Most expensive European city for hotel rates: Milan

Milan is the most expensive European city this year based on the cost of its lodgings, according to a new survey by TravelMag.com, which compared hotel rates across 40 popular city destinations.

Rates were compared for the month of September – traditionally the busiest period for hotels in Europe. Only centrally located hotels rated at least three stars and with a positive average guest rating were considered for the survey.

Costing an average of €135 euros per night for the least expensive double room, the Italian city of Milan finds itself top of the rankings. According to Paul Joseph from TravelMag.com, Milan’s hosting of Expo 2015, which is running from May 1^st to October 31^st, has had a significant impact on hotel pricing during this high-demand period, increasing average rates by 25%.

A close runner-up is Stockholm, with an average price of €133 euros, while Munich ranks as the third most expensive, in part due to its annual Oktoberfest event, which starts on September 19^th and contributes to an almost doubling of hotel prices in the Bavarian city.

The Italian cities of Rome and Turin rank 17^th and 22^nd with average rates of €76 and €68 Euros, respectively. Significantly cheaper is Naples in southern Italy, which ranks as one of the least expensive European destinations in September, with an average price of €47 euros per night for the most affordable double room.

The following table shows the 10 most expensive city destinations in Europe. The prices shown reflect the average rate for each destination’s cheapest available double room (minimum 3 star hotel) for the period spanning September 1^st through September 30^th 2015.