So as we prepare for our trip this summer we are noticing that the hotels we stayed at 3 years ago are much more expensive now. We are booking around the same time we booked last time we went.
In your opinion have hotel prices risen in the past few years? Or is it just because the hotels are no longer hidden gems? Last time we had great hotels for an average of $100-$120
Just curious
What locations are you looking at? What are your dates? (I wonder if it could be related to Ferragosto.)
Mid to late June. Florence Venice Rome.
Rooms all over the world have increased in prices dramatically. You can also see it in the U.S. room prices.
And to think I paid almost $100 for a Motel 6 in a city in Eastern Canada last summer--ridiculous.
Reasonable accommodations are still available in Europe. Sometimes you've just got to look closely for great places, and they don't necessarily have to be as expensive as you're posting. The internet is full of hotels with customer ratings, recommendations and comments in all price ranges.
Do you remember the names of the hotels where you stayed last time? Maybe someone can recommend something similar at a lower cost. And have you considered renting apartments instead? There are some big savings possible there.
Maybe the exchange rate?
In Mid June 2010 the Euro was worth below $1.20. Now it's almost $1.40. That's over 15% increase right there.
I have noticed an increase in prices in the cities you mention (my $95 hotel in Rome is now $120), but not in some of the less-touristed places (like Napoli and Matera). There are still low prices in small towns. too. You may want to check a site like booking.com and filter by pricexand location, and read the reviews. One thing I don't compromise on is the area of the city I stay in (Piazza Navona/Campo de' Fiori/Pantheon in Rome).
I think Roberto has it nailed, if you're comparing dollars to dollars. I haven't notice the prices in euros go up that much.
A hotel I stayed at in Venice during Carnvale 4 years ago was €90/night, this year it's €130 for a single.
A hotel I loved in Paris and stayed at several times for under €80 for a single was sold a year ago. The new owners renovated and doubled the prices (probably same tiny rooms, same miniscule elevator).
The hotel I like in London seems to raise their rates by about 10% every year for the last 3, at least - in sterling.
I went in 2011 so the exchange rate is exactly the same. The price in Euros is what has changed. I stayed in Hotel opera in Rome and hotel silla in florence. I also noticed that in the smaller cities they are cheaper.
I go every year and I haven't noted substantial differences in the places I use. Sometimes hotels have better deals than others, other times they might charge more because they remodeled and upgraded their premises. Or they might have changed ownership and the new owner has a different pricing strategy.
You are not married to a place. Shop around and find another place, you might discover accommodations that you like even better.
