Tourism Profile in the South East

Hotel Supply

The Borough of Tunbridge Wells has a total 14 hotels currently offering 415 rooms. The supply is mainly located in and around the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, with a smattering of pubs with rooms in the villages and rural area.

Current provision is dominated by 3 and 4 star hotels, representing over 70% of the rooms. There are two 4 star hotels — the Hotel du Vin and The Spa — and four 3 star hotels. Tunbridge Wells currently has only one branded budget hotel, a small Innkeepers Lodge (15 rooms).

The majority of the hotels are small, with the Ramada the largest at 84 rooms, followed by the New Wellington at 75 rooms and the Spa at 69 rooms.

Hotel Supply — Tunbridge Wells Borough — by Standard — September 2005
Standard Estabs Rooms % of Rooms
4 star 2 103 24.8
3 star1 4 202 48.7
2 star 1 26 6.3
Budget 1 15 3.6
Diamond-rated/ Lower grade2 6 69 16.6
Total Supply 14 415 100.0

Notes:

  1. We have included the New Wellington as a 3 star hotel, although it is not currently graded
  2. The English Oriental has been included as a diamond-rated hotel, although is currently upgrading to 3 star standard.
Tunbridge Wells Hotels — by Size and Location — 2005
Hotel Location Rooms Standard
Hotel du Vin Royal Tunbridge Wells 34 4 star
The Spa Royal Tunbridge Wells 69 4 star
Royal Wells Royal Tunbridge Wells 23 3 star
Swan Royal Tunbridge Wells 20 3 star
New Wellington Royal Tunbridge Wells 75 N/a
Russell Royal Tunbridge Wells 26 2 star
English Oriental Royal Tunbridge Wells 26 N/a
Innkeepers Lodge Royal Tunbridge Wells 15 Budget
Ramada Pembury 84 3 star
George Cranbrook 8 3 star
Queens Inn Hawkhurst 8 N/a
Royal Oak Hawkhurst 11 N/a
Star & Eagle Goudhurst 10 4 diamond
Lime Tree Lamberhurst 6 N/a

Supply in the Surrounding Area

Hotel supply in the area surrounding Tunbridge Wells Borough is similarly predominantly small to medium-sized 3 and 4 star hotels, with only one large hotel, Ashdown Park (106 room country house hotel). The supply is focused on Tonbridge, Forest Row and Tenterden. The supply in the surrounding area includes 3 golf/country club hotels and a major national budget hotel (Premier Travel Inn at Tonbridge).

Hotel Supply — Surrounding Area — by Standard — September 2005
Standard Estabs Rooms % of Rooms
4 star 2 141 32.9
3 star 4 132 30.8
2 star 0 0 0
Budget 1 40 9.3
Diamond-rated/ Lower grade 6 116 27.0
Total Supply 13 429 100.0
Surrounding Area - Hotels by Size and Location — 2005
Hotel Location Rooms Standard
Rose & Crown Tonbridge 56 3 star
The Langley Tonbridge 40 3 star
Premier Travel Inn Tonbridge 40 Budget
Dale Hill Ticehurst 35 4 star golf/country club
T&J Motel Flimwell 23 N/a
Little Silver Tenterden 10 3 star
London Beach Tenterden 26 3 star golf/country club
Collina House Tenterden 16 4 diamond
White Lion Tenterden 15 4 diamond
Ashdown Park Forest Row 106 4 star country house
Roebuck Forest Row 30 N/a
Chequers Forest Row 17 N/a
Plough & Horses Crowborough 15 3 diamond

Recent Changes to Supply

Whilst no new hotels have been developed in Tunbridge Wells or its surrounds in the last 2 years, there has been significant investment in the product.

Most notably has been the full refurbishment of the Hotel du Vin in 2003, a £7.5 million refurbishment of Dale Hill in 2004, together with major refurbishments of the Royal Wells Hotel, the New Wellington, the Lime Tree and the George.

The English Oriental Hotel in Royal Tunbridge Wells is currently being up-graded and re-branded as a budget boutique hotel by newly established Smart & Simple Hotels.

