Whether using up the last days of annual leave or taking a loved one away as a Christmas present, there are some enticing reasons to take a UK minibreak this winter. OYO, one of the UK’s newest and fastest growing hotel chains, reveals its top picks of events and the great value available for visitors wanting to experience them.

• Explore the Christmas Market in Bath

Bath is home to one of the UK’s most popular Christmas markets, with over 150 chalets on the picturesque Georgian streets selling Christmas decorations, artisan gifts, mulled wine and warming food. The market is open daily until Sunday 15th December and is the ideal place to source Christmas presents whilst supporting local businesses.

Continue the romance of the Christmas markets with a cosy stay at OYO Bailbrook Lodge, where guests can enjoy a glass of champagne with breakfast. Prices start from £103 per night for a twin or double room including breakfast.

• Go walking in a Winter Wonderland in London

Now in its 13th year, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is a staple event for putting visitors and local Londoners into the Christmas spirit. Running until 5th January, the festival offers fairground rides, the UK’s largest open-air ice rink, food and drink outlets and plenty of entertainment, including ice shows, a comedy club and circus acts.

The OYO Elysee Hotel on the northern side of Hyde Park is a 15-minute walk from the Purple Gate entrance to Winter Wonderland. Prices start from £107 per night for a double room including breakfast.

• Take a wintry dip for a good cause in Rhyl

Every winter, hardy – and foolhardy – swimmers take the plunge along the British coastline in what seems to be a growing tradition for festive swims. In Rhyl, North Wales, this enthusiasm is harnessed for good with participants paying £5 to enter and all proceeds going towards the RNLI. This year, the Rhyl RNLI Festive Dip takes place on Boxing Day from 9.30am – 1pm.

Once the adrenaline subsides and the chill kicks in, swimmers should hurry back to OYO Pier Hotel, just yards from the beach, where they can warm up with a hot shower and a hot drink. The hotel still has availability on 26th December, with double rooms starting from £52 per night including breakfast.

• Celebrate Robert Burns in Ayr

What better place to celebrate Burns Night than Ayrshire, where Scotland’s celebrated poet Robert Burns was born? Visit the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway to explore his work, life and legacy. The Burns Cottage, where Burns lived until the age of seven, is currently under renovation, but will re-open for a limited period between Burns Night and 31st January 2020.

OYO The Fox and Willow in Ayr offers a small number of rooms attached to a 150-seater restaurant where guests can enjoy traditional Scottish fare including, of course, variations on haggis. Double rooms in the week around Burns Night (25th January) start from £79 per night including breakfast.

• Manchester

The organisers of the Manchester Beer and Cider festival will be hoping resolutions of Dry January will have been broken by the time this event returns to Manchester Central from 23rd – 25th January 2020. Visitors can hear talks from experts and of course, sample some of the very best beers and ciders from the UK’s booming brewing and cider making industries.

Keep the toasts going with a stay at OYO Mother Macs which sits above a pub in Manchester’s trendy Northern Quarter. Room options here include triples and quads, making it a great option for a getaway with friends. Double rooms on 23rd January start from £85 per night on a room-only basis.

To book any of these hotels, visit www.oyorooms.com or download the OYO app. Hotel prices are subject to change and availability, but are correct at the time of sending. 

Making its UK debut in October 2018, OYO now has 200 hotels under its brand across UK cities, in coastal resorts and rural areas. OYO works with independently-owned, small- and mid-sized hotels, providing capabilities and expertise in technology, revenue management, operations and transformation with the dual aims of growing business for owners and improving the experience for guests. With OYO, travellers can find hotels offering a consistent level of service at a great price; and which still retain the individuality of independently-owned hotels.

About OYO: Opening its doors in 2013, OYO Hotels & Homes is the world’s second-largest chain of hotels, homes, managed living and workspaces. The portfolio combines fully operated real estate comprising of more than 35,000 hotels and over 1.2 million rooms and offers guests around the world access to over 125,000 vacation homes. In the OYO vacation homes category, OYO operates OYO Homes, Belvilla, Danland, Dancenter along with Germany-based Traum-Ferienwohnungen brands, and can be found in more than 800 cities in 80 countries, including the U.S., Europe, U.K., India, Malaysia, Middle East, Indonesia, Philippines and Japan. For more information, log onto  https://www.oyorooms.com/