Kołobrzeg now more expensive than Miami

In July, hotel prices in Poland have increased even by 79 pct as compared to the previous month, according to the latest research by trivago.pl. The record surge was reported in Ustka, where the average price of one night’s stay in a double standard room reached PLN 445. The other Polish seaside resorts were not much cheaper. When visiting Jastarnia this month, tourists saw a 61 pct month-to-month increase in hotel prices. Inns in Władysławowo raised their prices by 57 pct and those in Ustronie Morskie – by 54 pct. Kołobrzeg, whose June 2014 hotel prices outperformed Miami, hovered around the same level (one night stay in July at PLN 495 on average), with a monthly increase of 63 pct. The climbing trend could have been observed in Poland’s both seaside provinces. On average, the hotels based in the West Pomeranian province raised their prices by 17 pct as compared to June (to PLN 349) and those in the Pomeranian province – by 12 pct month-to-month (to PLN 362). The Warmian-Masurian province was not much different. The tourists who looked for some rest by the lake had to face a 9 pct monthly increase. However, those visiting the central regions of the country have encountered the opposite situation. A 17 pct month-to-month decrease was recorded in the Masovian province, while the Greater Poland province saw a 10 pct fall and the Łódź province – a 6 pct decrease. The biggest monthly drop of all was reported in Warsaw, where a night stood at PLN 254 on average (down 18 pct), and in Poznań, where the average price hit PLN 212 (down 10 pct). The result placed Poland’s capital among the least expensive cities in Europe. Some interesting pricing changes were also observed in the southern parts of the country. Prices dipped in Kraków (down 9 pct to PLN 291), Katowice (down 6 pct to PLN 183), Częstochowa (down 6 pct to PLN 175) and Szczyrk (down 2 pct to PLN 191). At the same time, hotel prices in other southern tourist destinations increased: in Szklarska Poręba by 25 pct (to PLN 258), in Karpacz by 12 pct (to PLN 241), in Bukowina Tatrzańska by 11 pct (to PLN 249) and in Ustroń by 6 pct (to PLN 249). The month-to-month price fluctuations are nothing new. In the summer, hotel prices in the regions offering access to natural waters tend to go up, and prices in large towns go down, reflecting lower seasonal demand for city accommodation.