Hotels cash in on "Twixmas"

Hoteliers around the UK are cashing in on the normally quieter period betwixt Christmas and New Year by marketing "Twixmas" breaks to customers.

"It's absolutely wonderful," said Geoffrey Rogers, proprietor of the three-star, 68-bedroom Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish, Devon.

"We're full tomorrow and the following night. It gives us tremendous occupancy levels, it's very successful."

Rogers came up with the idea of marketing the breaks under the name "Twixtmas" six years ago, after seeing a tour operator using the same title for trips to Europe.

"Before, we used to encourage people to stay on for additional days after Christmas, or at the start of their New Year break," he said.

"By calling it the Twixtmas break we have encouraged people to come just for those two days. We have attracted new customers."

The 42-bedroom Ullswater Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, offers a three-day Twixmas package from 27-30 December.

"It wasn't that popular until it was promoted as a Twixmas break," said duty manager Marcus Gavin.

"They're very popular now. We've only got about two rooms empty."

Janet Grover, proprietor of the 85-bedroom Highlander Hotel in Newtonmore, Inverness-shire, said: "We've been running them for the last 15 years and it's always full."

Some larger hotel chains have also adopted the marketing ploy. Scotland-based Macdonald Hotels offers Twixmas packages in some of its properties, while Jarvis hotels run "In-Between" breaks.