Several city hotels have put staff on reduced working weeks as the hospitality industry sits on the verge of crisis.

Workers at one of the capital's most prestigious hotels have been asked to take annual leave now because there is nothing for them to do.

However, the economic downturn is good news for anyone booking a break in the capital as hotels have slashed their rates substantially.

As many as 180 staff at the five-star Westbury Hotel off Grafton Street have been requested to take any holiday leave they may have carried over from last year and a week's leave from this year's allocation.

The move is seen as a step towards cutting costs and preserving jobs.

Extended unpaid periods of leave can also be taken, and staff doing so will be given a guarantee that their job will be safe upon return.

The Westbury is just one of several hotels which are implementing measures to stave off the downturn in holiday and business trade.

The Mercer Group chose to close the Tara Towers and Montrose hotels over the Christmas and New Year period because of slow business.

Both hotels reopened their doors yesterday, offering deals such as midweek specials for €25 a night, or book four nights and get the fifth free.

Other hotels to be hit by the recession are the Green Isle Hotel at Newlands Cross and the Gresham Hotel in the city centre.

Gresham

The majority of staff at the Green Isle now work a three-day week, while the Gresham has also increased the number of staff on a reduced working week.

Last year, around 50 Gresham staff were put on the shortened week and it is now expected that the January slowdown will add another 10 to that list.

The deluxe hotel on O'Connell Street is also offering rate only prices from as little as €99 per room.

Developer Sean Dunne is also trying to win over the falling number of consumers looking for beds in the capital.

His d4hotels.com announced yesterday that it was slashing prices at its Ballsbridge outlet to just €20 per room per night in some cases.

The deal will run mid-week throughout January and February.

Failte Ireland has already said that it is fully aware that 2009 is going to be a challenging year for the hoteliers.

Some of the staff working on reduced weeks are entitled to claim social welfare benefits for the days they are not on duty.

- Kevin Doyle