Irish hotel prices 'among cheapest in Europe'
Ireland has some of the cheapest hotels in Europe with the average price for a room now as low as €79 a night, an internet survey revealed today.
The country is now the fourth cheapest in the eurozone with only the Czech Republic at €76, Poland at €74 and Hungary at €70 offering better rates.
Online booking site Hotels.com revealed Kilkenny was the dearest city in Ireland for an overnight stay – taking the crown traditionally held by Killarney.
In Dublin, room prices were down 7% to €73, making it one of the best value city destinations in the world.
Seamus MacCormaic, director of market management UK & Ireland at the internet site, said the survey suggests prices have bottomed out.
“The Irish hotel market is slower to recover than other countries with prices falling 4% in the first half of 2010,” he said.
“The rise of the ’staycation’ has also helped boost hotel prices with popular tourist spots such as Castlebar and Sligo experiencing an increase in room rates with prices up 4% and 5% respectively.”
Irish hotel rates were down 4% overall compared to the fall of 21% recorded in last year’s survey.
Around Ireland prices came crashing down 16% in the tourist hot spot of Killarney while the most popular city in the west, Galway, was also hit by a steep fall with room rates down 12% to €98.
Kilkenny bucked the trend, with the average cost of a hotel stay €123 a night.
Cork hotel prices fell a further 5% year-on-year with the average room rate down to €76 and Waterford has the best value in Ireland with rooms from €50.
