Following the lead of others involved in the Olympics, some council house tenants (according to the Telegraph) are looking to make some money out of the Olympic games and are offering their homes for rent at up to £5,000 per week during the London Olympics.
Given that this is a breach of the terms of the lease, those renting their properties out might care to reflect as to whether the short term financial gain is worth losing their home over.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Showing posts with label accommodation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accommodation. Show all posts
Monday, February 20, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Olympics Greed - Greedy Hoteliers Get Their Fingers Burned
In August last year I wrote the following:
"How "refreshing" to read that, despite the ever worsening global financial situation, the hoteliers of London intend to screw every last penny from visitors to London next year during the Olympics.
The Telegraph reports that London hotels intend to treat tourist as prostrate milch cows eg:
- A double room at the Sheraton Park Tower, in Knightsbridge, this month costs £209 a night. The price quoted for a stay in August next year is £605.
- A night at the West London, in Leicester Square, costs around £290 this August. The same room during the Games will cost just under £540.
- The Berjaya Hotel in Kensington, goes for broke and intends to increase some of its room rates by a factor of 10. Rates typically range from £89 to £199. For every day of the Olympics, the price is £999 a night.
As noted many time before on this site, the Olympics are not about sport but are in fact about money.
Given the ongoing financial turmoil, it is to be hoped that these greedy hoteliers get their fingers well and truly burned for their naked opportunism."
I am therefore very amused to see that those hotel operators who thought that they would make a quick buck out of the London Olympics have had their fingers well and truly burned.
Locog have had to publicly humiliate themselves (not for the first time) by admitting that they had overestimated the number of rooms needed by officials, media, sponsors and assorted freeloaders for the coming games.
By how much did they overestimate the demand?
By a staggering 20%!
Locog have had to hand back 120,000 of the total 600,000 nights booked for the Olympics.
Needless to say this 20% reduction in bookings has given the greedy hotel industry a well deserved kick in the goolies.
Tour operators are now panicking and have warned that the newly available rooms will not boost visitor numbers.
For why?
- the vacancies have come too late
- tourists have been put off by the naked greed of the hotel operators
- tourists have been put off by the transport/travel chaos expected in London during the games
It is estimated that up to one million beds will go unsold over the Olympic period, costing the tourism industry around £3.5BN.
Now who was it who said that the Olympics would be a boon to tourism?
Oh yes, Locog!
My advice to any tourist brave enough to endure the chaos of London during the Olympics is to negotiate hard with the hotels (who are desperate for business), don't let the greedy bastards get away with overcharging you for a shoddy room and lousy service!
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.olympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Monday, August 8, 2011
Olympic Greed
How "refreshing" to read that, despite the ever worsening global financial situation, the hoteliers of London intend to screw every last penny from visitors to London next year during the Olympics.
The Telegraph reports that London hotels intend to treat tourist as prostrate milch cows eg:
- A double room at the Sheraton Park Tower, in Knightsbridge, this month costs £209 a night. The price quoted for a stay in August next year is £605.
- A night at the West London, in Leicester Square, costs around £290 this August. The same room during the Games will cost just under £540.
- The Berjaya Hotel in Kensington, goes for broke and intends to increase some of its room rates by a factor of 10. Rates typically range from £89 to £199. For every day of the Olympics, the price is £999 a night.
As noted many time before on this site, the Olympics are not about sport but are in fact about money.
Given the ongoing financial turmoil, it is to be hoped that these greedy hoteliers get their fingers well and truly burned for their naked opportunism.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
The Telegraph reports that London hotels intend to treat tourist as prostrate milch cows eg:
- A double room at the Sheraton Park Tower, in Knightsbridge, this month costs £209 a night. The price quoted for a stay in August next year is £605.
- A night at the West London, in Leicester Square, costs around £290 this August. The same room during the Games will cost just under £540.
