Price of a hotel room in Scotland among highest in Europe

HOTEL rooms in Scotland are among the most expensive in Europe, with prices in Glasgow rising as much as 16 per cent last year, according to industry figures.

The average amount paid for one night in a room in Edinburgh is now 95 - higher even than in Rome, Copenhagen or Amsterdam.

And prices in Aberdeen have been driven up by as much as 13 per cent on the back of increased tourism and oil-related business visitors.

Hoteliers deny they are profiteering from guests and point out that Scotland's strong reputation for luxury tourism means price is not always the most important consideration.

The average price of a one-night room in a UK hotel at the end of last year was 98 per night, figures from the industry website, Hotels.com, showed.

While the average price of a room in a London hotel rose to 107 by the end of 2006, the highest UK room rates were to be found in Bath (114). Edinburgh was the third-dearest in Britain, while Aberdeen was fourth at an average price of 91.

The most expensive European capitals were Rome, at 94 per room, and Copenhagen and Amsterdam at 93.

Hotels.com said hotel prices rose by 15 per cent across the world in 2006, with European destinations rising 17 per cent.

Moscow retained its position as the city in which tourists paid the most for a room - at an average of 172 per night by the end of last year.

A spokesman for VisitScotland said: "Tourism and hotel occupancy in Edinburgh and Aberdeen are undoubtedly strong at the moment, with visitors attracted by the great variety of things to do.

"Visitor figures are healthy. This indicates that, although cost is important, it is not a major deterrent for people who wish to enjoy a holiday in Scotland. There is a range of accommodation available, from high-quality hostels and B&Bs to luxury boutique hotels.

"Our research shows that quality and service are very important to visitors to Scotland and that cost is not the only factor they consider when choosing a destination."

Russian and Chinese tycoons are among those currently being targeted by a dedicated venture, called Luxury Edinburgh, which offers exclusive package deals at some of the city's top hotels, restaurants, shops and visitor attractions.

The Witchery restaurant, the Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh Castle and Harvey Nichols are among those joining forces in an attempt to lure billionaires to the capital.

JP Kavanagh, the general manager of Edinburgh's Sheraton Grand, where typical rooms start at 160 a night, said: "The city is fortunate to have a very robust tourism market. There aren't the sharp peaks and troughs that you might experience in other places and so that might push up the average somewhat.

"In our case, facilities such as the OneSpa mean we can offer great value to guests who want a unique experience when they come to Edinburgh."

Hotels.com found the best bargains in Britain were to be found in the Midlands, with rates of 74 per room per night in Birmingham, 67 in Coventry and only 61 in Nottingham.

Glasgow came in at 75, while Liverpool had the biggest decrease in prices in 2006 - dipping 5 per cent to 87.

In contrast, Bangkok average room rates were just 44 a night. After Moscow, the most expensive hotels were in New York (155) and Dubai (124).

Tallinn in Estonia (51) and Warsaw (61) were the cheapest European cities surveyed.

THE COST OF LUXURY

FOR those with money to spend, Scotland offers some of the world's finest luxury experiences.

At Edinburgh's Scotsman Hotel, formerly the offices of The Scotsman, the editor's office - now converted into the best traditional room in the building - costs up to 500 for the room alone at busy times such as during the Festival in August.

Full-blown suites, including the duplex penthouse enjoyed by Justin Timberlake at the MTV Awards in 2003, start at 930 a night but can fetch up to 2,000 at busy times.

Davina McCall and David Gray have both stayed in the duplex suite at Glasgow's One Devonshire Gardens which is accessed by a hidden doorway and comes with its own private garden. It costs 1,000 a night but comes with a full breakfast.

At the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa - the five-star country hotel on the outskirts of Aberdeen, opened in 1993 by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev - the Fyvie Suite comes in at 295 a night.

However, ordinary business travellers often face huge bills for less glamorous surroundings.

A search for rooms yesterday revealed a single weekday night during early May would cost 97 at the Ramada Inverness, or 118 at the Holiday Inn Bridge of Don, next to Aberdeen's conference centre.