I'm confused about travel and hotels

[FurrySlipperBoots]

I understand the rules about 'Christmas bubbles', and being allowed to mix for 5 days over Christmas, but what about travelling to and from, and are hotels allowed to take guests that are travelling for pleasure rather than business? My mum is adamant you can only travel within that 5 day period but I can't find anything about the rules of travelling on the 22nd, staying in a hotel that night and joining your bubble on the 23rd! As a babysitter I've been asked to do three evenings in the run up to Christmas at a local hotel! How is it they're allowed to book babysitters for families if they're not legally allowed to travel yet?

Does anyone have any links to official information that clarifies this? Thanks!

My understanding is that travel had to be included in those 5 days. (Unless NI)

Info from gov.uk

What part of the country are you in?

As far as I understand it you will only have a problem if you need to stay in a hotel in a Tier 3 area, where hotels are obliged to close.

Under the Christmas rules you can stay in a hotel even in a T3 area, but those rules only apply 23-27 Dec.

Of more concern, however, is what hotels in T3 are going to find it worthwhile to open just for 23-27 Dec for the odd few who may need them?

If you are travelling in any other Tier you can stay in hotels. In a larger group in T1 or with your household only in T2.

@SingANewSongChickenTikka

In Cornwall. I'm wondering if my brother will be able to make it down for my dad's birthday which is the 23rd. He's in Reading. The roads will be hell upon earth so really hoping he can get at least 3/4 of the journey out of the way on the 22nd and stay in a hotel that night.

@TheGreatWave

Thank you! Well that makes it sound like no travelling at all unless you're going to join a bubble, but how is it fancy guest hotels can be open then?

@IrkedEssex

Nobody actually knows what their tier will be after 'lockdown' lifts on the 2nd yet do they? And I should imagine by the week before Christmas after people have been swarming the shops that the death rate will have shot up, so the tiers originally assigned will have 'leveled up' anyway!

I guess it must be provisional babysitting bookings based on the fact that hotels may or may not be open depending on what tier you are in at the time.

Tiers are supposed to be announced tomorrow. I expect hotels will then make a decision on whether to open or not... but generally I didn’t get the impression that you were encouraged to use them.

Aren’t tiers being reviewed fortnightly so there’s a chance you could book somewhere and then it changes tier on 16th December? It’s all quite baffling and so hard to make plans! We aren’t seeing any other households but have two trips booked, one for 18th and one over new year. Whether we can travel will depend on which tier we are in and which tier the places we are going to are in as they are both different counties. Then there is the issue it could all be revised just before on 16th and 30th.... I might just cancel then at least we will definitely know what’s happening!!

I have just booked a hotel for boxing day night, guidance at the moment is that we can stop in hotels over Christmas whatever the situation with our tier.

[quote FurrySlipperBoots]@TheGreatWave

Thank you! Well that makes it sound like no travelling at all unless you're going to join a bubble, but how is it fancy guest hotels can be open then?[/quote]
But can they? I’ve been wondering this myself. I don’t know what the rules were for hotels in Tier 2.

I’m not sure it will be financially sensible for some of them to open.

It seems it is all relaxed over Christmas, People will travel so places will be open - I guess worse case scenario with the likes of Premier Inn they make the decision to close some and move bookings but there are quite a few in the area that we will be able to stop at. I have just booked our usual one (which for various reasons is our favourite), but the alternative ones are fine.