Five-star hotels cheapest in these cities

Travelers looking to save on luxury accommodations can find significant discounts by adjusting their booking habits, according to a new report from the online travel platform Hotels.com. The "Hotel Price Index" for 2026, which analyzed data from over 11,000 travelers and internal booking systems, suggests that booking a hotel room closer to the departure date can lead to savings of up to 26 percent. The optimal time to book, the analysis found, is approximately one week before the trip.

Further insights from the report indicate that the day of the week for check-in also impacts cost. Travelers may find more favorable rates by checking in on a Sunday rather than on a Friday or Saturday. January has also been identified as the most budget-friendly month for travel, offering lower prices across various destinations.

For those seeking five-star experiences without a hefty price tag, the report highlights ten destinations where a night's stay costs less than 200 British pounds (approximately 232 euros). Nha Trang in Vietnam continues to be the most affordable, with an average five-star hotel night costing around 70 pounds (82 euros). Zaragoza in Spain and Wroclaw in Poland follow closely, with nightly rates around 120 pounds (140 euros).

Several other European cities also feature on the list of affordable luxury. Tirana, the capital of Albania, and Riga, Latvia's capital, offer five-star accommodations for approximately 130 pounds (150 euros) per night. Zagreb, Croatia's capital, falls within this price range as well. Sofia, Bulgaria, and Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete are slightly more expensive, averaging around 135 pounds (156 euros) per night. Tallinn, Estonia, and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic round out the list, with average nightly rates around five pounds higher than Sofia and Heraklion.