Now's the time to visit London as hotel rates drop

WITH the cost of a one-night hotel stay down 7.3% in Q2 2016, the British capital is a prime destination for travelers hoping to see Big Ben without breaking the bank, reveals the HRS Global Hotel Solutions hotel price barometer, published yesterday.

A single-night hotel stay in London now costs an average €177. According to HRS, which offers business solutions for global hotel procurement, the Brexit vote and the drop in sterling have contributed to pushing down hotel rates in the British capital.

London is also suffering from the security concerns currently affecting the Parisian tourist trade. The German capital Berlin is affected too, where hotel rates remain unchanged.

In Paris, the consequences of recent terror attacks are more marked. A single-night hotel stay in the French capital in Q1 2016 cost 4.8% less year on year. This was followed by second drop of 2.7% in Q2. Tourists heading for the Eiffel tower should now budget an average €142 per night for their hotel stay.

However, HRS has identified other reasons for the Parisian price cuts. The impact of "alternative" accommodation solutions such as AirBnb, which is particularly well developed in Paris, shouldn't be underestimated, the firm points out. France also saw a wave of strikes in June, which could have impacted visitor numbers.

Facing a similar situation, Turkey's hotel trade has been forced to cut prices, with rates in Istanbul now averaging €78 (-18.8%).

Destinations in northern Europe are faring better, however, with rates up 14.5% in Stockholm, Sweden (€158), 13.8% in Helsinki, Finland (€140), and 10% in Copenhagen, Denmark (€165).

New York tops the table with world's priciest hotel rates

Visitors to the Big Apple will need a comfortable budget to explore the streets of Manhattan this year. In Q1 2016, New York took the lead with the most expensive hotel rates worldwide, with rooms averaging €244, topping San Francisco's €226. However, HRS warns that strong growth in alternative solutions is putting downward pressure on hotel rates, like in Paris.

The study's biggest surprise comes from Brazil's Rio de Janeiro. While this summer's Euro soccer tournament brought price inflation to French host cities, the Summer Olympics don't appear to have led hotels to raise their rates, with Rio rooms down 32.3% to average €126 in Q2. Sao Paulo saw a 22.6% drop, with nightly rates averaging €82.