People have been booking into hotels with air conditioning to escape the heat

As the UK swelters in record-breaking temperatures, desperate Brits are booking into hotel rooms for some much-needed respite from the heat.

While many are opting for more traditional methods of combating the heat with their Argos fans and cold showers, others have decided to take their commitment to staying cool one step further by forking out for air conditioned hotel stays. 

Countless people have been taking to Twitter to share how they have swapped their stuffy houses for air conditioned hotel rooms as temperatures soar to highs of 40C.

One of these people pointed out the UK’s lack of air conditioning, explaining that ‘our infrastructure is not designed for this heat’. 

They wrote with a stark warning: “I’ve found an hotel with air con to get me through this. Many can’t afford that. People and pets will die.”

Another person revealed that they had booked an air conditioned hotel room in order to get some sleep before work, writing: “It’s so serious that as I’m working during the heatwave I’ve got an air-con hotel room so I can sleep in the daytime to be able to work at night over Monday and Tuesday. Be safe out there.”

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And those who were a little late to the trend have been desperately searching for availability near them, with one person joking: “Currently Googling ‘Hotels with air con near me’. I’ve spent too long down south and gone soft.”

The chaos comes shortly after the Met Office issued the UK’s first ever Red Extreme heat warning, with temperatures poised to climb to record highs of 40C. 

The weather warning covers today and tomorrow (July 18th and 19th) for parts of central, northern, eastern and southeastern England. 

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “Exceptional, perhaps record-breaking temperatures are likely early next week, quite widely across the red warning area on Monday, and focussed a little more east and north on Tuesday.

“Currently there is a 50% chance we could see temperatures top 40C and 80% we will see a new maximum temperature reached.

“Nights are also likely to be exceptionally warm, especially in urban areas. This is likely to lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure. Therefore, it is important people plan for the heat and consider changing their routines. This level of heat can have adverse health effects.”