Hotels in and around Aberdeen should not see the city’s Offshore Europe event as an excuse to jack up their prices, the boss at the city’s new Courtyard by Marriott says.
The Granite City’s latest hotel, like most, in the area, is fully booked for next week’s big oil and gas show, when thousands of people from around the world will descend on Europe’s energy capital.
Visitors still needing a place to stay are fast running out of options and must be prepared to pay inflated rates. A check on booking website Laterooms.com yesterday showed only a few rooms available within 30 miles of Aberdeen, with prices ranging from £250 to £1,200 a night.
Alan Malloy, general manager the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel, told the Press and Journal accommodation providers should not charge exorbitant prices.
“It does not do the city of Aberdeen any good,” he said, adding that the widespread practice also meant visitors were not getting value for money.”
He was speaking as the 194-bedroom Courtyard by Marriott, at Aberdeen International Airport, held its official opening.
Its standard prices for next week were higher than normal at £295 per room but Mr Malloy said this was nowhere near what some other hotels in the city were charging and, in any case, many guests, were staying as part of special corporate packages.
Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association (Acsha) said its members had worked hard, this year in particular, to make sure prices were fair.
Acsha chairman Chris McGuinness said: “We believe this is reflected in the fact that members are at full capacity. We have no influence over the pricing structure of non-member hotels, however, we would urge them to be mindful of the impact that pricing has on the customer and the perception of Aberdeen as a destination for business tourism.”
OE 2013 takes place at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre from Tuesday to Friday.
The new Courtyard by Marriott is aimed primarily at business travellers and is the first of a new design.
Hotel giant Marriott will use the prototype launched in Aberdeen for all other future new-builds under its Courtyard brand.
Amy McPherson, the group’s president and managing director for Europe, said was optimistic about the new Granite City site, adding: “Aberdeen is a very buoyant market”.
Marriott is investing £60,000 to £68,000 per room in its Courtyard new-builds, depending on location, which makes the new Aberdeen hotel worth more than £11.6million.
A room for the night in a hotel in or close to Aberdeen next week does not come cheap.
Of the hotels with accommodation still available, the cheapest – according to the Laterooms.com website yesterday – is the Lost House Guest House in the Granite City’s Bon Accord Street at £250 per night.
At the other end of the scale, the Cock and Bull at Balmedie, to the north of the city, comes in at £1,200 on Tuesday and Thursday, with Wednesday night on offer at £1,000.
Britannia Hotel in Aberdeen has rooms at £450 a night and Macdonald Pittodrie House Hotel at Chapel of Garioch, near Inverurie, is £645. Oakhill Apartments in Aberdeen’s two and three-bedroom flats are £349 and £649 respectively, with a four-night minimum stay.
The only other hotel within 30 miles of Aberdeen showing availability is the Waterside In at Peterhead, costing £325 a night on Tuesday and Wednesday, when a two-night minimum stay applies, or £148 on Thursday.
The Ritz in London – one of the world’s top hotels – is offering superior suites at £972 a night next week; a good bit cheaper than the Cock and Bull.