With leisure travel banned and only travel for work or
educational purposes permitted during England’s month-long ‘Lockdown 2’, many
hotels have taken the decision to temporarily close their doors while those
that remain open are pinning their hopes on the corporate market.
“Some of
our hotel partners are closing, some are part-closing and some are remaining
open for key workers and business travellers, but we expect demand to be low given
government’s latest lockdown guidelines,” said Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of the Advantage
Travel Partnership.
The UK’s largest hotel group Premier Inn says it is
monitoring demand for business travel and expects to keep the “majority” of its
hotels open in England. However it is temporarily closing all restaurants in
line with government advice.
“This is an incredibly tough time for
businesses across the UK and we hope the knowledge that there’s ‘rooms at the
inn’ will be welcome news for business travellers,” says a spokesperson for the
group.
Its meetings rooms – available at
selected hotels – will remain available for hire following confirmation from government that
meetings and events for up to 30 delegates can continue to take place.
OYO, which
added more than 1,200 rooms to its UK portfolio during Lockdown 1, says
two-thirds of its rooms remain open across England “for those travelling for
business and those in need of interim accommodation during the November
lockdown”.
A
spokesperson for the company adds: “We will work with our partners to open
more hotel rooms according to local needs.”
Marriott has confirmed 44 temporary hotel closures in the UK as of 5
November, with “a number of our England hotels remaining open to accommodate
guests travelling for work and other exemptions”.
Around 60 Marriott properties remain open across the UK including hotels
at County Hall and Regent’s Park in London, as well as the St Pancras Renaissance,
JW Marriott Grosvenor House and Aloft Excel in the capital. It will continue to
monitor the situation.
A third of Accor's 231 hotels in England have "taken the difficult decision to temporarily close their doors for the second time this year", says a spokesperson for the group.
Its remaining hotels are "proudly staying open, ALLSAFE approved and Covid-secure, to welcome business guests travelling for essential business needs", although all restaurants and bars are closed. It is providing room service or 'grab and go' options where possible.
Meanwhile,
a spokesperson for IHG Hotels & Resorts, whose brands include Holiday Inn
and Crowne Plaza, said: “We continue to work closely with our hotel owners to
follow the latest guidance and to understand what it means for their individual
property.
“Some
hotels may take the decision to temporarily close, but this is very much dependent
on the level of business they anticipate during this period.”
Hilton and Travelodge have not yet responded
to BTN Europe’s request for an update.