Hotel Performance

The performance of hotels in Tunbridge Wells and its surrounds is mixed, with occupancy in 2005 ranging from 55%-88%, dependent upon location, size, quality and marketing effectiveness. 3 and 4 star occupancies generally out-perform the national average for provincial 3 and 4 star hotels, and budget hotels achieve very high occupancies. Occupancy levels for inns and golf/country club hotels in the rural area are generally lower, although the latter can have very high room rates.

Average Annual Room Occupancy — Tunbridge Wells Borough and Surrounding Area 2003-2005
Year Average Annual Room Occupancy %
3/4 Star (Royal Tunbridge Wells)1 2 Star/ Diamond-Rated (Royal Tunbridge Wells)2 Budget Hotels (Royal Tunbridge Wells/ Tonbridge)3 Inns (Tunbridge Wells Rural) Golf/ Country Club Hotels (Surrounding Area)4 UK Provincial 3/4 Star Chain Hotels5
2003 69.5 n/a 87 n/a 55 69.8
2004 71.5 64 90 51.5 56 70.8
20056 73 63 88 55.5 59.5 71.5

Notes:

  1. Sample: Hotel du Vin, The Spa, Royal Wells, New Wellington, Swan, Ramada
  2. Sample: Russell, English Oriental
  3. Sample: Premier Travel Inn Tonbridge, Innkeeper’s Lodge, Southborough
  4. Sample: Ashdown Park, Dale Hill, London Beach
  5. Source: TRI Hospitality Consulting Hotstats UK Chain Hotel Market Review
  6. Based on projected estimates provided by hotel manager

Achieved room rates in 2005 for 3/4 star hotels in Royal Tunbridge Wells were £62. Budget hotels and 2 star/diamond rated hotels are achieving around £44.

Average Annual Achieved Room Rates — Tunbridge Wells Borough and Surrounding Area 2003-2005
Year Average Annual Achieved Room Rate £
3/4 Star (Royal Tunbridge Wells)1 3 Star (Royal Tunbridge Wells) 2 Star/ Diamond-Rated (Royal Tunbridge Wells)2 Budget Hotels (Royal Tunbridge Wells/ Tonbridge)3 Inns (Tunbridge Wells Rural) UK Provincial 3/4 Star Chain Hotels4
2003 59 49 n/a n/a n/a 62.60
2004 61 50 n/a n/a 48.50 63.72
20055 62 51 44.50 44 n/a 65.08

Notes:

  1. Sample: Hotel du Vin, The Spa, Royal Wells, New Wellington, Swan, Ramada
  2. Sample: Russell, English Oriental
  3. Sample: Premier Travel Inn Tonbridge, Innkeeper’s Lodge, Southborough
  4. Source: TRI Hospitality Consulting Hotstats UK Chain Hotel Market Review
  5. Based on projected estimates provided by hotel managers

In terms of patterns of demand, Saturday occupancies are high for all hotels in and around the Borough (90-100%), whilst Fridays are more variable nut still strong for budget hotels and 3/ 4 star hotels (76-100%). Weekday occupancies are strong for budget hotels and most 3/ 4 star hotels (67-92%). There appears to be little seasonality to the market.

Corporate and contractor demand are the main markets for hotels in and around Tunbridge Wells, supported by some residential conference, group tour and mid-week leisure break business. At weekends, weddings and functions dominate, supported by leisure breaks, events and group tours.

Most hotels in the Borough regularly deny business on Saturdays nights throughout the year, often to significant levels. Mid-week, budget hotels deny substantial levels of business; 3 and 4 star hotels deny business on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, though to a lesser degree. Some hotels are also denying residential conference and group tour business, when they can attract higher rated business from other markets.

The Potential For New Hotel Development

Tunbridge Wells is part of the prosperous West Kent area.

Business demand is likely to be boosted by significant levels of investment in mixed use development schemes in the town centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells, particularly generating rooms demand from the contractor market.

Leisure demand is likely to grow — Tunbridge Wells and its surrounds has a strong leisure break product in terms of the historic town, countryside historic houses and gardens. There is also some potential for growth in the overseas group tour market, at a higher value than domestic group tours

The performance of existing hotels and the growth in the hotel market in the Tunbridge Wells area over the next 5-16 years will generate demand for a range of additional hotel accommodation development including: