic · 08/02/2025 12:35

You aren't comparing like with like.

It costs £21k to have a house with multiple rooms including cooking facilities. If you lived in a travel lodge you would have just the one room and would have no kitchen.

Rather than moving into a travel lodge if you moved into a room in an HMO you would have the same amount of private space as a travel lodge but would still have cooking facilities, and that would cost about £6000 pa. Then you can put £15k per year more into savings.

Wouldn't be pleasant but the travel lodge idea would be less pleasant and more expensive.

barstar · 08/02/2025 12:37

Yes, if you're staying weeks at a time. With breakfast included too.

Not a chance you can secure a travelodge averaging £30 a night for a year; less so with breakfast.

MrsSlocombesCat · 08/02/2025 12:37

Lilactimes · 08/02/2025 12:16

I reckon a really lovely static caravan could be better instead. At least you could cook and they often are in nice locations. My froend’s dad does this and loves it.

Often you have to move out for a few weeks every year so that it isn’t classed as residential. Added to that the site owner can just ask you to leave and take your caravan with you if it doesn’t suit. There are all sorts of issues with living in a static. And they’re very cold in winter!

MrsSlocombesCat · 08/02/2025 12:39

RatedDoingMagic · 08/02/2025 12:35

You aren't comparing like with like.

It costs £21k to have a house with multiple rooms including cooking facilities. If you lived in a travel lodge you would have just the one room and would have no kitchen.

Rather than moving into a travel lodge if you moved into a room in an HMO you would have the same amount of private space as a travel lodge but would still have cooking facilities, and that would cost about £6000 pa. Then you can put £15k per year more into savings.

Wouldn't be pleasant but the travel lodge idea would be less pleasant and more expensive.

I would definitely prefer the privacy of a travel lodge.

Dartypants · 08/02/2025 12:43

You need some practical actions to take right now as you sound low about your situation. I would look at the Social housing options in your area, and get on any waiting lists especially if you're over 55. They may have part buy schemes you can register interest for too. I'd also suggest an appointment with a good mortgage broker, to check what you can actually borrow right now- if you can scrape enough together for a studio flat, I think it would be a much nicer option than the travelodge

Octavia64 · 08/02/2025 12:45

I lived in one for a week.

Food is difficult. You aren't allowed to cook in your room and at the time (covid) there wasn't even a kettle.

You can do cold breakfast and cold tea and eat lunch out but it does get boring and expensive.

The chairs are quite uncomfortable.

I found an airbnb quite quickly because it really doesn't work.

Thindog · 08/02/2025 12:46

Live in a seaside chalet for 9 months and go to Benidorm cheaply for winter. I know someone who has done this.

ElleintheWoods · 08/02/2025 12:47

What would your official address be? Quite important for banks/ credit record etc

Probably better off moving to a cheaper area, you can rent a house on 11k a year + bills outside the south east

caringcarer · 08/02/2025 12:48

About 14 years ago we had a terrible fire in our home caused by a tumble dryer we had left on when we went to B&Q to pick something up. We were gone for under half an hour. As we arrived back we saw a fire engine putting out a fire in our house. The insurance assessor came and said we had to move out while the house was restored. We lived in a Premier Inn for well over 2 months and then we found a rental property for 6 months. Luckily we were covered by insurance and they paid all our PI bills including breakfast and gave us a £25 daily food allowance. I had 2 DC at home and by the end of the time we were at PI they were sick of takeaways and meal deals.

taxguru · 08/02/2025 12:48

How about semi-permanent "holidays" abroad instead of a manky depressing Travelodge?

I've known an elderly couple who literally "lived" on cruise ships for a few years, not the same one, but just moved from ship to ship - apparently it's quite a "thing" especially on the less popular ships/routes.

Also, many years ago, we went to a aparthotel in a quieter resort in Spain out of season and were surprised at the amount of elderly people, many shuffling around on zimmer frames and walking sticks, and discovered it was a Saga hotel and many of the guests were semi-permanent as it was cheaper than a UK care home - they didn't need "care" as such, but were getting their room cleaned daily, 3 meals a day in the hotel restaurants, and used the hotel laundry for their clothes - so it was a kind of half way house for people who were just starting to need help as they couldn't do their own laundry/cleaning/cooking etc. It was a real eye-opener as to alternative ways of living.

taxguru · 08/02/2025 12:49

ElleintheWoods · 08/02/2025 12:47

What would your official address be? Quite important for banks/ credit record etc

Probably better off moving to a cheaper area, you can rent a house on 11k a year + bills outside the south east

Rents can be cheaper, yes, but you still have all the other costs, gas, electricity, water rates, council tax, insurance, etc etc.

DandyTealSeal · 08/02/2025 12:50

Would an Airbnb not be a better option?

barstar · 08/02/2025 12:50

@taxguru

How about semi-permanent "holidays" abroad instead of a manky depressing Travelodge?

Presumably as they are saving for a deposit, so therefore looking to mortgage, they must have jobs?

MrsSlocombesCat · 08/02/2025 12:51

I just tried to find out how much it would cost to book a room for two adults for one month.In the breakdown it was a different price for every night and the total came to £1150 for the month with breakfast and WiFi. Some nights were £30 some were a lot more especially midweek. That’s in my local town though it might vary.

Thebellofstclements · 08/02/2025 12:54

I'd rather stay in a cheap caravan at a cheap campsite - better options for cooking, outside space. If slightly more than a travel inn they might be brought down on price.

Candlebook · 08/02/2025 12:56

Netcam · 08/02/2025 11:22

I think it would be awful, having nowhere to cook or have separate space. But I think Travelodges are horrible.

I would consider moving to a very cheap area, narrowboat, mobile home, buying a camper and living in it full time anytime over a Travelodge.

This. A hotel room would feel very small, very quickly. There is nowhere to prep or store food, beyond a hot drink. If you’re happy about the idea of downsizing though, have you thought about a static home on a site? They’re small, but at least have a full kitchen and lounge/bedrooms are separate so you’re not just living out of one room.