Is this 2011 or 1981? There's something eerily familiar going on. The United Kingdom is slowly coming out of a recession, there's a Tory-led government, savage spending cuts, protest demonstrations and, oh yes, a royal wedding. While the general economic news may be gloomy, the monarchy is once again coming to the rescue of London's hospitality industry.
The Royal Wedding is a Tourist Draw
According to Visit London, the official tourist office for London, the city is expecting at least an additional 600,000 visitors to visit London for the wedding (600,000 being the number of additional visitors in London for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981).
The wedding day, Friday April 29 2011, is a holiday, and the capital will be in a festive mood for another long weekend, coming hot on the heels of the Easter weekend. With the Mayday Bank Holiday on the following Monday, partied-out Londoners will not be back at work until 2 May.
Hotels across the city, from the swankiest 5-star establishments to modest budget hotels are vying for guests. Some of the major hotels near Buckingham Palace are already full or only offering multi-night deals. Ciaran Fahy, Managing Director of The Cavendish and Chairman of the London Regional Committee of the British Hospitality Associated noted however that, “London has a huge range of value accommodation and with our excellent transport links people can find exceptional value rate s a few tube or bus stops away from the centre of London.” (Visit London press release ' Mayor invites world to join London for Royal Wedding celebrations ', 17 February 2011).
London Hotels and the Royal Wedding
Hotels offering special royal wedding packages include the 4-star Lancaster Hotel (Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY, tel: +44 (0)20 7262 6737) near Hyde Park, which is offering a 2-night package for £209, while the 5-star Royal Garden Hotel (2-24 Kensington High Street, London W8 4PT, tel: +44 (0)20 7937 8000) is offering a 3 night stay which includes afternoon tea for two, complimentary use of the Soma Spa sauna and steam room and a pair of entry tickets to the neighbouring Kensington Palace, from £280 or £330 per night depending on the class of room.
One Aldwych (One Aldwych, London WC2B 4RH, tel: +44 (0)20 7300 1000 ) in the heart of London's theatre area offers a package entitled “A Modern Romance” which includes accommodation and breakfast for two, a wedding gift and bottle of champagne on arrival and a celebratory dinner in the hotel's Axis Restaurant for £495.
London Budget Hotels
There are a number of more modestly priced options, although it is likely that these will fill up quickly even with raised prices. One of the latest additions to London's budget hotel landscape – and very well placed for the royal wedding – is the Tune Hotel in Westminster. Located just over the river from the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall, the hotel is a short walk from Westminster Abbey. A double room costs from £120 per night at the time of the royal wedding.
The Visit London website has more information on Royal Rooms in London.
Paris Franz - Paris Franz is a London-based freelance journalist, specialising in the arts, history and travel.
