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Area hotels see increase in guests as the 'unofficial start to summer' begins

Memorial Day is the 'unofficial start to summer.' Combine that with pent-up demand after a year of restrictions and that means a busy year ahead for area hotels.

TOLEDO, Ohio — Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer. And as the minds of Americans turn to getting out of the house and onto the roads as COVID-19 restrictions loosen, area hotels are seeing an increase in visitors.

The Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Toledo for instance is sold out almost every day for Memorial Day Weekend, and they believe that's just the start of a busy season for them.

RELATED: Travel numbers climb as Americans hit the road for Memorial Day weekend

General Manager Brian Crooks says they expect to sell out every weekend from now until November.

He also says they're booked with weddings almost every Saturday for the rest of the year, probably since so many large gatherings had to be put on hold while lockdowns and safety restrictions were in place.

RELATED: Wedding industry preparing for busy 2021 after many ceremonies were postponed last year

"The demand for that leisure travel or weekend getaway is huge. Pair it with all of the social events from last year that couldn't happen squeezing into this year have caused for a mad dash for hotel rooms and event space every single weekend," said Crooks.

And guests will see things getting closer to how they were before the pandemic.

With loosening COVID-19 restrictions, the hotel is removing some of their distance restrictions in restaurants and other areas of the hotel.

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