Travellers faced price rises in nearly two thirds of the international destinations in the first half of 2012.

Areas that were facing serious political or natural upheavals in the first six months of 2011 recovered their equilibrium, leading to prices in areas such as the Middle East and Japan, returning to more normal levels.

The HPI, which is based on actual prices paid in the first six months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, reveals the most expensive city for UK travellers as Monte Carlo with an average hotel rate of £197 a night, following a substantial 19% jump. Rio de Janeiro came second, at £182, followed by Muscat with £179 and New York at £171. At the other end of the scale, UK travellers could find hotels on a budget in Asia and Eastern Europe. Phnom Penh in Cambodia offered the best value for UK travellers, with £35 per room and night only. Pattaya in Thailand and Vietnam’s Hanoi also had hotel accommodation for less than £50 on average, with prices of £47 and £48 respectively. For trips to Europe, Vilnius was a cost-effective choice, with average room prices of £55, but also Riga (£58), Bratislava (£61) and Krakow (£62) belong to the list of cities with the lowest rates.

The Top Ten destinations with highest rates for UK travellers:



Top Ten destinations with best rates for UK travellers:



Of the Top Ten most popular outbound destinations chosen by UK travellers, six locations went up in price and four decreased. The list was topped by Paris, where the average hotel room rate was £125, compared to £121 up 4% and followed by New York at £171, up 7% from £160, and Rome down significantly by 10% from £120 to £108.

Top ten outbound destinations for UK travellers in 2012:



Results across Europe were mixed in the first half of 2012 as the Eurozone crisis continued to impact prices, particularly in many cities and beach resorts across Spain and Greece, with Benidorm and Alicante both down 8% to £70 and £65 respectively and Athens falling by 10% to £72.

Those looking outside Europe were faced with many steep price increases, for example, in the Middle East. Hotel prices in Dubai increased at the accelerated rate of 21% to £134 and Abu Dhabi rose 12% to £113 as confidence returned to the region after last year’s Arab Spring. Japan’s recuperation following the crisis in March 2011 helped rates soar across Asia, as Osaka saw its average price rebound by 35% to £72, the second largest rise in the HPI and Kyoto increase 17% to £98, although prices were still not back to their 2010 level.

Prices for UK travellers continued to rise in the Pacific, boosted by steep increases in its largest economy Australia. The highest prices were found in Perth following a substantial 34% increase to £148, the third largest increase in the HPI as the resources boom in Western Australia meant that space was at a premium, driving prices even higher.

All 15 US destinations included in the HPI increased as economic buoyancy and consumer spending grew. Florida saw the highest rises with Orlando up 27% to £78, Key West was up 21% to £159 and Fort Lauderdale also increased by 19% to £109. In Latin America prices rose slightly, meaning that the destinations such as Buenos Aires, down 14% at £88, proved a reasonable choice for UK travellers.

Alison Couper, Director of Communications at Hotels.com said: “Whilst the news that UK travellers faced a rise in hotel prices at two-thirds of overseas destinations in the first six months of 2012 may appear daunting for those planning a trip abroad, the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index makes it easy for those planning trips to look for destinations where they can pick up a bargain and get a maximum return on their travel budget.”