A new report points to the region’s hotels slowly recovering from the recession and a long, hard winter.

Hotel Britain 2011, the annual guide by accountants PKF to the performance of the UK hotel industry, says that a gradual return of corporate business should further lift trade.

Nick Mobbs, of the Imperial Hotel, Great Yarmouth, said: ?“London is doing well, but the effects have yet to ripple out much to the regions. It has been harder to let rooms over the last six months. However, we remain confident of Yarmouth’s future and have invested more than ?100,000 in refurbishing our conference room and introducing ?green? energy measures.”

Michael Muskett, senior partner for PKF in East Anglia, said hotel occupancy in Norwich increased from 72pc to 72.6pc in 2010 compared to the previous year. More hotels were seeing an increase in corporate business and conferences. ?Norfolk should also benefit from the staycation? culture, but every guest was looking for a good deal and hotels had to be more competitive.?

Ian Solomon, of the Old Rectory Hotel, Crostwick, agreed that guests were seeking special offers and most no longer accepted the first price quoted.

Galton Blackiston, of Morston Hall, said: “The PKF report sums it up nicely. Things have improved but everyone wants a bargain. A lot of people still want to go out for dinner and we are lucky they’ll make a special trip to us.”