Covid tests for holidays in the UK

AstonSimon

Hello everyone
I've booked a holiday within the UK for July/ August: 2 hotels in the Isle of Wight, then one in London. I have just had an email from the London hotel (LSE Vacations) telling me that I need to have a negative Covid test before I can check in.
Is this a government requirement for travel within the UK? (I live in England.) If it isn't a government requirement, then are accomodation providers allowed to impose their own requirements?
Simon

DCFC79

AstonSimon said:

Hello everyone
I've booked a holiday within the UK for July/ August: 2 hotels in the Isle of Wight, then one in London. I have just had an email from the London hotel (LSE Vacations) telling me that I need to have a negative Covid test before I can check in.
Is this a government requirement for travel within the UK? (I live in England.) If it isn't a government requirement, then are accomodation providers allowed to impose their own requirements?
Simon

Have you asked the company if its a government requirement or just a procedure they have implemented ? 

TheShape

I didn't think there were any requirements for testing to stay at guesthouses, hotels etc in England.

LSE Vacations are stays a London Schools of Economics Halls of Residence, I think.  They appear to have a testing requirement for staff and students: https://info.lse.ac.uk/coronavirus-response/get-tested-at-lse

The LSE Vacations site doesn't make the testing 'requirement' obvious until you look at the t&cs (last updated May 2021): https://www.lsevacations.co.uk/Terms-And-Conditions.aspx

Edit: there is mention of the test requirement before booking.

Thrugelmir

Cruise operators are setting their own standards. 

AstonSimon

TheShape said:

I didn't think there were any requirements for testing to stay at guesthouses, hotels etc in England.

LSE Vacations are stays a London Schools of Economics Halls of Residence, I think.  They appear to have a testing requirement for staff and students: 

The LSE Vacations site doesn't make the testing 'requirement' obvious until you look at the t&cs (last updated May 2021):

Edit: there is mention of the test requirement before booking.

The shape - thank you for your comment. LSE Vacations, as you say, is LSE's halls of residence, but open to the public in university holidays. I have stayed there before; its basic but perfectly adequate, and very cheap for central London. I booked on 28 February, and was only notified of the test requirement yesterday (24 May.) You say that the t&c were updated May 2021, so it might be a new requirement, but I certainly wasn't told at the time of booking.

Whilst I can still cancel the booking with no penalty, I would have to rebook my train ticket home at my own expense of I did so. They have said that they will accept an NHS self administered test, so at least it won't cost me anything.

I am wondering if the government will be requiring tests for all holiday makers - does anyone have any thoughts?

Simon 

[Deleted User]

 There was talk on BBC North West Tonight of Blackpool council and hotels requesting tests, NHS free ones, to curb the spread. 

Spendless

AstonSimon said:

TheShape said:

I didn't think there were any requirements for testing to stay at guesthouses, hotels etc in England.

LSE Vacations are stays a London Schools of Economics Halls of Residence, I think.  They appear to have a testing requirement for staff and students: 

The LSE Vacations site doesn't make the testing 'requirement' obvious until you look at the t&cs (last updated May 2021):

Edit: there is mention of the test requirement before booking.

The shape - thank you for your comment. LSE Vacations, as you say, is LSE's halls of residence, but open to the public in university holidays. I have stayed there before; its basic but perfectly adequate, and very cheap for central London. I booked on 28 February, and was only notified of the test requirement yesterday (24 May.) You say that the t&c were updated May 2021, so it might be a new requirement, but I certainly wasn't told at the time of booking.

Whilst I can still cancel the booking with no penalty, I would have to rebook my train ticket home at my own expense of I did so. They have said that they will accept an NHS self administered test, so at least it won't cost me anything.

I am wondering if the government will be requiring tests for all holiday makers - does anyone have any thoughts?

Simon 

My guess is this is because it's the halls belonging to an educational establishment. So, they've been testing all the students and have extended the same thing to anyone staying at their premises. The reason I think this, I accompanied my 18yo to an open day where she will be studying from September (a drama school) and they required everyone attending to take a test. This had been explained on the email, but teenager had helpfully forgotten to mention it. They provided some tests to use.