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When Is Best Time To Book Contractor Accommodation

COVID-19 drastically affected the hotel landscape, which is why it is more important than ever for companies to save money wherever possible. With adequate preparation, contractor accommodation can be secured at heavily discounted rates by offering hosts long term occupancy that benefits both parties. 

To lock in the best rates, booking in advance is the best strategy because it can often alleviate price hikes that take place as we venture into warmer months. Finding the right balance between price, location, and amenities is also crucial to ensure cost effectiveness over the long term. Using service providers such as Comfy Workers that specialise in contractor accommodation and corporate housing can result in substantial savings over the course of both short term and long term projects.

In the Contractor Accommodation and Corporate Housing Report 2021, findings showed that the supply of both contractor and corporate accomodation are shrinking, and this will have a direct impact on companies who employ contractors in multiple fields including renewable energy and construction. It’s important to understand what the findings mean, how they’ll affect your company, and what can be done about it. 

 

What’s the problem?

Many industries have been hit hard by extended lockdowns, with accommodation providers being hit especially hard. McKinsey & Company has suggested it might take until 2023 or later for the hotel industry to return to pre-COVID-19 levels, and because of this, many smaller hotels including the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch having closed. 

Key workers retain the right to travel for work, but with many hosts keeping doors closed because of restrictions and health concerns, there is a significantly reduced supply of accommodation. Most notably in popular holiday destinations in the South West where accommodation is heavily orientated around tourism, contractor accommodation is scarce. 

Rural infrastructure projects struggle with a finite accommodation supply

The same, however, is true in more isolated locations. With contractors in industries such as motorway construction and renewable energy often working in remote parts of the nation, the already finite supply of suitable accommodation is quickly snapped up.

With lockdown currently predicted to lift between March and April, the almost certain surge of travel that will come with it will drive prices up for travellers of both leisure and business. 

 

How can we solve it?

Booking accommodation earlier

In construction projects, it’s common to get last minute confirmation of a contract that leaves a very short window to secure accomodation. However, with teams of contractors that number from tens to hundreds depending on scale, it can be very hard to find accomodate large teams in a rural location where suitable accomodation is hard to come by.  

The faster you can identify the specifics of dates, location, and the size of the team, the easier it is going to be to find the right accommodation. However, even if you manage to get an exact number, booking at the right time is crucial when staying for an extended duration. You're also far more likely to end up with accommodation near the construction site.

With popular holidaying destinations such as Cornwall and Devon booming in the summertime, it is essential to book as early as possible to secure a fixed rate that extends into the spring and summer months. This means as a business or contractor, you'll be competing with self catering accommodation leisure makers.

 

Optimising bookings

With larger teams, cost per person per night can be lowered significantly with optimised layouts that reduces costs, which is why Comfy Workers works with flexible hosts who can save you money and keep your team together at the same time. 

Projects often demand flexibility and adaptability to add contractors on a rolling basis, which is why contractor accommodation is more suitable than just booking the cheapest hotel. Adding another hotel room for one person can significantly increase the cost per person per night, whereas such an addition can often be accommodated by hosts of contractor accommodation.

By offering larger properties that offer self-catering facilities, substantial savings can be made by staying in contractor accommodation compared to hotels.

 

Negotiating the best price

When searching for accomodation, our minds jump to booking.com and Airbnb, but these accomodation giants aren’t best suited for teams who are staying for extended durations. Comfy Workers specialises in contractor accommodation and corporate housing, and with over a thousand hosts throughout the country, there’s access to a number of hosts that booking.com and Airbnb don’t list. These close relationships mean that Comfy Workers gets access to the best rates, and passes on those savings to clients. 

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