Despite some reports from London that hotels are charging steep rates for the royal wedding on April 29, rooms in the city may not be filling up as quickly.
"It's possible that all the hype surrounding the royal wedding has created a perception that travel to London will be expensive and everything will be sold out. We're less than two weeks away and there's still plenty of availability and excellent pricing," says Travelocity's Genevieve Brown.
She says the average room rate in London for the week of the wedding is actually cheaper - $183 - than the week after ($205). As spring unfolds, the average rate for the four-day period between May 6 and May 9 climbs even higher to $241. Travelocity's figures are based on all London hotel bookings made on its website through April 18.
With a flood of visitors expected for the festivities and Easter, hotels and travel companies in London are latching onto the royal wedding buzz. The "royal opulence" package at the Hyatt Regency London includes four nights in the 3,960-square-feet royal suite and a red carpet and champagne reception for customers willing to pay $59,000, reports Agence France-Presse. They also have access to a chauffeur-driven Daimler car similar to those used in the royal fleet, as well as a butler who once worked for the royal family, it says. So far, no one has bought the package, a hotel spokeswoman tells the news agency.
A royal wedding package from the nearby Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park offers access to a roof terrace overlooking the procession route to be taken by Prince William and his new bride Kate Middleton. By paying $18,500 per person for six nights, the package customers also get to dine "at the London townhouse home of an unnamed member of the royal family," the report says.
For $4,800, guests of Swissotel The Howard can buy their daughters aged between three and eight the full princess experience, including a trip in a horse-drawn carriage to Westminster Abbey and a dress with matching fur cape, glitter shoes and a silver tiara.
Virgin Atlantic says it will hold "on-board street parties" for passengers flying from the UK to the USA and the Caribbean on the wedding day. Passengers in the economy cabin will receive cake and traditional English breakfast tea served in a souvenir Union Jack lunch box. The cabin interior will be decorated in bunting and Union Jack headrests. All passengers will also receive "special Kate and William themed love hearts" and ice cream during the flight, the carrier says.
"It's been estimated that London will welcome more than 600,000 additional visitors on the Royal Wedding day," says Simon Talling-Smith of British Airways, in a statement. "We have more than 80,000 travelers booked on flights on April 29."
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