Upminster Travelodge Station Road - see inside construction site

Works have been ongoing in Station Road since June last year and yesterday (September 30), our reporter was taken behind the scenes to see the hotel taking shape.

We were led around the site by Daniel Harris from London Iron Works - the developer and landowner of the premises.

Whilst materials and debris remain scattered around both the interior and exterior of the building, giving it that distinct construction site feel, it is truly beginning to look like a hotel.

Plans remain in place to have the hotel opened in "quarter one of 2027", as claimed by a London Iron Works spokesperson previously.

Daniel told the Recorder that the overall work here has reached the "75 per cent completion point" and began by showing the red brickwork which will make up the full exterior aesthetic of the building.

He said that Havering Council was "very specific" about what brickwork would be used and a "sophisticated... two-tone" design was agreed on after "extensive discussions" between developer and council.

This is to enable the building to appear "sympathetic" to neighbouring premises.

This two-tone brickwork will be used across the whole of the hotel's exterior (Image: NQ)

Daniel took us upstairs to see the corridors, which have been almost finished.

The hotel will contain 82 rooms incorporating a mix of standard rooms, accessible rooms, family rooms and 'super' rooms.

Whilst still awaiting flooring, wallpaper and paint, it wasn't too difficult to envisage the rooms fully furnished and ready for visitors.

The hotel will contain 82 rooms (Image: NQ)

Daniel informed us that every bathroom is delivered as an already comprehensively made up unit.

They arrive in individual pods - like huge birthday presents - and just require being moved to the designated corner of the room and plugged in.

The bathrooms are delivered as prearranged units (Image: NQ)

"It's a bit like Lego," Daniel told us. "It's all specified and modular.

"Everything is prearranged."

Bathroom unit in Travelodge room (Image: NQ)

Daniel said Travelodge is "very, very specific" with the design of its hotels in every detail down to the bedding used.

“They pride themselves on every room and every experience being the same.

“So as a construction company and developer, it’s quite easy because every single thing even down to the pillows in the bedroom is specified by Travelodge."

Gap made for one of two lifts in hotel (Image: NQ)

Daniel then took us up to the roof where the ongoing work was as busy as anywhere else in the building.

A set of emergency stairs had already been installed here.

Daniel said once completed, the roof won't look too different to how it appeared during our visit.

He said it will contain around a six metre by six metre space including heat pumps but “nothing very big and nothing very viewable from the ground”.

On the way down, Daniel took us through other corridors which are also soon to contain furnished rooms.

Gaps for two future lifts have also been made next to each other.

He also informed us that the crane, which has been seen on the site for several months, is expected to be taken down before Christmas.