It’s spring. Well, it’s almost spring, even though it feels like frickin’ January in Toronto. And that means folks are looking to bust out and hit the road.
With summer holiday planning underway, more Canadians are looking at trips to Europe. The latest information from hotwire.com shows the top 10 places Canadians who use the site are looking to book. And what they’re paying. So here you go!
The first spot is Toronto. No surprise given the financial clout and sheer size of the city. Average hotel room price on Hotwire? Just $83. Obviously the average guy or gal isn’t booking the Four Seasons….
Next is New York City, also no surprise, with an average price of $184 per night, the highest of any city in the top 10 and well above the European entries (see below).
In third spot was Vancouver at $90 a night; a great bargain for a wonderful city. Next was Las Vegas at just $87 a night, a spot I’m heading on Thursday!
In the number five position was good old Orlando, always a popular destination in spring and one where the average hotel room on Hotwire is only $51. I pay that for the cab ride from my house to Pearson Airport.
After that comes Montreal at $80 a night, also a superb bargain, followed by Chicago at $104 a night and Ottawa at a mere $76.
The last two spots in the top 10 Hotwire destinations were Euro hotspots at relatively good prices, notwithstanding the air fare you’d have to pay to get there.
Paris was in the ninth spot at $137 a night, which is pretty awesome for one of the great cities of the world. I often tell folks to consider small hotels run by reliable chains such as Best Western if you want a good deal in Paris. They have properties all over the city, including the Left Bank and near the Opera or the Marais district, and they’re almost always a good deal.
Similarly, you can find good deals in London. Hotwire says the average Canadian is finding rooms in the English capital for $143 a night, which is pretty decent. I usually tell folks to look for hotels in Bayswater/Paddington if they want a deal in London. The area isn’t exciting on its own, but it’s close to Kensington Gardens and there are a couple tube stations in the area, which makes it easy to get around. There are plenty of pubs and Indian restaurants in the area so you can save money on meals.
