A luxury hotel in Cornwall is stepping in to ease the financial burden of rising fuel costs for British tourists this summer. The St Moritz Hotel in Trebetherick has announced it will cover 15 per cent of guests' petrol expenses to encourage travel to the coastal destination.
Hotel Responds to Rising Fuel Prices
With fuel prices surging across the UK, the St Moritz Hotel is offering a unique incentive. The hotel stated: 'Fuel prices have jumped around 15 per cent across the UK, and while we can't fix the economy, we can fix the bit that gets you to the Cornish coast. So we're doing what airlines won't: covering the fuel surcharge.'
The initiative comes as conflict in the Middle East has driven UK inflation to its highest since December, with a sharp increase in diesel and petrol costs. According to the Office for National Statistics, the average petrol price rose by 8.6p per litre between February and March, reaching 140.2p per litre—the highest level since August 2024.
Eligibility and Calculation
Guests who booked their stay before 12 April for travel up to 1 July are eligible for what the hotel describes as a 'straight, grown-up, Cornish solution.' The discount is calculated based on the guest's postcode, using the day's average UK miles per gallon and current fuel prices. The hotel promises that travellers will arrive 'smug, sun-seeking, and already saving. Exactly how a holiday should start.'
The hotel acknowledged that getting to Cornwall is not easy, noting that 'Cornwall isn't exactly a quick hop on the Tube.'
Owner's Perspective
Hugh Ridgway, co-founder of St Moritz Hotel, explained the reasoning behind the offer. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: 'We were very aware of the problems with aviation and that fuel surcharges would be coming down the track. We thought about our own customers, knowing that they drive to us, and we decided to pay for the uplift in fuel.'
He added: 'It takes effort. People have to get into their cars, and if we can help them to get down here, we will, because we know they'll have an absolutely fabulous holiday. It's just about doing something to try and help our customers.'
