Holiday Inn migrant hotel forces bookings to be cancelled

As reported by the Warrington Guardian, the hotel's booking system is unavailable to access until at least March 2024.

According to the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman MP, housing migrants in hotels costs the taxpayer £6million every day - the Home Office has said that using hotels to house migrants is 'unacceptable.'

The announcement has raised concern from local councillors (Image: Newsquest)

Now, guests who had booked into the Holiday Inn have seen their bookings cancelled at the hotel in favour of housing migrants.

One of those guests, Justin Beale, had booked in at the hotel over the bank holiday weekend that will see the Neighbourhood Weekender festival return to Warrington.

According to a post on social media, Justin booked the hotel last year but was 'bumped' from the Holiday Inn in favour of an 'exclusive guest.'

Justin's post reads: "I was bumped from this hotel. Was due to stay for the NBHD Weekender event, and I'd had it booked since last year when it was announced.

"[On] Monday morning, I got an email saying they'd cancelled my stay for an exclusive guest."

Speaking to the Warrington Guardian, Justin explained his situation in-depth.

He said: "We were booked in for this hotel for Saturday/Sunday nights of the NBHD Weekender festival.

"On Monday afternoon I received an email from the hotel and Booking.com to tell me my room had been cancelled. Obviously, I was confused as to who had cancelled it and why as there was no explanation whatsoever."

Justin had been booked at the Holiday Inn for the weekend of the Neighbourhood festival, at Victoria Park (Image: Newsquest)

Justin then said that he tried to contact Booking.com, before contacting the hotel directly.

He added: "When I questioned this and tried to rebook my room I was then told it was fully booked.

"After more discussion and the receptionist after taking advice from someone else came back with the official line of 'the whole hotel was booked out by an 'exclusive guest.'

"The line from Head Office is that apparently that it's only temporarily closed, and they plan to reopen in the third week of May."

Justin cast this into doubt, saying: "I was booked in for the last weekend in May, so that doesn't add up either."

He then said: "There's nothing in the same vicinity for the price I would have been paying - they're either booked up or too expensive.

"I did actually get somewhere else booked, but it entails more travelling in/out of Warrington so although it's slightly cheaper the transportation costs outweigh what I have saved and obviously the convenience, too."

When contacted for comment by the Warrington Guardian, a spokesperson for IHG Hotels - which manages Woolston's Holiday Inn - said: "I am sure you can appreciate all bookings are confidential, so we cannot share details.

“For any queries about asylum seekers, then the Home Office or relevant Government media team will be able to guide you."

The hotel's management said they would not comment on individual bookings (Image: Newsquest)

The Warrington Guardian also approached the Home Office which also said it does not comment on commercial arrangements for individual sites used for asylum accommodation.

A spokesman did however say: “The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.

“We have been clear that the use of hotels to house asylum seekers is unacceptable – there are currently more than 51,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £6million a day.

“The Home Office is committed to making every effort to reduce hotel use and limit the burden on the taxpayer.”