Hotels in Ireland are the cheapest in Western Europe according to a new survey of rates across 44 countries by the world’s largest independent online booking company, expedia, owners of hotels.com.
The hotel price index, compiled from bookings made through Hotels.com at 130,000 hotels around the world, found Ireland had the sixth cheapest hotels out of a total of 44 countries surveyed with an average room rate of €79 (approx $107).
No other Western European country had lower rates. In Eastern Europe, only the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary were found to be slightly lower than Ireland making Ireland the 4th cheapest in the entire European continent.
Hotel prices in the capital, Dublin, were even lower than the national average at just €73 (approx $98), dropping 6% in 2010 versus 2009, making it one of the best value capital cities in the world in which to stay. Of 95 cities surveyed around the world, Dublin ranked 18th cheapest and cheapest in all of Europe.
Average hotel prices in Dublin in 2010 were significantly lower than in neighboring European capitals. In London, average hotel prices stood at €135 a night; Paris – €120; Amsterdam – €115; Rome – €113; Edinburgh – €109; and Lisbon – €83.
Kilkenny remained the most expensive place to stay in Ireland, despite a fall of almost 20 per cent in average room rates from €138 in 2009 to €112 in 2010. The southeast also had the second most expensive destination, with Wexford at €109. Third most expensive was Galway at €100, followed by hotels in Killarney at €96 and Tralee at €95. The lowest cost place to stay in Ireland, the survey found, was Waterford, with an average hotel price of just €56.
Seamus Mac Cormaic of Expedia Inc said: “Despite having a reputation as an expensive destination, Ireland is now one of the most affordable destinations in the world and Dublin one of the least expensive major cities.”