UK Tops The European Hotel Price League

The UK posted a year-on-year price rise of 12% in 2007 to an average price paid of £106 per night, making it the most expensive country in Europe for hotels, and the only country in Europe to top £100 for a one night hotel stay, according to the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index report.

The sharpest rise in the UK's major cities was seen north of the border in Aberdeen, where room reservation prices paid have risen by over a third (34%) to £109 per room per night, making it the fourth most expensive city in the UK in 2007. The report, released today, also sees the trend reflected in prices in Inverness (up 21%) to £98.

Bath (at £117 per night on average) has maintained its position as the most expensive major UK city - despite a fall of 2% in the average prices paid in the city in 2007, compared with prices in 2006.

However, following sharp price rises, London and Oxford have edged up on Bath hotel rooms. Rooms in the capital cost an average of £115 per night, whilst in Oxford it was £113.

The Hotels.com HPI is based on prices paid for hotels in 2007, compared to 2006 and is considered by some to be the most comprehensive and accurate source of global hotel pricing information. It is based on prices for 60,000 hotels across 6,500 locations around the world and on the actual prices paid by customers, rather than simply advertised rates.

David Roche, Senior Vice President, Hotels.com EMEA, comments:

"Whilst Bath's combination of high visitor levels and luxury hotels means that it retains its place as the most expensive city in the UK, our data shows that Oxford and London are catching up fast. In the past, limited supply has made for an expensive night's stay in the university city, and although a number of new hotels have been developed, these higher star rating properties have kept the average price growing along with interest from visitors. The increase in London rates continues a trend we've seen over the last four years, and reflects both rising visitor numbers and rising property prices in the capital. It's still possible to find competitively priced accommodation, but the combination of strong demand and limited supply is making this more difficult.

It is also interesting to see Aberdeen and Inverness experience such large price rises in 2007. Scotland is fast becoming a destination of choice for luxury leisure travelers, and this, along with Aberdeen's status as an important business centre, is being reflected in the rising prices people are paying for hotel rooms."

The Hotels Price Index also showed that:

• Coventry became the cheapest city in the UK during 2007, at an average of just £57 per night - a fall of 15% on 2006, possibly due to proximity to local airports.
• Belfast, a city currently experiencing massive regeneration, is fast going up in the HPI price league. Following a price rise of 11%, it is now amongst the most expensive cities in the UK (£98).
• Liverpool, the current city of culture 2008 has also experienced price rises of 9%, and at an average of £95 per night, it is in the top ten most expensive cities for hotels in the UK.
• Southampton experienced a considerable price drop of 12% in 2007, making it one of the cheapest cities for hotels at £84 per night.

David Roche concludes: "Prices in the UK are sometimes high, but there are still always good deals to be found on Hotels.com - and savings of up to 30% are regularly on offer."

Click here ( Adobe Acrobat PDF file) to download the complete report.

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