Anyone else finding it hard to find affordable accommodation?

[Techniquest]

Is anyone else having problems getting decent priced accommodation for trips at the moment? Surely the entire country doesn't book Travelodges and Premier Inns *that* much in mid December? Pretty sure Liverpool doesn't have a massive tourist season at this time of year, so why for one night on December 14th I'm looking at over £90 for a Travelodge I have no idea. Same story in Manchester and Leeds, costs are huge. As I would also need a stay for the next night, plus train travel and daily costs, I've no choice but to cancel my planned big trip in December.

Am I missing something? The week and a bit after would be more explainable with the huge amount of people racing home for Frothmas...

 

[bb21]

Given that it is a Saturday, perhaps people on pre-Christmas shopping trips?

 

[CatfordCat]

People do tend to travel more in the run up to the Christmas thing, for shopping, family visits and so on (and fewer people have spare rooms for guests than they used to)

Also, football matches can lead to away fans (or 'home' fans who for whatever reason live some distance from the ground) making a weekend of it.

The 'cheap rooms' offered by these chains are very much demand driven, in the same way that cheap advance fares on trains are. If you want to do something that lots of other people do, then you're not going to get a cheap option...

 

[PG]

To add to previous suggestions mid December they'll likely be many works nights out so people will have booked rooms as they'll be too hammered to get home and/or (when they booked) the cost of a room is cheaper than a late night taxi.

 

[IanD]

Football, Christmas shopping trips and Christmas Parties?

 

[Butts]

I couldn't bring myself to pay £90 for a Travelodge knowing with a bit of foresight I could have got it for £29 or less !!!

Have you tried Youth Hostels, sometimes they have cheap rates.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Hatters hostels in Liverpool & Manchester (x2) are not too bad for shared accommodation

 

[jon0844]

I think you'll also find that some dates are excluded altogether from the cheap deals.

 

[Clip]

Manchester christmas market is a massive occasion

 

[maniacmartin]

Travelodge has been getting more expensive recently. In fact, for the past 4 trips I've booked, Premier Inn has been cheaper.

As for #90 per night, laterooms.com is showing much better deals from smaller independent places

 

[Cletus]

There are Premier Inns on the 14th for £29 in Warrington & St Helens.

 

[Buttsy]

Premier Inn Bradford Central (almost next door to Interchange) has rooms for £32.00 that night.

Also worth trying booking.com

 

[theblackwatch]

In my experience, Saturday is always the most expensive night in Travelodges (and Sunday the cheapest). I'm not surprised that city centre ones are therefore even more expensive on the Saturdays leading up to Christmas.

 

[telstarbox]

A lot of companies have their work Christmas parties on the Saturdays in December which means people want to stay over on the Saturday night.

 

[Crossover]

Captive market, probably!

 

[DarloRich]

Is anyone else having problems getting decent priced accommodation for trips at the moment? Surely the entire country doesn't book Travelodges and Premier Inns *that* much in mid December? Pretty sure Liverpool doesn't have a massive tourist season at this time of year, so why for one night on December 14th I'm looking at over £90 for a Travelodge I have no idea. Same story in Manchester and Leeds, costs are huge. As I would also need a stay for the next night, plus train travel and daily costs, I've no choice but to cancel my planned big trip in December.

Am I missing something? The week and a bit after would be more explainable with the huge amount of people racing home for Frothmas...

Yes you are missing something. It is Christmas and big cities - people shop, go to parties, get drunk, do interesting stuff and cant drive home. Hotels take advantage. What do you except?

 

[tony_mac]

Pretty sure Liverpool doesn't have a massive tourist season at this time of year

You would be surprised!
Liverpool hotels are always busy on Saturdays and some places will have a 2 night minimum stay requirement.
But I guess there are a lot of people doing pre-Christmas weekends away. It is possible that prices will come down if they have over-estimated demand, but I wouldn't count on it, a number of hotels are showing as fully booked already.

If you don't stay in the city, things get much easier.

Premier Inn Bradford Central (almost next door to Interchange) has rooms for £32.00 that night.

Bradford is usually cheap at weekends - the Holiday Inn Express (also next to Interchange) can be had on the 2-for-1 rate at £25 per night (including a breakfast).

 

[craigwilson]

You would be surprised!
Liverpool hotels are always busy on Saturdays and some places will have a 2 night minimum stay requirement.
But I guess there are a lot of people doing pre-Christmas weekends away. It is possible that prices will come down if they have over-estimated demand, but I wouldn't count on it, a number of hotels are showing as fully booked already.

