Harrogate hotel predicts "record-breaking" summer after influx of bookings
The DoubleTree Hilton Harrogate Majestic has had hundreds of bookings already for the summer months
The manager of a Harrogate hotel's predicting a "record-breaking" summer for the spa town, after taking hundreds of bookings for the summer months.
Over the last few weeks, the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel & Spa has been inundated with bookings for the school summer holiday, with one August weekend already fully booked.
Hotel manager Andy Barnsdale said the continued uncertainty about foreign travel, brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, meant the UK was going to be predominant destination for holidaying Brits this year.
He said: “We've actually had to bring more team in to answer the phones. The stop start of the lockdowns has been a confusing year for the staff so we're really excited now there's some light at the end of the tunnel.
"It's a beautiful town and what we saw in the summer of last year was people using us as a holiday destination rather than just as a short break, so I can imagine the same will happen this year.
"I think Harrogate is like the lungs of Yorkshire. The surrounding countryside and parks are beautiful and they're a great healthy option for people who are a little more health conscious and want to still stick to social distancing.
“We are in the process of getting the hotel ready for the re-start of alfresco dining and drinking on Monday, April 12. The finishing touches are being put to a new menu and we are beginning to bring staff back in readiness for this momentous occasion.
“The Harrogate Spa is also reopening on what we are hoping will be a ‘Glorious 12th’, and again the spa team and therapists are ensuring it will be looking in pristine condition."
With uncertainty around travelling abroad, thousands of brits have already made their summer holiday bookings, choosing to staycation across North Yorkshire.