July 2013

BEN NEVIS – HOME TO THE UK’S HIGHEST BED

Yes, Travelodge is known for its weird, kooky hotel designs, but this one really takes the biscuit: a team of 36, led by Travelodge Managing Director for Property & International, Paul Harvey, climbed Ben Nevis’ 1,344 metre peak, but not just for the view. On arrival at the summit, the team constructed a replica Travelodge room, having carried the contents of the very room itself, up the testing terrain. I encourage you to refer to the images to see just what the team achieved. The Dreamer bed, duvet, chair and wall hanging make up the very same components you’d find in any other Travelodge Hotel.

Though the trek was nothing less than exhausting, the team had the weather on their side; it rained as the group ascended the mountain, ensuring that team members were kept cool as they carried the contents and shell of the bedroom on their backs. On arrival at the summit, the wind stopped, the rain and stopped, and the snow provided an excellent base for the bedroom.

The formidable task took a total of eight and a half hours to complete: four hours to ascend Ben Nevis, two hours to build the room, and two and a half hours to descend. The team walked a total of 11 miles and burned 3000 calories each.

As anyone who has had cancer will know, the fight is made all the more easier by having steady support and not having to face the disease alone. Travelodge made this more and more of a reality by partnering with Macmillan Cancer Support for the trek, and raised a staggering £60,000 for the cancer charity. Sally Hill at Macmillan Cancer Support expressed her delight at working with the hotel chain as well as her heartfelt gratitude for what Paul Harvey and his team achieved.