Where to splurge and where to save when travelling here and abroad

Hotels.com star ratings across the globe show where it's worth it to lap up a five star for a steal and where it's best to knock down a star for big savings

TORONTO, March 22, 2017 /CNW/ - Travelling in style and indulging in luxury accommodation is more attainable than you may think according to Hotels.com™. From domestic staycations to Asian indulgence, Canadians had a wide selection of top tier accommodation at moderate prices last year and can use that as a guide to planning this year's adventures.

Star rating category for $200* or less per night:
Internationally, Asia presented a remarkable range of luxury options for less than $200* per night according to the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™ (HPI™). Canadian leisure and business travellers could find top-end accommodation at extremely reasonable prices in cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Ho Chi Minh City. With such significant savings available it's no wonder Canadians have a travel bug for this cultural epicenter. In the most recent HPI, many Asian cities jumped into the top 20 most popular international destinations for Canadians.

The domestic market provided Canadians with some valuable options, with plenty of popular cities offering 4 star and 3-star nightly averages under the $200 threshold, including Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

The star rating that was purchased by Canadian travellers with $200 a night or less on average in selected cities in 2016

City	Country	Star Rating < $200
Bangkok	Thailand	5
Chiang Mai	Thailand	5
Ho Chi Minh City	Vietnam	5
Quebec, QC	Canada	4
Las Vegas, NV	USA	4
Dubai	United Arab Emirates	4
London	United Kingdom	3
Miami, FL	USA	3
Toronto, ON	Canada	3
Vancouver, BC	Canada	3
Honolulu, HI	USA	2
New Orleans, LA	USA	2
New York, NY	USA	2

Top 10 lowest averages paid by Canadian travellers per night for 5-star hotels in 2016

City	Country	2016
Bangkok	Thailand	$171
Chiang Mai	Thailand	$184
Ho Chi Minh City	Vietnam	$192
Berlin	Germany	$203
Beijing	China	$205
Prague	Czech Republic	$206
Ottawa, ON	Canada	$209
Phuket	Thailand	$226
Athens	Greece	$232
Lisbon	Portugal	$235

What's a star worth?
Canadians looking to stretch their budget a little further may be surprised to find great deals along the star rating spectrum. For instance, if value is more important than location, 5-star accommodation in many destinations off the beaten track can be booked for the same amount as lower star categories in more familiar locations. 

Want to upgrade? Moving up a star rating may not cost as much as you think. For example, the average price difference between 4-star and 5-star accommodation in Ottawa was a mere $8 per night in 2016. Alternatively, going down a star could save quite a bit in some cases, especially if the amenities provided by that extra star are not vital to your stay. For instance in Orlando, selecting 3-star instead of 4 or 5-star accommodation should be considered by travelers who intend to spend most of their time at an amusement park or on the golf course, allowing for savings as much as $275 per night.

Pro traveller tip: look for hotels with guest ratings higher than their star ratings for superb value.

Living the luxury life
Just over $550 separated the highest and lowest average prices paid for a single night in 5-star hotels in the most popular cities for Canadian travellers in 2016. Anaheim topped the list at $729 a night. To put that into perspective, for the price of a single night in a 5-star hotel in Anaheim, Canadian travellers could have stayed four nights in one of Bangkok's 5-star accommodation options. Overall, Canadian destinations offered much better value with nightly rates recorded at less than half that price.

Average hotel room prices per night paid by Canadian travellers by star rating in selected cities in 2016

City	Country	5-star	4-star	3-star	2-star
Anaheim, CA	USA	$729	$228	$209	$143
Bangkok	Thailand	$171	$86	$45	$30
Las Vegas, NV	USA	$295	$146	$109	$84
London	United Kingdom	$467	$266	$170	$92
Los Angeles, CA	USA	$514	$280	$209	$155
Montreal, QC	Canada	$291	$210	$146	$93
New York, NY	USA	$465	$316	$257	$154
Orlando, FL	USA	$400	$202	$123	$78
Ottawa, ON	Canada	$209	$201	$160	$112
Paris	France	$425	$231	$159	$137
Puerto Vallarta	Mexico	$417	$190	$93	N/A
Toronto, ON	Canada	$399	$204	$142	$103
Vancouver, BC	Canada	$381	$224	$158	$109

Hotel star ratings explained
There is no universal star rating system. Each country has its own and, in some cases more than one, therefore travellers should be aware of a possible disparity of standards and facilities when booking rooms with the same star ratings in different countries. Checking out guests reviews is another way of judging the standard of a hotel. Hotels.com has more than 25 million verified guest reviews from people who have actually stayed in the hotels and their opinions can really help travellers find the most rewarding travel experience possible.

Please visit hpi.hotels.com/ca-2016 for more information and to view reports in additional currencies.

*Average prices paid per night inclusive of taxes and fees.

About Hotels.com
Hotels.com L.P. operates Hotels.com, a leading online accommodation booking website with properties ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Customers get instant savings with Secret Prices through our mobile booking app and Hotels.com Rewards members can earn and redeem free** nights at thousands of properties worldwide.

**Free night subject to taxes and fees

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SOURCE Hotels.com

Media Contact: Kaitlin Marin, H+K Strategies, 416.413.4565, [email protected]