A strong late bookings surge fuelled by demand for luxury accommodation with hot tubs helped boost Easter business for UK self-catering sister brands Hoseasons and cottages.com.
Easter bookings across the Hoseasons Lodges and Parks portfolio rose by 15% compared to the same school holiday period last year, while bookings for cottages.com were up 13%.
Demand for luxury lodge breaks featuring hot tubs increased by 25% year-on-year for Hoseasons and luxury cottages with hot tubs by 15% for cottages.com.
The positive trend was reflected in Hoseasons’ sales through third parties, including high street agents, which were up 13%.
Simon Altham, managing director – revenue at parent company Wyndham Vacation Rentals UK, claimed the figures show a continuing appeal of luxury short breaks for families and couples looking for convenient getaways only a short drive from home.
He said: “Headlines about Brexit, ongoing security concerns and the falling value of the pound, mean that people are much more cautious this year and thinking carefully about how and where to spend their hard-earned money.
“What is interesting, though, is that they are not prepared to compromise on quality. Increasingly, customers are looking to better the standards they are used to at home, which is why we are seeing such high demand for our luxury collections.
“Continued and significant investment in accommodation standards has raised the bar when it comes to the UK luxury self-catering market.”