New research has uncovered which global destinations charge the most per square foot for lodgings, and the biggest offender is a hugely popular tourist destination that combines compact quarters with premium pricing.
Venice Tops Global Charts for Hotel Costs Per Square Metre
Analysts at Deluxe Holiday Homes examined average hotel costs across the world's most visited cities, then calculated the price per square metre of room space. The findings reveal that Venice tops the charts for the most expensive hotels when measured by price per square metre.
The Italian city's hotel rooms are the most compact in the entire study, averaging just 12 square metres, yet commanding £142.75 nightly. This pairing of cramped quarters and steep prices puts Venice in the top spot as the costliest city for hotel accommodation.
Premium Rates for Considerably Less Space
Visitors end up paying premium rates for considerably less space compared to other major destinations. A representative from Deluxe Holiday Homes commented: "Small rooms aren't always a bad deal, but Venice is a perfect example of what happens when space is tight, and demand is huge."
The representative added: "Staying in a 12-square-meter room is basically like living in a parking spot, and paying nearly $200 for it shows how much tourist crowds drive up prices. In famous cities full of old buildings, you're often fighting millions of other people for a tiny slice of the city, so you end up paying a premium no matter how small the room actually is."
Paris and London Follow Closely Behind
Other coveted holiday spots feature comparable pricing, with Paris securing second place and London claiming third position in the global rankings.
In Paris, guests can expect to shell out £8.30 per square metre of space, with rooms averaging £132.69 per night. London fares only marginally better, with a mere 22p per square metre separating these two cities, rendering them virtually indistinguishable in terms of spatial value for money.
Accommodation as Major Travel Expense
Accommodation is usually one of the biggest expenses when planning a getaway, and quality hotels typically come with a price tag to match. However, certain destinations deliver better value for money than others, while locations like Venice demonstrate how tourist demand can dramatically inflate costs for minimal space.
The research highlights how visitors to popular European destinations must balance location convenience against spatial comfort, with Venice representing the most extreme example of this trade-off in the current global tourism market.
