Hotels in London and Windsor ‘sold out' ahead of Queen's funeral
Hotels across London and Windsor have seen a surge in bookings ahead of the Queen's state funeral on 19 September, with many reporting that they are "sold out".
Thousands of people are also expected to visit the capital to see the Queen lie in-state for five days from 5pm today (14 September).
Demand has been reflected in prices. Earlier this week Booking.com showed the cheapest room at Z Hotel Victoria, which is located less than a mile away from Westminster Abbey, cost £450 between 18-19 September. This is more than triple the rate for 25-26 September, which is at £130.
A spokesperson for CitizenM hotels said that there was a "pronounced spike in bookings on the Thursday evening and Friday for this coming week", with its London Victoria site fully booked from 16 to 20 September.
Andrew Coney, general manager of the Hari hotel, which is a 20-minute walk away from Buckingham Palace, said: "We will be full all this week and much of next week, due to the upcoming arrangements. We completely understand and appreciate our guests' wishes to share in the country's mourning and have ensured to maintain our usual service and room rate offers, in no way capitalising on such a sad occasion."
Stuart Proctor, chief operating officer of the Stafford Collection, added: "Bookings for the next few months were already looking very strong at The Stafford London; however, since the sad news of Her Majesty's passing, we have seen a sharp increase in demand from guests across the globe - not only those looking to pay their respects over the next week, but those looking to visit London throughout the remainder of the year."
Travelodge, which operates 78 hotels across London, said its properties in central London and Windsor were "literally sold out", and demand was growing for its hotels situated near to a train or tube station throughout Greater London.
Sam Goss, general manager at Castle Hotel Windsor, also reported that it had "naturally seen increased demand for rooms over the next week" due to its proximity to Windsor Castle. The hotel has closed out its inventory for new enquiries, though its F&B outlets remain open.
The spokesperson added: "Enquiries have come from both the domestic and the international market and from media teams who will be in the area to cover events. The hotel is operating as normal with added protocols in place to reflect the mood over this period such as all music off and staff wearing dark uniform where appropriate."
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: "We're hearing from hotel operators in London that they've experienced a surge in bookings since last Thursday's announcement of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and are aware that those close to the capital are also busier than usual.
"Demand is certain to remain high right up until next Monday's state funeral, and it's important to note that the need to billet extra police and other personnel before, during and immediately after the event will have contributed to that, through block bookings for accommodation."
The state funeral will be held at 11am at Westminster Abbey. After the service, the Queen's coffin will be drawn in a walking procession to Wellington Arch at London's Hyde Park Corner. It will then be taken to Windsor by hearse for its final journey to Windsor Castle.
Image: Veebas / Shutterstock
