Byron Bay has just earned the distinction of being the most expensive destination in Australia. According to the latest survey from TravelMag.com, this famous beachside town in New South Wales boasts Australia’s highest lodging rate this December.
Byron Bay, Australia (Photo: Ocal via Flickr)
The survey specifically compared 20 popular Australian destinations using lodging cost during the month of December as the basis of comparison. December serves as a good comparative fulcrum because it is the month during which hotels in many major Australian locales tend to raise their rates the highest.
To stay overnight in Byron Bay, travelers can expect to pay an average of A$176 for the least expensive double room. Taking the second spot on the survey is Sydney. An average nightly rate of A$136 secured the country’s most populous city the number two spot. Rounding out the Top 3 is Tasmania’s capital, Hobart. The least expensive double room in this city will cost an average of A$131 per night this December.
Averaging a mere $60 per night, Cairns in the north of Queensland came in as the survey’s cheapest Australian destination. The cities of Melbourne and Perth also proved themselves to be rather affordable with rooms available in both locations for less than A$100 daily.
The following table compares 20 popular destinations in Australia based on the average rate for the least expensive double room during the month of December. Only centrally located hotels rated at least 3 stars and having a positive average client rating overall were considered for this survey.
2. Sydney A$136
3. Hobart A$131
4. Port Macquarie A$127
5. Canberra A$124
6. Noosaville A$120
7. Port Stephens A$113
8. Brisbane A$110
9. Surfers Paradise A$109
10.Adelaide $103
12. Toowoomba A$101
13. Dubbo A$99
14. Coffs Harbor A$98
15. Perth A$95
16. Merlbourne A$94
17. Darwin A$81
18. Hervey Bay A$76
19. Port Douglas A$73
20. Cairns A$60
All rates were established in mid-November via the hotel comparison engine Kayak.