CAPITAL’S HEFTY ROOM RATES FOR LAST-MINUTE F1 STAYS
▶ Cost can be up to 14 times higher than regular fares, not cheap for fans
Last-minute hotel bookings for this year’s Formula One race in Abu Dhabi can set someone back tens of thousands of dirhams as room rates skyrocket up to 14 times that of non-holiday fares.
More than 60,000 visitors are expected to arrive in the capital for tomorrow’s kick-off to the F1 season finale at Yas Marina Circuit, representing a huge boost for nearby hoteliers.
“Every year we tend to receive bookings during the week leading up to the F1 weekend, with final bookings taken days before the first race,” said Mark Griffiths, Yas Viceroy regional vice president and managing director.
Yas Viceroy, located on top of part of the race circuit, is the epicentre for activity during the four-day event. With nearly 500 rooms and suites, the venue is listed as fully booked on hotel reservation site Booking.com. But Mr Griffiths said there was still availability. “During F1, we normally have a minimum length of stay of four nights and an entry rate of Dh5,950-plus per room per night; however, the rates are always subject to supply and demand,” he said. This is 14 times the starting rates during a normal out-ofseason stay, Mr Griffiths said.
According to Booking.com, room rates for these Yas hotels and surrounding areas Saadiyat Island and Raha Beach are taking advantage of the increased demand. Radisson Blu’s standard rooms sold out before last Sunday at Dh2,765 per night compared with the same booking, for next weekend, at Dh598 a night.
At the Crowne Plaza near by, per night rates ranged from a deluxe king bed with sea view and balcony at Dh2,490 to a deluxe suite costing up to Dh3,866. Racing enthusiast and Dubai resident Paul Davies has previously stayed on Yas Island twice for the Grand Prix.
He said convenience was the main factor. “Prices are not cheap but the hotels are superbly situated with just a seven-minute walk to the west and south stands, 10 minutes to the main grandstand and about 20 minutes to the north stand or du arena for the after-race concerts,” Mr Davies said.
Last year, he paid just under Dh4,000 per night at the Yas Rotana for Thursday to Monday. “Plus you have to pay for the hotel at the time of booking, with no refund or cancellation,” he said.
The same is true for all six Yas hotels with regards to prepayment and minimum fourday stay, despite Booking.com touting otherwise. Mr Davies said that while the website may offer this solution, bookings are followed by a confirmation email and within a “few hours you get an email that says your hotel is cancelled”.
The price Mr Davies paid last year at the Yas Rotana is half of what rooms went for last week, with a premium room with marina view going for Dh2,725 a night. Calling the hotel’s reception resulted in an even higher quote of Dh3,315 per night.
In his fourth year of attending the Abu Dhabi event, Briton Jonathan Rhead said he spends an average of Dh5,000 for a week including food, accommodation and transport. “Last year, the prices were more expensive than previous years, but overall it’s very reasonable,” he said.
He opted to book through an early bird special as well as tapping his IHG member account for the Crowne Plaza. He booked in May, spending about Dh364 per night, breakfast included.
There are cheaper places to stay if fans are willing to fight the traffic by staying on the mainland or Abu Dhabi island. Booking.com rates show the cheapest for the F1 weekend at Dh650 a night while the most expensive is at Al Raha Beach Villas, at Dh10,810. Saadiyat’s Park Hyatt is Dh5,000 and the St Regis is Dh3,967.
The only room left at the Dusit Thani is the presidential suite going for a whopping Dh15,000 a night; however, the hotel reception said a lower rate could be negotiated with manager approval.
Think that you can surpass all of this by finding a place via Airbnb? Think again. The closest to Yas, a one-bedroom for rent in Raha Beach, was up for about Dh2,500 a night with a minimum of two nights. The owner, who declined to be named, said he posted the listing on Monday but by midday yesterday there had been no inquiries. “The price is huge, but it’s still at least 20 to 30 per cent less than the nearby hotels,” he said.