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Staycations UK: Center Parcs, Haven and Butlins rocket in price for Easter

British families planning an Easter staycation are facing soaring prices of rental cottages with some coming in at three times higher than a fortnight earlier.

Center Parcs, Haven and Butlins have all hiked their prices for Easter as they plan to reopen in March despite concerns that the national lockdown will still be in place.

But Britons desperate for some respite from the coronavirus crisis are looking closer to home as fears mount over the future of foreign holidays this summer.

At Center Parcs in Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire, a two-bed Woodland Lodge for seven nights from March 19 for £978, while from April 2 it is £2,498 – a rise of £1,520 or 155 per cent

It comes as passengers arriving in England from high-risk coronavirus hotspots look set to be made to quarantine in hotels to limit the spread of new variants.

The Prime Minister will discuss the proposals – designed to ensure people follow self-isolation rules – with senior ministers at the ‘Covid Operations’ committee today.

Holiday price hikes at Butlins, Center Parcs and Haven sites 

(These figures were found today for a family of four staying for a week)

BUTLINS – BOGNOR REGIS

Gold Apartment; 2-bed, sleeps four

March 19 – £318April 2 – £1,353Difference: £1,035 – 325%July 12 – £1,048July 26 – £1,701Difference: £653 – 62% 

CENTER PARCS – WOBURN FOREST

Woodland Lodge; 2-bed; sleeps four

March 19 – £978March 29 – £2,498Difference: £1520 – 155%July 12 – £1,608August 2 – £2,178Difference: £570 – 35%

HAVEN – RIVIERE SANDS

Standard caravan; 2-bed, sleeps four

March 19 – £186April 2 – £502Difference: £316 – 170%July 12 – £623July 26 – £1,218Difference: £595 – 96%

Holiday operators regularly hike prices for Easter to make the most of high demand, but this year it seems extremely high compared to a few weeks before.

At Butlins Bognor Regis in Somerset for example, a Gold Apartment for four people is on offer for a week from March 19 for £318, but £1,353 from April 2 – an increase of £1,035 or 325 per cent.

The same room is available for a week from July 12 for £1,048 – rising to £1,701 from July 26, after the summer holidays start, an increase of £653 or 62 per cent.

Butlins is currently offering summer holidays for ‘£270 per break’. At the same point last year, an archived version of its website shows it was offering summer summer holidays ‘from £235 per break’. This means its minimum price is up £35 or 15 per cent at the same point this year.

Meanwhile at Center Parcs in Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire, a two-bed Woodland Lodge for seven nights from March 19 for £978, while from April 2 it is £2,498 – a rise of £1,520 or 155 per cent.

The same accommodation at the site for seven nights this summer is £1,608 from July 12 or £2,178 from July 26 – an increase of £570 or 35 per cent.

As for Haven, a standard caravan for seven nights at its Riviere Sands resort in Cornwall is on sale from March 19 for £186 or from April 2 for £502 – a rise of £316 or 170 per cent.

Looking ahead to summer, the same property for the same time length is £623 from July 12 or £1,218 from July 26 – a difference of £595 or 96 per cent.

There are also fears prices could rise further if the VAT cut for hospitality and staycation accommodation from 20 to 5 per cent ends as planned on March 31.

As for Airbnb, a cottage in Portesham, Devon, is going for £737 for seven nights from March 20, but £889 from April 3 – a difference of £152 or 21 per cent.

A barn via the same website in Helston, Cornwall, is up for £973 for a week from March 20, or £1,068 from March 3 – a difference of £95 or 10 per cent.

Meanwhile a survey found most Britons have come to terms with not going abroad in the foreseeable future, with only 12 per cent planning to do so.

The figures haven’t moved much from summer and autumn last year. They peaked in July when 17 per cent of people planned to go abroad.

The polling by YouGov found younger people are still more likely to say they’re going on holiday abroad. 

At Butlins Bognor Regis, a Gold Apartment for four people is on offer for a week from March 19 for £318, but £1,353 from April 2 – an increase of £1,035 or 325 per cent

Butlins is currently offering summer holidays for ‘£270 per break’ (left). At the same point last year, its website shows it was offering summer summer holidays ‘from £235 per break’ (right). This means its minimum price is up £35 or 15 per cent at the same point this year.

One in six 18-24-year-olds (16 per cent) said they had plans to do so, compared with 9 per cent of those aged 65 and older.

Even Boris Johnson’s holiday cottage is fully booked until October! 

The property where Boris Johnson stayed last August during his summer staycation has only one week left to book until October – and that is next month, when lockdown is still likely.

