Less expensive now to stay at 4-star S'pore hotel: Study

STAYING at a four-star hotel in Singapore has become more affordable, according to a study by online travel site TripAdvisor.

Singapore is No. 11 on the "most expensive list" this year. Last year, it was ninth.

TripAdvisor's annual TripIndex Room Service report, released yesterday, compared the costs of hotel room service items and a one-night, four-star hotel stay across 48 destinations.

The report takes into account the costs of a club sandwich ordered through room service, dry-cleaning one shirt, and refreshments from the mini bar.

It found that, on average, a club sandwich from a four-star hotel in Singapore costs $25.91. A bottle of water from the mini bar costs $8.01, a mini bottle of vodka costs $18.36; a can of cola costs $7.05, and a packet of peanuts, $6.70. It costs $16.96 to dry-clean a shirt.

A one-night room rate at a four-star hotel in Singapore is $264.35 on average. The average total cost therefore amounts to $347.34.

Sofia in Bulgaria is the destination that offers the best value to travellers, with an average total cost of $133.86. The most expensive is New York, at $580.51.

Dr Michael Chiam, senior lecturer in tourism at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, said Singapore's improved ranking could be due to the falling prices of hotel rooms.

"The total number of hotel rooms has gone up, and tourist supply has fallen. This creates more intense competition between hoteliers," he said.

isaacneo@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Apr 4, 2015.
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