Friday, March 16, 2007

Travelodge gives lonely guests a cuddle

Just when you thought it was safe to check into a budget hotel, Travelodge has gone and introduced a cuddling pillow for lonely guests, aptly called the “Cuddillow”.


The Cuddillow concept follows on research of 2,000 solitary travellers, which found that 57% felt lonely sleeping without their partner when away from home. Sixteen per cent found it difficult to fall asleep and 9% felt scared sleeping on their own (ok, well, they’ve got other issues not likely to be solved by a cuddly pillow).

The survey also revealed 8% of lonely female travellers spray their pillow or night clothes with their partner’s aftershave when staying away from home, compared to 3% of men. However, 20% per cent of men admitted to cuddling a teddy bear in bed in contrast to just 15% per cent of women when their partner is not with them.

Ok, now that really is too much information.

Other interesting findings, albeit not surprising: Angelina Jolie , Kelly Brook and Jennifer Anniston top men’s choice of celebrity cuddle partners, while the ladies wanted to get up close and personal to Johnny Depp, George Clooney and Robbie Williams (Robbie Williams?????).

The “Cuddillow” will be trialled in hotels in Newcastle, Durham, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham and will be free of charge for guests to hire.


Tricia Holly Davis, chief writer, Travolution

5 comments:

Kevin Dugan said...

I'm not a germaphobe, and I am not someone who would need a cuddillow. Something about this idea seems really unsanitary.

Then again, after watching one too many Datelines, I never use my in-room coffee maker and I strip the comforter off the bed immediately upon arrival.

Anonymous said...

How does this relate to the online travel industry?

Is this blog losing its focus?

Travolution Blogger said...

Anonymous: Oh, you are being a little bit unfair.

Keen readers of the Travolution Blog will remember we have often taken a sideways look at the deluge of Travelodge PR puffs/emails that appear in our inboxes at alarmingly regular intervals.

The posts are often light-hearted, towards-the-end-of-the-week affairs, too, like the current post.

If the excitement is too much, you can actually read them here.

Anyway, back to the online travel industry... Normal service will resume quicker than you can say, "I'm a Competition Commission administrator for the travel sector...Get Me Out of Here".

klm, ed, travo

Anonymous said...

OK, maybe

I am as interested in these kind of stories as the next person..... sure - they are fun - but I am in information overload - and will only subscribe to stuff that is pinpoint on target for what the blog is about.

A bit like the merger story... the real story behind that will be - can the UK travel technology industry sustain itself if 4 players go down to 2.... as the income and investment from those companies was driving travel technology investment.... and if there is some rationalisation (and why not, because after all this is where the advantages come from merging) will this impact the other 500 UK tour operators who rely on that technology? Will there be a travel technology supplier fallout? (over time)

Its probably the end of viewdata now anyways, because now either company has enough power to jump away..... because market share will be strong enough (and the main competitors have been merged)

These are the stories... not something about pillows.

:)

Anonymous said...

[Let's not get into commenting on the actual process of blogging eh. But I agree with Kevin: some light-hearted posts every now and again can't be A Bad Thing. This blog does some great work in analysing the online travel industry, but is equally effective in its ironic/sarcastic look other areas of the sector]

Back on topic: Alex is absolutely right to highlight the impact on the travel technology sector.

Consolidation in the travel industry might be good for the firms involved, but where does it leave the kit suppliers who rely on a diverse companies to peddle their wares to.

Travel technology supplier fallout? You bet..