Hotels ranging from budget to luxury hotels have reported an increase in customs, with one travel expert saying demand for a place to stay is at its highest level since the 2012 Olympics. Amid the clamor for accommodation, whether from individual mourners wanting to pay their respects or foreign delegations trying to secure a group booking, some operators appear to have raised their prices significantly. Several hundred thousand people are expected to travel to the capital from Wednesday to pay their respects to the late monarch as she lies in state for four days in London before her funeral on Monday. When the Guardian looked on Booking.com on Monday, luxury hotel ME London on the Strand was charging a total of £5,028 for two nights – Sunday 18 and Monday 19 September – in a “Mode” room for two people. A Mode room booked for a week later – Sunday 25 and Monday 26 September – will cost £1,148. There were also some big price differences in the budget chain Travelodge. For example, the same two nights at the London Central Elephant and Castle Hotel were priced “from £439.98” when the Guardian looked on Monday. The quoted price for September 25-26 was “from £159.98”. Meanwhile, a PA news agency analysis found that hotel prices were up to four times higher on the Sunday night before the funeral than a week later. He said the cheapest room at London’s Park Plaza County Hall – one of the closest hotels to Westminster Abbey – on Sunday night would cost £1,299, compared to £269 seven days later. The chief executive of industry body UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, said: “We are hearing from hoteliers in London that they have experienced an increase in bookings following the announcement of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s death and know that those closer to the capital are also more busier than usual. “Demand is certain to remain high until next Monday’s state funeral and it is important to note that the need for additional police and other staff before, during and immediately after the event will have contributed to this, through block bookings for accommodations. “ Travel experts said many luxury London hotels had booked their “inventory” – the number of rooms available for sale across different channels – and processed inquiries on demand, allowing them to charge more. Paul Charles, managing director of travel consultancy PC Agency, said: “Many central London hotels have already closed their room availability online, preferring to deal with ad hoc requests so they can ‘manage’ higher rates. Subscribe to Business Today Get ready for the business day – we’ll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. “Demand to stay in London over the next fortnight, especially from foreign delegations, is at its highest level since the 2012 Olympics.” Travelodge, which has 78 hotels across the capital, said its central London and Windsor hotels were “literally sold out”. He added: “Demand is growing strongly for our hotels located close to a train or tube station across Greater London. We are confident that we are offering consumers the best value rates for a branded hotel chain in the region.” Lastminute.com reported that weekend bookings for London hotel stays on 18 and 19 September were up 85% compared to the same period in 2021 and up 65% on 2019. Gary Redmond, the general manager of Adria, a boutique hotel in South Kensington, a stone’s throw from Kensington Palace, said he had received a large number of enquiries, including from embassies and media organisations, but had to turn some people away. “Many guests due to check out before the weekend have extended to attend the funeral over the weekend and bank holiday. Overall an increase in demand of around 70% for this weekend,” said Redmond.
