Not much room at the inn this Christmas

Friday, 11 Dec, 2017 0

Christmas Day bookings for bed and breakfast establishments have more than doubled year-on-year, meaning last-minute bookers may find there is no room at the inn.

The quarterly National B&B Index from online booking company Eviivo, points to a surge in demand for B&Bs over the Christmas period, with December 25 bookings up 111.3%.

The picture for accommodation seekers is somewhat better on Christmas Eve, the night in the Christmas Story when accommodation was famously in short supply, although several regions are significantly up.

The strongest performing UK region for Christmas Eve is Scotland, with like for like bookings up 30%.

Ruth Whitehead, director at Eviivo, said: "Christmas is a mandatory family occasion, but staying under one roof with our in-laws can make us feel a bit like simmering Christmas puddings. B&Bs are a useful, comfortable valve for the emotional pressure cooker of the holiday season."

Meanwhile, a survey by Jurys Inn has found half of respondents would rather go and check in to a hotel than stay with relatives over Christmas.

Only 8% of those hosting guests over Christmas would ever suggest they book a room nearby – even if they didn’t want them to stay in their home, according to Jurys Inn.

Lisa

Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.