POOLE’S £9.5 million Travelodge has officially opened – and the independent hotel chain has set its sights on more new builds across Dorset.

The Poole hotel, boasting 125 rooms and a bar cafe, is at Lifeboat Quay, Holes Bay Road, near the town’s RNLI building.

Travelodge UK development director Tony O’Brien joined Poole Mayor Cllr Xena Dion for the opening ceremony, which included a family treasure hunt around the town earlier in the day.

Mr O’Brien said Travelodge is keen to meet growing consumer demand in Dorset, and with this in mind the hotel company is looking for new hotel sites in Bournemouth, Swanage, Shaftesbury, Dorchester and Weymouth.

“These hotel opening could create around 200 new jobs,” added Mr O’Brien.

Poole’s Travelodge has created 31 new jobs and is the company’s 533th hotel.

Mr O’Brien said: “The Dorset economy is growing at pace and our new hotel in central Poole adds a great value option for visiting business and leisure travellers.

“We now operate six hotels across Dorset but with increasing visitors numbers to the county there is still a shortage of good quality accommodation at a great value price.”

Speeches followed Wednesday’s official ribbon cutting ceremony in Poole, which was followed by a reception and tour of the facilities.

The winning treasure hunt team, Will and Victoria Coe and their seven family members, took home a bespoke bed and holiday to Cornwall.

Victoria said: “We are delighted to have won the Travelodge treasure hunt.

“We had an amazing time, It’s such a great idea to get the family together and explore Poole.

“We are so excited to have won the Travelodge Dreamer bed as we needed a new bed and the holiday in Cornwall is a great bonus as we can now get away this year and spend some quality time together as a family.”

Earlier this year, Travelodge revealed earnings topped £100million for the first time. Revenues grew 13 per cent to £558m after a £100m modernisation programme which saw almost 35,000 rooms revamped.