Visitors to London, whether on business, as tourists, or for the forthcoming Olympic games, might be concerned to hear that the city has topped a survey to be recognised as the world’s most expensive destination for a 24-hour stay.
Travel review website, TripAdvisor carried out the research, and its TripIndex assessed the price of a hotel room, evening meal, drinks and taxis in key locations around the world. The price that it estimated for a night out in London for two people this summer was £330.45. At the other end of the scale, Hanoi in Vietnam offered the best value for money at Just £89.93 for the same provisions.
Hotel prices appeared to be the biggest contributory factor to London’s expense. The cost of a night in a four-star double room in London was said to average £230.39, which easily outstripped other destinations that have previously been considered expensive, including Oslo, with a comparative room price of £140.11 and a total night out cost of £319.62, Paris with a room cost of £195.40, and a total night out cost of £306.76, Stockholm, room cost £139.34, and a total of £302.46, and Moscow with a room cost of £156.69, and a total of £274.17.
Emma Shaw of TripAdvisor commented, ‘TripIndex helps travellers to see where their pound goes furthest,’ says Emma Shaw of TripAdvisor. The list shows that many Asian cities, along with some European cities, like Warsaw and Sofia, are very affordable once you’re on the ground. Some cities traditionally considered expensive, like London, Paris and New York, actually cost three times more than the cheaper cities in the list for an evening out.’
