South-east Asia offers cheapest prices for hotels

CAMBODIA and Vietnam have emerged as the lowest priced places to stay in hotels in the world while Rio de Janeiro and New York are the most expensive.

Prices in Siem Reap in Cambodia fell by 3 per cent to $63 a night in the first half of the year while rates in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi dropped by 17 per cent to $70. Cebu in the Philippines was the third cheapest, even though prices increased slightly to $71, according to the latest Hotel Price Index by booking site Hotels.com.

Meanwhile the 2016 Olympic city Rio de Janeiro had price rises of 25 per cent to $294 and New York was the second most expensive, increasing 3 per cent to $268.

Perth had the biggest rise in Australia on the back of the mining boom, increasing 21 per cent to reach $211.

The Whitsundays was the most expensive at $252 a night, followed by the Sunshine Coast at $187 a night.

Honolulu in Hawaii, which has been a hot spot for Australian travellers of late, also increased by 11 per cent to $227.

San Diego hotel prices jumped 12 per cent to $144, Los Angeles rose 9 per cent to $190 and Las Vegas rose 9 per cent to $143.

While prices in the US rose, Europe became more affordable with falls in 19 of the 28 cities surveyed on the continent.

Prices in Rome fell 12 per cent to $189, Vienna dropped 11 per cent to $150 and Venice fell 7 per cent to $233.

London hotel prices were flat in the lead-up to the Olympics as hoteliers were forced to cut rates to fill rooms.

Christchurch rates were up 58 per cent to $150. Whitsunday Islands Perth Sunshine Coast Canberra Sydney Byron Bay Newcastle Blue Mountains Brisbane Hobart $252 +5% $211 +21% $187 +4% $186 +5% $185 +7% $179 +3% $179 -2% $174 – $172 +2% $163 +11%