- The Berjaya Hotel in Kensington, goes for broke and intends to increase some of its room rates by a factor of 10. Rates typically range from £89 to £199. For every day of the Olympics, the price is £999 a night.
As noted many time before on this site, the Olympics are not about sport but are in fact about money.
Given the ongoing financial turmoil, it is to be hoped that these greedy hoteliers get their fingers well and truly burned for their naked opportunism.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Snouts In The Trough
It would seem that some people involved with the London Olympics 2012 simply cannot resist sticking their snouts in the trough.
The Telegraph recently reported that some of London's leading hotel groups (including Intercontinental, Hilton and Thistle) are taking legal advice following their discovery that some of the rooms that they have supplied to Locog (at preferential rates) are being resold by Thomas Cook at "grossly inflated prices".
One premium three-night ticket and accommodation package is on offer at the Hyatt Regency Churchill for £6,499 per person, including meals and transfers (the face value of the tickets is a "mere" £1,740).
Locog has taken 56,000 rooms, and has given Thomas Cook (a sponsor of the games) access to 8% of the rooms.
As I have noted many times before on this site, the Olympics is not about sport it's about money!
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Milking The Olympic Cow
The Telegraph reports that those who own property within a reasonable distance of the London Olympics could be sitting on a gold mine.
Allegedly, if estate agents etc are to be believed, two bedroom properties within half an hour of London Olympic venues could bring in over £3K a week and five bedroom houses nearly £10K a week at the time of the Olympic Games.
Why would people be stupid enough to pay so much for something that they could watch far more comfortably from their own homes?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Allegedly, if estate agents etc are to be believed, two bedroom properties within half an hour of London Olympic venues could bring in over £3K a week and five bedroom houses nearly £10K a week at the time of the Olympic Games.
Why would people be stupid enough to pay so much for something that they could watch far more comfortably from their own homes?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Jolly Junket
It seems that London's 5 star hotels, such as the Dorchester, will be overwhelmed with booking requests from the "great, the good and the hangers on" of the Olympics during the Olympics 2012.
Locog has received more applications for accommodation from "bigwigs" in the Olympics movement, FIFA and embassies than there are rooms available.
Maybe some will have to "slum it" in 4 and 3 star hotels then?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Locog has received more applications for accommodation from "bigwigs" in the Olympics movement, FIFA and embassies than there are rooms available.
Maybe some will have to "slum it" in 4 and 3 star hotels then?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Monday, December 6, 2010
Boris Nixes Blatter
I was highly amused to read that Boris Johnson has withdrawn the offer of a free stay in the Dorchester hotel for Sepp Blatter, and assorted cronies from FIFA, for the 2012 Olympics.
A money saving exercise, or retribution for the FIFA vote?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
A money saving exercise, or retribution for the FIFA vote?
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.comwww.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Unfit For Purpose
London Citizens, a civic campaign group, and the union Unite has decreed that hotels in central London are "unfit" to host the 2012 Olympics.
Their rationale being that the hotels pay low wages, and have "Dickensian" working conditions. The groups are calling for hotel workers to be paid a "London Living Wage" of £7.45 an hour.
Hardly surprisingly the calls have fallen on deaf ears, as the British Hospitality Association note that a recession is not the best time to be raising wages.
Both sides make valid points.
However, they are ignoring the other aspect of the hotel industry in London that makes it unfit to host the 2012 Olympics; namely the appalling quality of many of the rooms/service on offer, and the "rip off" prices charged by the the hotels for accommodation, food and drink.
Until both issues are addressed, the hapless London Olympic tourist will be faced with poor quality overpriced accommodation and service.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Their rationale being that the hotels pay low wages, and have "Dickensian" working conditions. The groups are calling for hotel workers to be paid a "London Living Wage" of £7.45 an hour.
Hardly surprisingly the calls have fallen on deaf ears, as the British Hospitality Association note that a recession is not the best time to be raising wages.
Both sides make valid points.
