Slash cost of a staycation – by switching to a spot nearby
FAMILIES can save hundreds of pounds by swapping trendy staycation resorts with areas just as nice only a few miles away.
Hotel prices in spots popular with City financiers and celebrities are much higher than equally attractive alternatives a short drive away.
The figures come from a survey by consumer watchdog Which? and throw a lifeline to those denied a foreign holiday this year and unable to afford the better known resorts. The biggest saving was in Devon, where an average of £59 a night could be saved by swapping one coastal destination for another just 20 miles away.
The average cost of a hotel room in Salcombe, which has become known as ‘Chelseaonwas £209 a night. But in Dartmouth, the average price of hotel rooms was £150 a night, adding up to a saving of more than £400 a week.
And Dartmouth is no poor relation. It received the second highest ranking in Which?’s recent survey of seaside towns and villages, achieving a customer score of 84 per cent with praise for its scenery and tourist attractions. That put it ahead of often crowded Salcombe, which scored 71 per cent.
The average hotel room in Saundersfoot, which lies in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, was an average of £155 a night. But just three miles away in Tenby, the figure is £112.
Tenby also fared well in Which?’ s seaside survey, receiving a customer score of 79 per cent, beating Saundersfoot on 71 per cent.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: ‘ These destination swaps aren’t just a chance to save money – travellers can expect to find fewer crowds and more space to breathe, with holidaymakers ranking many of the cheaper destinations as not only better value, but a better overall stay than their pricier and more popular counterparts.’