If you don't stay in the city, things get much easier.

You're telling me...I stayed in Liverpool on Easter Saturday - to show how much demand there is, the IBIS near the docks was charging £160/night :roll: Now, I've been in one before, and IBIS hotels are not worth £160/night by any stretch...

 

[Techniquest]

Yes you are missing something. It is Christmas and big cities - people shop, go to parties, get drunk, do interesting stuff and cant drive home. Hotels take advantage. What do you except?

14th December is NOT Frothmas. That shouldn't be starting until the week after :roll:

If I could have got the Saturday off any sooner (you try getting time off in December when in retail!) I'd have sorted out a trip beforehand for a better price. The perils of wanting to get away from the insanity with a month's notice and have a reasonably priced stay in an area I want to go to...

As it is, I *think* I've settled on an option for next month now, having worked out a rough plan to clear bits and bobs I've been wanting to do for ages. Looking into it tonight while I upload some video clips from the WMDR

 

[starrymarkb]

Have you tried something like Booking.com for independents as well - and yes 14th is peak Christmas party season!

Ibis is usually good value

 

[jon0844]

Even at the end of November, I can see that Premier Inn is charging almost £300 for two nights in York at any of their central or nearby hotels - and some are already sold out completely.

 

[maniacmartin]

I'm staying in Doncaster Premier Inn for an upcoming visit to York and travelling in on APs. It works out much cheaper

 

[jon0844]

My best was V Festival. Didn't want to camp, but getting home was going to be a problem on the Saturday night, only to return on the Sunday... so I booked a Premier Inn near Liverpool Street and came back from Chelmsford to sleep and return in the morning. It was significantly cheaper than a hotel near Chelmsford!

I've said before on here that when people are in London for a big event, say a football match, don't seek a hotel near to the ground. Get something further away but easily accessed by tube/bus/reasonably priced taxi fare.

 

[edwin_m]

For work reasons I had to spend two or three nights a week near Canary Wharf in 2009, and while the prices a couple of miles away were often reasonable they went through the roof every time there was an event on at the O2. I reckon the death of Michael Jackson saved my employer a lot of money, as he was due to do a long run there that summer.

 

[IanD]

For work reasons I had to spend two or three nights a week near Canary Wharf in 2009, and while the prices a couple of miles away were often reasonable they went through the roof every time there was an event on at the O2. I reckon the death of Michael Jackson saved my employer a lot of money, as he was due to do a long run there that summer.

Every cloud...

 

[DarloRich]

14th December is NOT Frothmas. That shouldn't be starting until the week after :roll:

If I could have got the Saturday off any sooner (you try getting time off in December when in retail!) I'd have sorted out a trip beforehand for a better price. The perils of wanting to get away from the insanity with a month's notice and have a reasonably priced stay in an area I want to go to...

As it is, I *think* I've settled on an option for next month now, having worked out a rough plan to clear bits and bobs I've been wanting to do for ages. Looking into it tonight while I upload some video clips from the WMDR

so you dont like Christmas then? I guess you dont have any kids! I best get my works Christmas party moved from the 16th then. Far to early :roll:

 

[dorsetman]

Always try staying a few stations out of large towns and cities. There are several B&Bs in our directory that only charge around £30 for a single:
http://station-stays.co.uk

 

[harry42]

Holiday Inn Express - We got a room for £39 up north somewhere.

 

[bb21]

As for #90 per night, laterooms.com is showing much better deals from smaller independent places

I can endorse this suggestion. I have on a number of times found very good late deals on this website which were not always available elsewhere.

 

[Butts]

Even at the end of November, I can see that Premier Inn is charging almost £300 for two nights in York at any of their central or nearby hotels - and some are already sold out completely.

There must be a lot of suckers about....no way I'd pay a ton and a half for a Premier Inn even in London.

The brekkie would be another £8 each per day.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

You would be surprised!
Liverpool hotels are always busy on Saturdays and some places will have a 2 night minimum stay requirement.
But I guess there are a lot of people doing pre-Christmas weekends away. It is possible that prices will come down if they have over-estimated demand, but I wouldn't count on it, a number of hotels are showing as fully booked already.

If you don't stay in the city, things get much easier.

Bradford is usually cheap at weekends - the Holiday Inn Express (also next to Interchange) can be had on the 2-for-1 rate at £25 per night (including a breakfast).

Bradford Hilton is quite cheap as well , right by the Station and includes breakfast on most tariffs.

Plus last time I stayed they still had smoking rooms