Quick gateway: Hotels see rise in last-minute bookings ahead of New Year

Hotels near metros are seeing a sharp late surge in New Year's Eve bookings and higher rates, while restaurants and delivery firms face disruptions amid a gig workers' strike

Hotels and accommodation units, especially those near the metro cities, are seeing a sudden surge in bookings as people chalked out last minute plans to mark New Year, a trend increasingly called ‘quick gateway’.

 

At luxury villa rental firm, StayVista, around 25-28 per cent of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day bookings came in during the final two to four days, with a sharp spike in the last 72 hours as plans firm up and group sizes get confirmed.

 

“Room rates typically see a 30-45 per cent premium for last-minute bookings over base festive pricing,” said co-founder Amit Damani, while adding that the highest last-minute demand comes in for destinations like Lonavala, Nashik, Goa, and Kasauli. 

“These locations benefit from easy accessibility, group-friendly villas, and the growing preference for private celebrations over crowded parties,” he added.

 

As urban lifestyles become increasingly fast-paced, we are seeing a clear shift towards short, immersive, and sustainable luxury escapes emerging as preferred staycation destinations.

 

At Taj Damdama Lake Resort & Spa, Gurugram, demand is driven by guests seeking the luxury of space, nature, and thoughtfully curated experiences, without the need for long travel.

 

Wellness-led breaks, intimate celebrations, and bespoke culinary journeys have become key decision drivers, reflecting a more intentional approach to leisure, said Vinod Pandey, area director operations and general manager at the property.

 

“As we look ahead, we expect this momentum to continue, with staycations, destination weddings, and MICE travel playing a significant role in driving demand. We are geared up to welcome the New Year with bespoke experiences, crafted to create lasting memories,” he added.

 

At Araiya Hotels, too, there is a noticeable uptick in last-minute demand across the portfolio, with search and demand trends increasing from between 6 per cent and 31 per cent during the period.

 

“Kinwani House Araiya Anthology saw the highest surge, with demand up by 31 per cent, while Aalia Jungle Retreat & Spa Araiya Anthology recorded a 9 per cent increase,” said Amruda Nair, founder and director of the chain.

 

Across its portfolio, the average daily rates have increased by approximately 12-15 per cent for last-minute bookings during the festival period, she further pointed out.

 

However, there is a downside to it as well.

 

This uptick in last-minute travel to nearby destinations, while great for the hotel business, has impacted the eatery business.

 

“A lot of people are not in the city during NYE this year, particularly. This is impacting footfall and revenue projections, also since deliveries are not a big part of our business,” said the founder of a famous South-Delhi based pub, adding that rising pollution levels in Delhi-NCR are also stopping people from stepping out.

 

At Wow! Momo, too, the same store-sales growth (SSSG) since Christmas has been lower than expected. Annually, too, the growth is slower.

 

“While we are still seeing some growth, it is not as good as last year. But, we have set ambitious targets for ourselves and are working on driving dine-in sales with exclusive deals and offers,” Sagar Daryani, co-founder and chief executive officer of the quick service restaurant.

 

“There has been some impact of the gig workers’ strike on revenue during this period, but aggregator platforms have assured us that issues have been worked out. We are also offering exclusive deals on our own app, while hoping no disturbance is felt in the delivery ecosystem on NYE,” he added.

 

Daryani said the aim is to ensure that all deliveries are made under 30 minutes, for which they are also extending store timings to 5 am from 3 am currently. 

Meanwhile, Naman Dhandhania, creative director at Kolkata-based Fabbrica, said the outlet is operating close to full capacity due to strong reservations, adding that revenues are projected to rise 25–35 per cent during the period.