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Hotel prices in Edinburgh have increased by 39% this August mainly due to the simultaneously running Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
This is according to Trivago’s latest Hotel Price Index which found that an overnight stay in the city during August will cost an average of £207, in comparison to £149 the previous month.
This means that hotel prices in Edinburgh have risen above Geneva, London and Venice to become the most expensive destination in Europe, based on the 50 most popular cities by Trivago.
A hotel in Edinburgh is an average of 22% and £38 more expensive than a hotel in London, consistently the most expensive city in the UK for a hotel stay.
The festival events are running simultaneously for the first time in 18 years from 7 – 31 August.
The most expensive day for a hotel stay in the city is currently Saturday August 8, the second day of the festival, when a hotel will cost an average of £237. This is a 44% increase from the previous Saturday, August 1, when a hotel cost an average of £164.
Hotel prices are also high on Saturday August 15 (£227), Saturday August 22 (also £227) and Saturday August 29 (£226). The average this year (£207) is 6% higher than the average during the 2014 Edinburgh Festival (£196), this is despite widespread criticism that prices were too high last year.
While hotel prices in Edinburgh have increased by an average of 39% and £58 month-on-month, the same cannot be said for surrounding towns and cities. The only destination with a significant price increase is Stirling, where hotels are up by 17% compared to July, but are still an average of £83 cheaper than Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, a hotel stay in Glasgow will cost an average of £107 this month – £100 cheaper than Edinburgh. Some destinations have even decreased in price compared to July, a hotel stay in Dundee is 18% cheaper while the price for a hotel room in Perth is 8% cheaper.
Denise Bartlett, Trivago’s press officer, said: “For those still seeking accommodation for the Edinburgh International or Fringe festivals, a nearby town or city might be their best bet, with availability low and prices high in Edinburgh.
“Guests still hoping to join the festivities without a set date should consider visiting during the week, rather than the weekend.”
