Yahoo Finance The most expensive hotels in Canada this summer
Fairmont Banff Springs: 405 Spray Avenue, Banff, Alberta, Canada (0845 071 0153; www.fairmont.com). Doubles from C$289 (about £175)
Looking for a cheap place to vacation this summer? Better skip the Rocky Mountain views of Jasper, the big waves off Tofino and the wineries near Niagara on the Lake – the top three most expensive summer vacation spots based on hotel costs, according to a new survey.
True to its name, the marketing team at CheapHotels.org looked at the average cost of the cheapest available double room in Canada between July 1 and August 31. It picked cities with a minimum of 10 regular hotels and considered those with a rating of two stars or higher.
From there, it identified the least affordable destinations.
Jasper, Alberta was the most expensive, averaging $189 per night, followed by surf destination of Tofino, B.C. on the west coast of Vancouver Island at $177. For people looking to mix wine with their Bernard Shaw, Niagara on the Lake in southern Ontario came in third at $174 per night.
Western Canada had 7 of the Top 10 most expensive vacation destinations, followed by Ontario with 2 and Newfoundland was the sole representative of most expensive stays in Altantic Canada.
The top 10 most expensive destinations, according to the survey, include:
1. Jasper (AB) $189
2. Tofino (BC) $177
3. Niagara on the Lake (ON) $174
4. Wasaga Beach (ON) $167
5. St. John's (NF) $166
6. Fort McMurray (AB) $145
7. Parksville (BC) $137
8. Regina (SA) $134
9. Kelowna (BC) $131
10. Banff (AB) $130
Each is an attractive vacation destination, and arguably worth the money if the traveller can afford it, or even get the time off.
A CIBC study released last week showed just over half (56 per cent) of Canadians are planning to take a vacation this summer, at an average cost of $1,600, which is down from $1,700 last year. That supports a recent international study showing Canadians get less vacation time than people in most other developed nations.
The Leger poll commissioned by CIBC shows 73 per cent of Canadians plan to spend their vacation money here in Canada during July and August, while 25 per cent will visit the U.S. and the remaining 9 per cent will travel outside of North America.
"Canadians are being mindful of their budget and their broader financial goals this summer, and a great way to do that is to vacation here in Canada,” said Cheryl Longo, CIBC’s executive vice president, card products.
About two-thirds of Canadians expected to take a vacation this summer are between ages 35 to 54, and families with children are somewhat more likely to get away this summer (64 per cent) than those with no children (53 per cent).
