While it is still cheaper to stay in a top hotel than it was during the boom, hotel prices are on the rise around the world, according to bookings site Hotels.com. The average price of a hotel room increased by 3% globally in 2012, following a 4% climb in 2011. Irish hotels, however, bucked international trends somewhat, recording a 1% fall in prices during the year. Hotels in Italy, Greece and Turkey recorded similar decreases, while rates rose in Germany, Norway and Sweden, owing to robust consumer spending in the regions.
According to Hotels.com, rates in the UK were volatile in 2012 due to the Olympics, with a significant spike in prices at the start of the year as tickets to the games went on sale.
Canada and the US recorded the highest increase in room rates, due to airline-led improvements, with more long-distance flights added during the year. Prices increased by 2% in Asia, buoyed by an upswing in tourism, following the devastating tsunami in 2011.
Vancouver saw the biggest fall, with four- and five-star hotels falling by almost a quarter to average out at €223. Five-star hotel rooms in New York dropped by 7% to hit a (still impressive) average of €416.
The general trend for 2012, according to the study, was that cheaper hotels saw rates hold steady or improve, while rooms in higher-end hotels saw a significant drop in prices.
