onefinestay Offers Great Value Four-Star Accommodation for the Olympics

LONDON, Feb. 22, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- The extortionate prices being charged for hotel rooms in London during the Games have caused outrage. There have been calls from disability charity MENCAP and the shadow minister for London and the Olympics Tessa Jowell demanding the Government tackle the "scandal of extortionate price rises".

The release of 120,000 hotel rooms by LOCOG at the beginning of February was intended to ease the situation and resulting high prices. However, research from rental accommodation provider onefinestay shows that this is far from the truth, and affordable accommodation for visitors to London during the Games remains scarce.

onefinestay, London's leading provider of alternative four-star holiday apartments during the Olympics,  investigated  prices and availability at 50 hotels before and after the release of rooms by LOCOG. The research shows that 17 hotels have not changed their prices, with only four having reduced their prices. Two have even increased them further. The other 23 hotels had no availability either before or after the release of rooms, being fully booked, committed to LOCOG, or yet to release rooms for Olympic bookings. A further four sold out of their standard double rooms during the course of the research.

onefinestay, which allows visitors the exclusive use of a unique and characterful home at a sought-after London address whilst the owner is out of town, is bucking this  extortionate trend with the average price per bedroom significantly below 300 pounds Sterling per night.

Homes available during the Games include a two bedroom apartment in Bloomsbury. This spacious apartment sleeps four and is priced at 199 pounds per bedroom per night during London 2012, which works out at 413 pounds cheaper per night than the neighbouring 4* The Kingsley by Thistle. For guests keen to be right in the thick of the Olympics action, a contemporary, family-friendly apartment in Shoreditch sleeps four and costs 218 pounds per bedroom per night,  51 pounds cheaper than the 2* City Inn in Hackney.

Future onefinestay guest Hunter says, "For my upcoming trip to the Olympic Games, I chose onefinestay over a hotel because of price and experience. I lived briefly in London for work, fell in love with the city and I wanted to get the best possible bang for my proverbial buck knowing I'll have the most authentic Londoner experience as possible."  

Although onefinestay homes are being snapped up fast, there are still over 100 upscale properties across London's most desirable and central neighbourhoods available to book during the Olympic period. Even better, outstanding homes in areas like Chelsea, Notting Hill and Shoreditch are being added to the onefinestay website every day, meaning that there will even be last minute availability. 

Notes to Editors:

onefinestay (www.onefinestay.com) redefines the experience of visiting London: live like a local by staying in a distinctive home while its owner is out of town, and enjoy service that provides all the convenience and comfort of an upscale hotel. Guests enjoy luxury amenities like five star linens and toiletries from The White Company. For the duration of their stay, every guest is also lent an iPhone stocked with local tips and helpful videos recorded by the home's owner and from which they can make free local calls.

SOURCE onefinestay