Hotels.com helps Canadians find luxurious international deals without the lavish price tag – less than $200 per night for five-star hotels!
TORONTO, April 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Sightseeing, shopping and spas are common temptations when planning a luxurious vacation, however, luxury and affordability don’t often go hand-in-hand. This spring,hotels.com® is helping Canadians satisfy their travel cravings and make their extravagant travel dreams a reality. Based on the findings from the latest Hotel Price Index™ (HPI™), the experts at hotels.com have put together a list of the top five international destinations where five-star accommodations can be found for less than $200 a night.
TheHPI is a biannual report that looks at hotel prices in cities all around the world. The data is based on bookings made through thehotels.com website and the prices listed are the actual prices paid by Canadians – not advertised rates. The report compares prices paid in 2010 with those of 2011.
“Travellers on a tight budget often don’t realize that it’s possible to visit exotic destinations and luxury hotels without going into debt,” said Jennifer Drew, director of market management for Canada for hotels.com. “The HPI is a valuable resource that can be used by everyone to help plan travel and discover which destinations can give you the best bang for your buck.”
Morocco has become an increasingly popular destination for Canadian travellers and when visiting the city of Marrakech it’s easy to see why. The ‘old city’ has more boutique shopping options than even the most seasoned shopper can handle, and non-shopaholics can enjoy the exciting nightclubs or traditional Moroccan cuisine. If you love art and nature, a visit to the Majorelle Garden is a must-see. Owned by famous fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, the garden was created in the 1930s and is designed to look like a Gauguin painting. Average daily five-star hotel rate: $166 CDN
What is the perfect complement to a glass of champagne? A day at the spa! But even without the fizzy, if you’re into opulent spa treatments, travel to Budapest is a must since it is a top spa destination. Located in a country of innovators — think vinyl records, CD-ROMs and the discovery of vitamin C — Budapest is the sophisticated capital of Hungary, and one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Besides the spas, must-sees include the iconicHungarian Parliament Building,St Stephen’s Basilica and the Great Market Hall. Average daily five-star hotel rate: $173 CDN
It’s predicted that China will be the most visited country on the planet by 2020 and the increase in popularity among Canadian travellers was also evident in the latest HPI results. Foodies enjoy Beijing for its flavourful cuisine but, besides eating, you should make time to visit some of the historic sites. The Forbidden City is a popular attraction, once off-limits to citizens and visitors, as the previous home of the royal family and is now a well-preserved historic site. Tiananmen Square is another must-see and also the site of the world-famous man vs. tank protest photograph. Average daily five-star hotel rate: $179 CDN
