How hotel prices have soared: a three-star hotel today costs as much as a four-star hotel in 2019
It has never been so expensive to stay in a hotel in Spain during the holidays. Prices have been climbing steadily for months, as reflected in the average rate per occupied room, which reached 128.8 euros per night in July, according to the Hotel Business Survey published on Wednesday by the INE.
This figure represents an increase of 6.3% over the same month last year and is almost 25% above July 2019 (102 euros), when the latter year represented the record for the tourism sector. In fact, it is still considered the comparative benchmark with the pandemic.
With the price of a hotel room 26 euros more expensive than in 2019, the cost of a week’s accommodation is 180 euros more. This increase in price has several direct consequences for the user, such as a 4.2% reduction in the length of stay and also in the category of hotels, while the sector sees its profitability increase thanks to the increase in rates.
Whereas a room in a four-star hotel used to cost around 111 euros per night, it is now around 135 euros. If we take into account that a stay in a three-star hotel has gone from 88 to 109 euros, it already costs as much as one of a higher category four years ago.
This cascade effect is also noticeable as you go down the category, since staying overnight in two and one-star establishments is 15 euros more expensive than in 2019, with an average rate of 85 and 80 euros respectively.
However, it is in the highest category where there is a greater increase. Proof of this is that the average rate per occupied room in a five-star hotel has increased by 84% compared to the period prior to the pandemic. With the large chains clearly betting on the premium segment, the stay in top category hotels reaches 298.6 euros, compared to 212 euros in July 2019.