Old School House near Kinlochbervie in the Scottish Highlands is set in splendid isolation with beautiful views over the islands of Rona and Raasay.

Old School House near Kinlochbervie in the Highlands, where Boris Johnson stayed

It is available for £425 for a week from February 26, but then not again until October 15 when it will cost £635, and October 22 when it will be £939.

It can cost around £1,500 a week to rent in the summer and the nearest neighbours are half a mile away. The cottage is off a single track coast road and is around six miles from the village of Applecross which has a pub. 

But the number of people hoping to enjoy a domestic trip in the next six months is lower now (29 per cent) compared with in July (45 per cent) last year.

A Haven spokesman told MailOnline today: ‘Following the challenges that 2020 provided in terms of holidays, we have seen guests looking to take a break on the British coast when lockdown is lifted.

‘We saw an uplift in bookings during the autumn and early winter of 2020 which saw sales 40 per cent ahead of where they would normally be for the time of year. 

‘As it stands, Haven parks will reopen to holidaymakers on Friday. March 12 and we have already sold a third of our available holidays for 2021 with May half term having sold over 50 per cent of available breaks.

‘Whilst we have not yet experienced the pre pandemic sales of last January, we have seen a significant increase in bookings in the last week. 

‘We expect this trend to continue but also envisage that bookings will increase as lockdown measures are reduced. When this happened in 2020, we saw a 150 per cent increase in online bookings against the same period the previous year.’

And a Center Parcs spokesman said: ‘We have seen a significant increase in bookings and interest in Center Parcs breaks recently. 

‘Our bookings for 2021, in particular from May onwards, are very strong and ahead of the same time last year. Whilst we expect demand for a UK break to remain high, it is clear that people want reassurance about the flexibility to cancel or change dates. 

‘Our Book with Confidence guarantee allows our guests to book their break now, safe in the knowledge that they will be able to change dates with no fee or receive a full no quibbles refund should they no longer be able to, or feel comfortable to, go ahead with their break when the time arrives.

At Haven, a standard caravan for seven nights at its Riviere Sands resort in Cornwall is on sale from March 19 for £186 or from April 2 for £502 – a rise of £316 or 170 per cent

‘We will only reopen once we are satisfied that we can safely do so and we continue to follow all government guidance in terms of providing a safe environment for people to enjoy a short break.’

She added that its five UK villages were closed until at least February 18, but this was not a confirmed reopening date.

It comes as passengers arriving in England from high-risk coronavirus hotspots look set to be made to quarantine in hotels to limit the spread of new variants. 

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi warned that the country needs to be ‘very careful’ as new strains emerge, and said an announcement on the quarantine plans would be made later. 

Despite reports suggesting it could take up to three weeks to implement the policy – partly due to the logistical challenge of arranging accommodation for thousands of arrivals – the head of a major hotel chain said they could mobilise ‘within 24 to 48 hours’. 

A survey byYouGov found most Britons have come to terms with not going abroad in the foreseeable future, with only 12 per cent planning to do so

Various options for quarantining arrivals are said to be on the table, but Whitehall sources suggested that ministers may opt for a more limited system after aviation leaders warned that introducing tougher border rules would be ‘catastrophic’ for the industry.

In a joint statement, the Airport Operators Association and Airlines UK insisted the country already has ‘some of the highest levels of restrictions in the world’ and that introducing tougher rules would be ‘catastrophic’.

Reports have suggested that arrivals in England would have to cover the price of quarantining in hotels for 10 days, potentially setting them back more than £1,000.

It is understood that the requirement to isolate in a hotel would apply to arrivals from most of southern Africa and South America, as well as Portugal.

However, Conservative former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said the proposals might need to go further than applying only to those arriving from countries where new variants of Covid-19 have been discovered.

On Sykes Cottages, a three-bedroom cottage just 50 metres from the beach is available in Angelsey, north Wales from Good Friday for a week over Easter for £1,095, compared to £507 for the week before. 

A spokesperson for Butlins said: ‘We have seen an increase in demand for bookings, particularly into May half term and the summer holidays, and we expect this trend to continue as more guests look to holiday in the UK.

‘Our three resorts are closed until at least March 1, though this isn’t a confirmed reopening date. 

‘We are monitoring government restrictions closely and will continue to update our guests if there are any changes to their break. It is clear to see holidaymakers want something to look forward to once the current restrictions are eased. 

‘With our best ever entertainment line-up plus our Butlin’s Promise, which includes no quibble refunds and no fee date changes, we’re looking forward to welcoming guests back to Butlin’s this year.’



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