The Island?s hotels reported a jump in room bookings for the festive season in contrast to last year.

Fairmont Southampton Resort reported a ten percent jump in bookings from 2002 with a current room occupancy rate of 60 percent.

The hotel was closed for 219 days over the festive season last year following Fabian.

Elsewhere on the Island hotels reported that they were either slightly better than last year or on par. Cambridge Beaches reported that the festive season looked positive compared to last year following Fabian and they were expected to be quite busy as the New Year approached.

Elbow Beach also had a positive increase in bookings, adding that many Bermudians enjoyed staying at the hotel over the festive season as part of package deals they offered.

The hotel reported between 55 and 70 percent occupancy over the entire festive period, adding that the hotel was fully booked for New Year?s Eve ? an improvement on the last few years.

Meanwhile the Sonesta Beach Hotel is closed and due to re-open in April, 2005.

While some of the Island?s hotels reported a drop in the number of Christmas lunch and dinner bookings in contrast to last year, most say they are on par and expect business to pick up within the next day.

Hotels including Ariel Sands, Elbow Beach, Fairmont Southampton and Waterlot Inn, Hamilton Princess and The Reefs report that numbers were ?looking good? and they expected a better turn out than last year.

Ariel Sands did report a slight dip in numbers with only 45 bookings compared to last years? 130, but said they expected numbers to pick up within the next day.

Meanwhile the Waterlot Inn reported that numbers were down by about 50 percent with only 165 bookings so far this year out of the available 300.

Hamilton Princess was one of the only hotels to be fully booked for Christmas Day with 900 bookings, while The Reefs still had tables available with only 154 bookings.