Whitbread (LSE:WTB), the owner of the Premier Inn hotel chain, grew total group sales by 2% to £727m in the 13 weeks to 28 May, with accommodation gains in both the UK and Germany partially offset by an expected decline in food and beverage revenue.
Premier Inn UK delivered total accommodation sales growth of 3% and revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth of 2%, outpacing the broader midscale and economy market by 1.0 percentage points on sales and 1.2 percentage points on RevPAR, lifting the RevPAR premium to £6.81. London led the way, with accommodation sales up 7% and RevPAR up 4%; regional hotels posted 1% growth on both measures. UK food and beverage sales fell 5%, in line with management expectations, reflecting the planned transition of branded restaurants to a more efficient integrated format.
Premier Inn Germany grew accommodation sales 13% in local currency, or 16% in sterling, driven by estate expansion including six new leasehold hotel openings and commercial initiatives. RevPAR at the more established German hotels reached €73, significantly ahead of a wider market dampened by fewer high-impact events.
"Strong leisure bookings mean that our forward booked position is ahead of last year and we remain confident in the full year outlook," said chief executive Dominic Paul.
Whitbread's interim results for the full first half of FY27 are due on 15 October.
