Glasgow hotels hike room rates for UN climate summit in November

Hoteliers have begun hiking up room rates, including one of more than 500 per cent - ahead of the UN climate change conference in Glasgow in November.

The city will host the 26th Conference of the Parties - known as COP26 - for almost two weeks with 200 global prime ministers and presidents are expected to attend.

Approximately 30,000 delegates and media outlets will be looking for accommodation.

But web sites reveal some room rates for hotels and apartment complexes have rocketed during the summit.

A booking.com search for the Dakota Glasgow shows a two-week cost of £8,401 for a classic double room with double bed - a nightly rate of £600.

Glasgow to host major UN climate change summit

Hotels closer to the SEC campus conference venue say raising prices makes business sense.

Radisson Blu hotel, less than a mile from the conference venue, shows room availability at a rate of £624 between 8 and 22 November.

A week before the conference begins the room rate is £150.

"It is like this in any industry" - spokeswoman for Radisson Hotel Group

A spokeswoman for the Radisson Hotel Group said: “Every hotel is managed based on the demand and offer, on competitive situation, on market evolution. It is like this in any industry.”

A four-bedroom duplex apartment in the city centre is available on booking.com for £34,986 for 14 nights around the conference.

Blythswood Square Apartments is charging a rate working out at just under £2,500 per night.

But businessman Peter Sunderland denied hiking rates at the Blythswood Square Apartments. “These are very high end apartments. We get a lot of Prosecco girls, hen and stag parties who would book up if they could.

“We consciously set rates high to discourage them because they are bad for business.”

"It would be extremely disappointing if exorbitant pricing negatively impacted on the city." - Councillor Jon Molyneux

Jon Molyneux, Scottish Greens councillor, said price hikes could show Glasgow in a bad light.

“While we have a huge opportunity to deliver climate action, we also want those who come here to leave with a good impression of our city.

“It would be extremely disappointing if exorbitant pricing negatively impacted on that.”