Budget meals while at a Travelodge - is it possible?

aloiseb

Tell me if this is a grungy idea, but the thought has occurred to me that I'd save a fortune on greasy Little Chefs if I took my slow cooker with me to the Travelodge I've booked at a tenner-a-night.....

Would it smell / set off the smoke alarms?

I tried the toasted sandwich maker over Easter weekend and that seemed to be fine. As they say themselves, why pay for anything you don't need? I'm a bit more worried about the idea of leaving something cooking there all day, though!

ajbrynoffa

I work in a hotel and we wouldn`t allow it....the cleaners will find it remember as they go in the room everyday.

pondie1

we took variety pack cereals with us once when we stayed,and got meals wherever we were out and about in day time!

jaymac_2

Supermarkets are good for cheap meals and for breakfasts; Ikea also does cheap meals, especially beakfast. Sainsury's used to do 2 meals for the price of 1 after 5pm but don't know if they still do.

iluvmylexus

aloiseb wrote:

Tell me if this is a grungy idea, but the thought has occurred to me that I'd save a fortune on greasy Little Chefs if I took my slow cooker with me to the Travelodge I've booked at a tenner-a-night.....

Would it smell / set off the smoke alarms?

I tried the toasted sandwich maker over Easter weekend and that seemed to be fine. As they say themselves, why pay for anything you don't need? I'm a bit more worried about the idea of leaving something cooking there all day, though!

lol - I like the idea of the sandwich maker (my missus is wondering why she never thought of it herself) but slow cooker a little extreme.

It does solve the mystery though of why a lot of cheap hotel rooms always smell of cabbage.

richardw

There is probably something in the T&Cs about this, worth reading before going ahead and doing it.

ragdoll

we (me, dh & 2 kids) have just spent 5 nights in various travel lodges, took a coolbag with frozen 2lt bottle of water, 3 1pt bottles of milk, and a large bottle of orange juice, which all spent a couple of hours in the freezer first. Everything stayed nice and cold for the first 3 days, especially as with the rooms being hot, left the coolbag on the window sill, with the window open over night. For food we took a storage box with bowls, spoons, knives, forks, big pack paper plates, napkins, washing up liquid, t towel, jar of coffee, sugar, thermos flask, mugs, individual packets of cereal and a bottle of scotch for night cap!

Our days went something like this, breakfast in the room, filled flask with boiling water, went to nearest supermarket and bought sandwiches, crisps and fruit for lunch, which we ate as a picnic with a cup of coffee where ever we happened to be. A couple of nights we ate in our room, cold meat, salad, cheese and bread got from a nearby supermarket, meant we could have a bottle of wine without worrying about driving, just remember to get the wine first and bury it amoung the bags of frozen mixed veg while you do the rest of your shopping, will be chilled when you come back! Two nights we found a really good pub, recommended by someone in the travel lodge.

Hope you have a great time we actually really enjoyed eating in our room, the kids thought it was great, we just pulled the bed forward and used the large dressing table/counter as a table if you don't like eating on your lap.

colmil

Dear Ragdoll,

When I first started to read your comments, I wondered how anyone could do that, until I realised that we do very much the same!

My partner & I travel around extensively on business, and I
would rather eat my own liver than pay for a coffee in a service area, hence the famous flask!

We are often tired when we arrive at a 'Lodge' and as I always call at a local supermarket to buy a bag of ice for our 'nightcaps', quite often we will buy a bottle of wine, cheese, olives, crackers etc, and it it really nice to know you are 'in for the night'!

A gripe of mine is why the Lodges do not provide ice machines, I would happily pay a pound for a bucket of ice!

islandannie

Sorry but Travelodge specifically ban the use of toasters or cookers of anykind

"due to their very sensitive heat alarms"

We always manage to eat quite nicely using money off vouchers or 2 for 1s etc at brewers Fayre Little Chef etc.

Also they have no objections to you bringing back takeaways and infact somme lodges even have microwaves in the foyer so Supermarket ready meals etc are also an option.

Hope This helps.

IvanOpinion

I say go the full hog and set up a barbecue in your room ... throw on a few steaks and burgers and heat a can of soup in the kettle.

Ivan

hollydays

Why not post a question on the relevant towns forum on tripadviser asking for recommendations where to eat cheaply.ie very cheaply-