Hotel Supply
The 2003 hotel sector study for East Kent found that Sittingbourne has a total of 14 hotels with 341 rooms. Just under 40% of these rooms are in Sittingbourne itself, the remainder being on the Isle of Sheppey and around Faversham. 3 star hotels account for 40% of the supply, and budget hotels a further 35%. Most of these hotels are relatively small in size, 35-40 rooms. The budgets are all in roadside locations, though the Sittingbourne Premier Travel Inn is closer to residential and commercial activity in Sittingbourne.
A more recent analysis of the tourism sector in Sittingbourne can be downloaded here.
Sittingbourne Hotel Supply — by Standard — 2003
| Standard |
Estabs |
Rooms |
% of Rooms |
Av. Size of Hotel (Rooms) |
| 4 star |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 3 star |
4 |
139 |
40.8 |
35 |
| 2 star |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Budget |
3 |
120 |
35.2 |
40 |
| Country Inns |
2 |
22 |
6.5 |
11 |
| Lower Grade |
5 |
60 |
17.5 |
12 |
| Total Supply |
14 |
341 |
100.0 |
23 |
Download a full list of all Sittingbourne hotels here
Hotel Demand
In 2003 hotels in the Sittingbourne area erformed at between 70% and 80%. Weekday occupancies averaged between 90% and 100%. Saturday occupancies were 75-80%. Friday and Sunday occupancies were typically 30-50%. Weekend occupancies were higher in the summer, but otherwise demand is steady year round. The market mix for Sittingbourne budgets is 70-80% business and 20-30% leisure. Weddings and visits to friends and relatives are the main leisure markets. Hotels are turning business away on weekday nights — typically 5-10 rooms, and on some Saturdays.
Hotel Development Opportunities
There would appear to be scope for further hotel provision in and around Sittingbourne, principally for:
- Further budget hotel accommodation, of around 40-50 rooms
- Additional 3 star accommodation, most likely through up-grading and extension of existing hotels.
Potential Hotel Devlopment Sites
A recent study conducted by Locate in Kent identified the following potential sites:
- Sittingbourne Town Centre
- Watermark Park
More information for hotel developers in Sittingbourne can be found on the Swale page of the Locate in Kent website's 'Hotel Sites' pages
