A beachfront hotel in Cornwall has sparked a heated discussion on social media after providing festival attendees with the option of a 15-minute shower for £15.
The Newquay Beach Hotel opened up its facilities to visitors at the nearby Boardmasters festival in August 2023. The 315 package included a towel, hairdryer, body wash, shampoo and conditioner.
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The hotel’s promotion of the shower deal, equivalent to £1 per minute, gained significant attention, resulting in an influx of requests.
Alternatively, guests who purchased a breakfast or a burger with a drink for £10 were eligible for a discounted shower at £5. The hotel also provided free access to phone chargers for attendees.
Queues reportedly extended up to four hours on certain days due to the high demand.
Mixed reactions on social media
While some social media users praised the initiative for providing festival-goers with a chance to refresh, others expressed dissatisfaction with the pricing. A user commented that £15 for a shower seemed like “daylight robbery,” while another humorously stated that it was a way of getting “rinsed.”
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By GlobalDataHowever, supporters of the offer highlighted the practicality, especially for those coming from tents, and commended the hotel’s business savvy for capitalising on the event’s attendees.
Hotel director defends the offer
The hotel’s director, Oleg Ignatyev, defended the shower deal, emphasising that the priority was to provide necessary services to as many festival-goers as possible. Ignatyev acknowledged the overwhelming demand and wait times, yet the prices remained consistent. He encouraged other local businesses to follow suit in catering to the needs of festival attendees in the coming years.
The Newquay Beach Hotel’s offer of festival showers at £15 per use, along with discounts for certain food purchases, has ignited both praise and criticism among social media users, highlighting the diverse perspectives on the pricing and practicality of such amenities at events like Boardmasters.
