Luxury hotel owner in Cornwall offers to foot British tourists' petrol bills to ease financial pain of staycation

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The owner of a luxury Cornwall hotel has offered to foot the petrol bill for visitors staying in the property - to ease the burden of rising costs.

St Moritz Hotel & Cowshed Spa in stylish Rock in Cornwall is providing an incentive for British staycationers, offsetting their increased petrol prices. 

Global uncertainty and oil prices shooting up as a result of the Iran war already means UK drivers are facing a 15 per cent rise every time they fill the tank. 

It comes after the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned the continent has 'maybe six weeks' of jet fuel left in a sobering prediction. 

So, St Moritz Hotel & Cowshed Spa has launched a new 'pumped up petrol prices be damned' discount that eases the burden their guests' travel costs by paying back the additional petrol price for their drive down to Cornwall.

Hugh Ridgway, co-founder of St Moritz Hotel & Cowshed Spa, told the Daily Mail: 'We have to be very innovative, very deft of foot in the hospitality industry at the moment, because the government is just making life so difficult for us.

'We were very aware of the problems with aviation and that fuel surcharges would be coming down the track. We thought about our own customers, knowing that if they drive to us and we decided to pay for the uplift in fuel.

'Petrol prices are averaging about 15 per cent up, diesel about 20 per cent up. So, we just divided up the country based on postcodes. 

St Moritz Hotel & Cowshed Spa in Cornwall is offering a new incentive for visitors

Hugh Ridgway, co-founder of the hotel, said he is keen to help guests have a great holiday 

'If you live in the Home Counties, it's going to cost you about an extra £20, because we're very aware down here on the lovely north coast of Cornwall that, you know, we're not just a Tube ride away.

'It takes effort. People have to get into their cars and if we can help them to get down here, we will because we know they'll have an absolutely fabulous holiday. It's just about doing something to try and help our customers.

'So far, we've had very good take-up. Our customers have been absolutely delighted, and we've had a lot of interest.'

It comes after a survey revealed that up to 40 per cent of holidaymakers who had intended to travel abroad during the Easter break are changing their plans and booking at-home instead.

According to the RAC, more than 19 million UK road trips were taken over the Easter holidays in 2025 and over 17 and 18 million over the early and late May bank holidays, with a major influx to Cornwall and the South West across all of them. 

The Easter and May school holidays also see a major number of in-bound carloads.

The St Moritz team has therefore grouped postcodes to payback the petrol surcharges for their guests. 

For people in Wales and the South West, the Tank-Top-Up code will grant a £15 discount. 

The St Moritz team will provide support for those coming to stay at the Cornwall hotel, with different discount prices for visitors coming from various parts of the country

Hugh runs the hotel with his brother and co-founder, Steve Ridgway (left) - and the pair has launched the new incentive on bookings made by 30 April and for stays taken before 1 July

For those driving from the South East, London and the Midlands, the Say-No-To-Surcharges code will provide a £20 discount and Fuel-My-Holiday will knock £30 per carload off for those cruising down to Rock from the North and Scotland.

The offer is open to all new bookings to the St Moritz extensive range of accommodation options including hotel rooms, suites, apartments, penthouses and houses, on bookings made by 30 April and on stays taken before 1 July.

Former Visit Britain Chairman Steve Ridgway is a co-founder of St Moritz Hotel & Cowshed Spa - and Hugh's brother.

He said: 'The Great British hospitality industry has to pivot once again and find yet more exciting ways to encourage our much-valued staycationers to book their getaways in our midst. 

'Whilst the St Moritz team can't control global security or Trump being Trump, we can offer to take the strain of the additional driving costs for our UK guests. 

'So that's what we're doing by saying "Pumped up petrol prices be damned" and giving all new bookers an immediate postcode-related discount on top of our other great offers.'

Hugh added: "Cost creep" and the constant headlines are concerning for everyone, so with 'pumped up petrol prices be damned' we're cutting any barriers to booking and helping everyone reclaim the much-needed joy of getting away.

'It's about celebrating the simplicity of the great British break: of that feeling of packing up the car, getting on the road, and knowing you've got a jolly good Cornish time ahead of you. 

'Here in Rock, we're all about coastal calm, relaxed luxury, good food, nature's playground, fresh air, the space to breathe, and the ability to just be. No drama. No politics. Just pure Cornwall.'

The St Moritz Hotel & Cowshed Spa postcoded Moritz Miles Petrol Payback offer with relevant discount codes is bookable via the hotel's website.