Travel: Big chains chasing short break customers

May 30 2009 By Huddersfield Examiner

With many travellers expected to take UK short-breaks this summer instead of spending too much money abroad, British hotel groups are ready to challenge their budget rivals for a share of the business.

Leading short-break operator Superbreak has linked up with upmarket De Vere Hotels with a special summer offer of double rooms for £25 per night on its quality portfolio of three and four-star properties.

The offer is open only from May 26 to June 4, for bookings between June 1 and September 12.

The De Vere Venues chain includes hotels in 31 locations from city centres to country houses, including Abingdon, Minster Lovell, Ascot, Bolton, just outside Chester and Manchester, and Barony Castles in Peebles, Scotland.

Superbreak’s latest move followed an earlier offer of discounts up to 50% agreed with other hotel operators, including two nights’ B&B for £46 per person (saving £46) at the three-star Jury’s Inn, Manchester, for arrivals through August (two sharing).

The Jury’s Inn chain, with 19 hotels already open in the UK - including Brighton, Plymouth and Southampton, six in Ireland and four more due in 2010 in Portsmouth, Bradford, Newcastle and Glasgow - promises "sea, sand and suncream" packages from £29.95 per person, B&B, on bookings by the end of May.

Jury’s is trialling a ’staycationers’ special package in Brighton, with a free spraytan for every couple and layer of sand at reception so guests can feel the sand between their toes.

Travelodge has 40,000 rooms - each big enough for two adults and two children - on sale for July/August stays from £19. Breakfast is bookable online for £5.50 per person, with under-16s eating for free and two-course meals cost £6 if booked online.

INFORMATION: Superbreak (0871 222 3055 and www.superbreak.com); Shearings Holidays (01942 823 361 and www.shearings.com); Jury’s Inns (0870 4100 800 and www.jurysinns.com); Forest Holidays (0845 130 8223 and www.forestholidays.co.uk).

Travelodge (www.travelodge.co.uk) takes 87% of reservations online.