Staycation finds favour with Bhubaneswar residents on New Year

Bhubaneswar: Hotels in the capital were sold out on Wednesday, albeit not with travellers from outside Odisha. Instead, residents of the city and nearby places have chosen to spend their Zero Night and New Year in the comfort of hotels within their proximity, rather than taking traditional holidays to distant places.City-based hoteliers said the concept of staycations during the New Year, a popular post-Covid trend, is getting stronger in Bhubaneswar with each passing year, as it offers both the excitement of a getaway and the comfort of holidaying close to home, without the stress of making elaborate travel plans.There are close to 300 hotels in Bhubaneswar, and around 80 of them cater to high-spending groups, as per reports of the tourism department. Until Tuesday, hotel occupancy was around 80 per cent, and on New Year’s Eve, all the star properties were sold out.“We planned a staycation in Bhubaneswar this time to spend the New Year and the first weekend of 2026 in festive yet familiar surroundings. It is a relaxed retreat for us, without the exhaustion of planning and travel,” said Ananya Mihir, a resident of Cuttack.“Catering to the staycation demand, hotels also curated immersive urban retreat experiences. While New Year’s Eve and New Year celebrations are grand, with musical nights, unlimited snacks and beverages, and gala dinners, almost all the properties are offering special benefits for staycationers such as early check-in, late check-out, special dinners at flexible hours, discounts on spa and salon services, and much more during their short holiday,” said Ranjan Das, general manager of a hospitality brand that owns two luxury hotel properties in the city.“In our properties, bookings by local guests are higher than for those travelling from outside. Most reservations are for Dec 31 and January 1,” he added.Chairman of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha J K Mohanty said while Bhubaneswar is much in demand for New Year celebrations, local residents are also moving to less crowded Chilika and Gopalpur to spend their New Year and the weekend that follows.