Portable hotel rolls up to help ease Edinburgh’s Festival squeeze

A PORTABLE hotel is to open in Scotland’s capital when its population “almost doubles” later this summer.

The Snoozebox hotel will provide 120 rooms in the Calton area of Edinburgh during festival season in August.

The company said the hotel, which is a series of Portakabins, arrives on the back of a lorry and takes about three days to assemble. It will have a restaurant, bar and individually controlled air-conditioning and heating in each room.

The Snoozebox has previously been sited at racing events at Goodwood and Silverstone, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pageant in Windsor. This will be its first appearance in Scotland.

Susan Moorhouse, of the hotel chain, said: “Snoozebox provides high-quality, safe and affordable accommodation for visitors who want to be at the very heart of the Festival activity.

“We are confident our first venture in Scotland, located in such a unique environment, will be a sell-out.”

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce managing director Graham Birse said: “The population of Edinburgh doubles during Festival time, putting a significant strain on resources.

“We need to provide our visitors and artists with accommodation, and this seems an innovative and effective solution.”