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Travelodge (formerly TraveLodge) refers to several hotel chains around the world. Current operations include: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. However, many of these are operated by independent companies who have no connection with the brand in other countries. ==United States== The Travelodge brand was one of the first motel chains in the United States. It was established by the original Travelodge Corporation's founder, Scott King, in 1939 with the opening of the chain's first motels in Southern California. The first TraveLodge opened in San Diego in 1940. For many years, Travelodge was headquartered in El Cajon, California, east of San Diego. During its early years, TraveLodge emphasized itself as a budget motel chain that offered functional accommodations at rates lower than other chains by shunning fancy frills in favor of functional amenities such as comfortable beds, free TV and room phones, carpeted floors, in-room coffee pots and swimming pools. TraveLodge also emphasized that its motels were centrally located in or near downtown areas in order to be convenient to local restaurants, churches, theatres, shopping areas and tourist attractions. Today, however, there are many different hotel "tiers" that Travelodge offers, from budget-priced properties to full-service high-rise hotels. Travelodge purchased the Skylight Inn of America Inn in 1987, which was founded only five years prior in Cleveland, Ohio, and Lodge Keeper Group, which operated LK and Country Hearth, in 1990. In 1996, the Forte Group sold the Travelodge operation in North America. The trademark rights and franchise system were acquired for $39 million by HFS Inc., the owner of other hotel brands such as Days Inn and Ramada.〔 〕〔 〕 HFS was later merged into Cendant Corporation,〔 〕 and Cendant's hotel services, including Travelodge, were spun off as Wyndham Worldwide in 2006.〔 〕 Targeting families with children, Travelodge is best known for its mascot Sleepy Bear, a half awake teddy bear wearing a sleeping cap with his name, a robe with the Travelodge logo, and slippers. Some time ago, Travelodge would give a free toy plush bear to any child staying in the Sleepy Bear Den room, of which every Travelodge used to have at least one. Travelodge also has a brand of lower-price motels called Thriftlodge with another mascot named TJ, a freckle-faced bear with a baseball cap and a T-shirt with the Thriftlodge logo and the name TJ on it.〔(Travelodge )〕 Skylight Inns, founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1982,〔https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TyFAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=clgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3475,742106&dq=skylight-inns&hl=en〕 was bought out by Travelodge in 1989.〔https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KrhPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EAcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1723,1096071&dq=envoy-inns&hl=en〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Travelodge」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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