Whitby Hotels and the Upcoming Summer Season
The local hotels at the present moment in time are opening their doors to the influx of vacationers making the most of the stunning early spring weather. For too long over the winter months the occupancy rates have been considerably less than the autumn bonanza with last year's Indian summer.
With the reduction of the numbers of visitors, many of the proprietors of the hotel establishments will have taken the opportunity to revitalise their public rooms and bedrooms. Continued occupancy all year round makes it hard for the premises to be redecorated and improved. It is crucial, however, that maintenance of decoration and furniture is maintained throughout the premises. There are a great number of hotels in and around the area and, as a result, competition is at an all time high.
The area in question is that of the County of North Yorkshire and in particular the charming town of Whitby UK. The town is located on the coastline set in a natural harbour. This unique position has made certain that Whitby is synonymous with shipping and seafaring traditions. From its early beginnings as a Roman fortification and in later centuries as the location of the Abbey in 657AD, the town has had a diverse and fascinating past.
Initiated by the Romans, ransacked by the Vikings and bombed by the Germans, the town has had, at times, an unsettling past but alongside that there has been moments of notoriety. One of its famous sons is Captain James Cook, the explorer, navigator and adventurer. Apprenticed in the local shipbuilding yards as a boy, he acquired his skills in the Navy before embarking overseas. He famously observed the transit of Venus in 1769 before mapping the coastline of New Zealand and then discovered Australia. A wonderful stature of Captain James Cook watching out to sea is positioned on the West Cliff area of the town at the top of the Khyber Pass.
There is, obviously, the fictional history with Count Dracula. The author, Bram Stoker, stayed in Whitby many times. Fascinated with the Abbey and the one hundred and ninety nine steps leading up to St. Mary's Church graveyard, he drew his motivation for the horror novel 'Count Dracula'. Ending up on shore in the form of a large dog shipwrecked from the ship 'Demeter', Dracula descended on the town to cause havoc. This association with Dracula has been instrumental in the development of the Gothic Weekends which occur every six months in spring and autumn. These two weekends see the town transformed into a Gothic timezone. The Gothic visitors arrive in an array of fantastic costumes, Victorian crinoline dresses for the ladies and morning suits and top hat for the gents. Progressively, over the years, there has been the introduction of a music scene, bizarre bazaars and 'black market' markets. An almost carnival atmosphere pervades the town with a photo opportunity at almost every turn.
These Gothic weekends are a desired boost to the town's economy no more so than for the Whitby Hotels. The arrival of the Gothic community will make sure that the holiday accommodation is fully booked well in advance. Additionally, the hotels are also confident of a full house at alternative times throughout the year. Whitby Regatta, a carnival on land and a regatta at sea, is one of the times that the Whitby residents have a fun-filled weekend sharing the town with a great number of visitors in a friendly atmosphere ensuring another bumper economic boom for the hoteliers. Whitby Folk Week, held at the end of August is popular throughout the country as a great location for folk groups and musicians to share in the folk music scene. The town is commonly packed to capacity with music and dancing regularly taking place on the streets of the town. Again, the whole town benefits with a welcome injection of cash from the visitors.
As the hotels in Whitby look forward with a positive outlook for the coming season, there is a certain confidence that this year will bring more tourism to the town to ensure the survival of the hotel sector.
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