Hotel prices hit a five-year low

Bath is still the costliest UK place to spend the night in

Hotel room prices across the UK have fallen to their lowest level in five years, according to a new survey.

The average cost of a night in a hotel was 16% lower in the first half of 2009 than in the same period last year, said booking agent Hotels.com.

In Southampton, room prices slumped 33% to an average of £57.

Bath remained the most expensive destination, with average hotel rooms at £111 a night, just 6% lower than in the first half of 2008.

In London, the average one-night stay fell by 12% to £101.

Other UK cities seeing big reductions in room prices included Belfast (down 29%), Aberdeen (down 25%), Sheffield (down 24%) and Nottingham (down 22%).

"We were expecting 2009 to be a year of dramatic price reductions and so far, it has been," said Hotels.com Worldwide president David Roche.

"For UK travellers, it is a great time to stay closer to home and explore the British Isles, while for visitors from overseas, there has never been a better chance to come and enjoy the UK at 2004 prices."