However, they are ignoring the other aspect of the hotel industry in London that makes it unfit to host the 2012 Olympics; namely the appalling quality of many of the rooms/service on offer, and the "rip off" prices charged by the the hotels for accommodation, food and drink.
Until both issues are addressed, the hapless London Olympic tourist will be faced with poor quality overpriced accommodation and service.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Rip Off Tourism Industry
The British tourism industry, never shy to rip people off, is no doubt rubbing its hands in glee waiting for the 2012 London Games.
Jerome Touze, of Where Are You Now?, believes that accommodation costs are "extortionate":
"For people who will be coming from other countries where their economy isn't very strong, how will they feel coming to a country where the cost of accommodation is extortionate?"
Indeed there can be little doubt that the cost/quality of many hotels in London is a disgrace. The Olympics will provide them an opportunity to rip people off even further.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Jerome Touze, of Where Are You Now?, believes that accommodation costs are "extortionate":
"For people who will be coming from other countries where their economy isn't very strong, how will they feel coming to a country where the cost of accommodation is extortionate?"
Indeed there can be little doubt that the cost/quality of many hotels in London is a disgrace. The Olympics will provide them an opportunity to rip people off even further.
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Olympic Scam
The BBC have uncovered an alleged scam whereby hundreds of East European workers have been conned by a promise of non-existent jobs at the London 2012 Olympic site.
550 Slovakians paid cash deposits of £600 to convicted fraudster Nigel Lewis, who is based in East London. They were promised accommodation on a cruise ship in Docklands, and jobs on the site of the Olympic Village.
Mr Lewis has insisted that he made no profit from his UK Cruise Line venture.
The BBC will show the programme today, in which they claim that Mr Lewis advertised for catering staff and tradesmen to work in East London.
After deposits were transferred to Mr Lewis's firm UK Cruise Line Ltd in 2006, the BBC alleges he vanished.
BBC London tracked him down to a hotel in Dartford, on 1 September, and quote him:
"I've worked on this project almost 12 months solid and I've got nothing for it, just heartache."
He also said he had intended to buy three cruise ships and secure jobs at the Olympic site but that "it just went out of control".
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
550 Slovakians paid cash deposits of £600 to convicted fraudster Nigel Lewis, who is based in East London. They were promised accommodation on a cruise ship in Docklands, and jobs on the site of the Olympic Village.
Mr Lewis has insisted that he made no profit from his UK Cruise Line venture.
The BBC will show the programme today, in which they claim that Mr Lewis advertised for catering staff and tradesmen to work in East London.
After deposits were transferred to Mr Lewis's firm UK Cruise Line Ltd in 2006, the BBC alleges he vanished.
BBC London tracked him down to a hotel in Dartford, on 1 September, and quote him:
"I've worked on this project almost 12 months solid and I've got nothing for it, just heartache."
He also said he had intended to buy three cruise ships and secure jobs at the Olympic site but that "it just went out of control".
Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Ticket Scam
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is taking action against www.beijingtickets.com that has allegedly been operating an Olympic ticketing scam.
It is reported that many hundreds of people in Britain, America, Belgium and Australia have paid the site approximately £30K for non existent tickets and accommodation.
The hapless purchasers have been arriving in Beijing only to find that their purchases have yielded them nothing.
The site is now offline and "parked".
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
It is reported that many hundreds of people in Britain, America, Belgium and Australia have paid the site approximately £30K for non existent tickets and accommodation.
The hapless purchasers have been arriving in Beijing only to find that their purchases have yielded them nothing.
The site is now offline and "parked".
Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"
Friday, September 14, 2007
The Package
Air China, an official sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, is offering a luxury Olympics tour package priced at a staggering $17K.
The package includes tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. The package also includes a first class Korea-China flight, and a first class domestic flight in China.
Accommodation is not included!
The package includes tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. The package also includes a first class Korea-China flight, and a first class domestic flight in China.
Accommodation is not included!
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