In an effort to keep the magic of Christmas alive for children a little bit longer, a British budget hotel chain is offering free “wrapping rooms” for parents in need of privacy to prepare Christmas presents away from prying eyes.
The idea for this unique service came from a Travelodge survey, which revealed that one in six children had discovered that their presents were not actually delivered by Father Christmas after catching their parents in the ‘wrapping act’.
The research also found that 7% of respondents used their vehicles, 12% used shop counters, and 12% went to friends’ houses, while 41% devised increasingly “innovative ways” to wrap presents
A key finding that may have inspired Travelodge’s idea was that 26% of Britons would consider booking a hotel room solely for the extra privacy needed to wrap Christmas gifts. Travelodge saw this as a simple opportunity to help parents searching for peace and quiet, children dream just a little longer, and, perhaps, an overwhelmed Santa too.
@travelodgeuk Struggling to wrap in secret? Same. 🎁Travelodge is opening FREE Wrapping Rooms at selected locations on Weds 10th Dec! 📍 London Chiswick High Road, Manchester Piccadilly & Edinburgh Central ⏰ 75 min slots, 09:00–17:15 📧 Book now: link in bio. (slots subject to availability) #travelodge #wrappinggifts #christmaspresents ♬ original sound – TravelodgeUK
The free rooms, available in 75-minute slots, will be offered for one day only: Wednesday, 10 December. According to the Mirror, bookings will open for rooms in London Chiswick High Road, Manchester Piccadilly and Edinburgh Central.
Travelodge has announced that the rooms will be “festively decked with all the wrapping paper, tape and finishing touches necessary”. Refreshments and mince pies will also be provided to enhance the Christmas experience of the “wrapping guests”.
A spokesperson for the company said it was aiming “to preserve the magic of Christmas and ensure that the festive build-up is as stress-free as possible. When our research found that many Brits already consider a hotel room to be the ideal wrapping spot, we realised that we had to step in.”
The idea seems to have conquered the public after a social media post, showing a mother hiring a room just to wrap her family’s presents in peace, immediately went viral. Users responded with comments such as “#mumgoals”, “This is AMAZING!” and “THIS! Why is this not standard practice?” Others suggested turning it into a community event where mums could ‘wrap and sip’ together. One user explained that she already does this with her best friend: “We call it the ‘Wrap Tour’. We go out for dinner, bring back lots of wine, and spend the night wrapping and drinking!”
Another commenter praised the idea of turning “one of the most mundane tasks” into an act of self-care.
Regardless of the method or the motivation, Travelodge maintains that wrapping gifts should be a calm moment, “free from the fear of others walking in”. For those who need to keep their Christmas preparations under wraps this year, the chain recommends booking a room at Travelodge, either to take advantage of the complimentary gift-wrapping service or to enjoy an overnight stay.
