To the weary traveller, roadside hotels are usually little more than a welcome pitstop for one night at the very most.

However, for David and Jean Davidson, the Travelodge chain is the place they have called home for 22 years.

The couple, who never have to cook, clean, do the washing up or make a bed, spent their first night in a roadside Travelodge in 1985 when they drove to visit an elderly aunt in Staffordshire who was in poor health.

They enjoyed their stay so much that when the aunt died four months later they moved out of their flat in Sheffield and took up residence at the Travelodge in Newark, Nottinghamshire.

In 1997, they moved into a new Travelodge on the A1 at Grantham, Lincolnshire, where they still live. Yesterday Mr Davidson, 79, a former Royal Navy sailor who served in the Second World War, said: “We have everything we need here — and the staff are like family now. We get great rates because we book well in advance and all our bed linen is laundered too. It doesn’t get much better than that does it?”

“We only have to walk across the car park for meals as there is a Little Chef here too. Alternatively we go to local eateries for a bite to eat.”

The couple have spent no less than £97,000 on their hotel costs over the course of 22 years — a sum which could have bought them a two bedroom terrace home in the Lincolnshire area.

The couple, who have a 54-year-old son, now have their own housekeeper and give and receive Christmas, birthday and anniversary presents from staff.

Mrs Davidson said: “I really like living here as it is so convenient and our room is on the ground floor so there are no stairs or lifts to deal with.

“We don’t get hit with huge heating bills over the winter and it’s safer than a lot of places these days.

“It’s also great to be based so centrally to Grantham, Newark and Lincoln. We like going for day trips or having lunch at local hotels.

“For us it’s a better and cheaper option than an old people’s home and we’re well looked after.”

Mr Davidson, a retired banker, added: “We were the first guests to stay in the Grantham Travelodge and have lived here for the past 10 years, only visiting our flat every fortnight or so in Sheffield to collect any post.

“Our room feels like a home from home, with personal photos in frames and our wardrobe filled with all our clothes. Friends and family also come to visit us here.

“There is always something going on outside our window. Our room looks out on to the car park and a busy slip road where lorries pass by throughout the night.

“It suits us so much better than our first floor flat in Sheffield which has no disabled access for Jean, who now has a bone disease and requires a wheelchair.

“The facilities here are great. There is no reason why we’d want to go home. Even when we go on holiday we like to stay in Travelodges.”

Paul Anstey, of Travelodge, said: “We know Travelodge has really loyal customers throughout the UK but the Davidson’s are unique. They have made a Travelodge their home. To recognise their remarkable loyalty, we are going to rename their room from number one to ‘The Davidson’s Suite’ and mount a plaque in reception.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• TV bidding war starts over Olympics
• Sofas were larger than life in TV adverts
• Driver pays fine with wheelbarrow of pennies