Families are reportedly being priced out of holidaying in Ireland due to significantly inflated hotel and Airbnb prices, according to a recent survey. Some Irish hotels are charging more for a week-long stay than luxury packages to international destinations, even when flights are included.
A survey of late August accommodation prices revealed families being asked to pay as much as €8,919 for a week in a Dublin five-star hotel. Regional cities also saw seven-night stays for a family of four costing between €3,000 and €5,000. In contrast, a week at a four-star hotel in Santorini, Greece, including flights, was priced at €5,987 for a family of four. This is nearly €3,000 less than the cost of staying at The Marker Hotel in Dublin.
Similar discrepancies were found when comparing Irish prices to holidays in Paris and Portugal. A two-bedroom apartment in Limerick was found to cost €1,900, the same price as a trip to a four-star hotel near Disneyland Paris, including flights. A three-star hotel stay outside Rosslare was priced at €2,180, exceeding the €1,937 cost for a luxury stay at a four-star resort in Portugal's Algarve region.
Michael Kilcoyne, chair of the Consumers' Association of Ireland (CAI), stated that families are "absolutely" being priced out of domestic holidays. He criticized hotels, many of which benefit from a VAT tax break for the hospitality sector, for charging "eye-watering prices" and suggested that the VAT cut has not translated into lower costs for consumers. "When there's no price control, they can charge what they like — and they do," Kilcoyne said.
Travel expert Eoghan Corry attributed some of the high prices to Irish tourists competing with high-spending American visitors. He also noted that the prices visible online during peak season often represent the last remaining rooms, which are typically the most expensive. Corry added that Ireland is currently facing a shortage of approximately 15,000 hotel rooms, which drives up prices due to basic supply and demand principles. His advice for those still wishing to holiday at home is to avoid popular hotspots and consider less saturated areas.
Paul Hackett, President of the Irish Travel Agents Association, agreed that the influx of American tourists, who perceive Ireland as good value, is a significant factor in inflating prices. He noted that many Irish families were surprised by the high costs when attempting to book domestic holidays.
Minister for Enterprise and Trade, Peter Burke, who supported the reduced hospitality VAT rate, cautioned the hotel sector to "be careful not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg." He emphasized that "value proposition is a key concern" and that the government is preparing an accommodation strategy to increase competition by bringing more hotels into the market.
The Irish Hotels Federation responded by stating that the reported prices do not reflect the overall value available. They pointed to Central Statistics Office figures showing over 2.5 million domestic holiday trips in Ireland during the third quarter of the previous year. The federation encourages consumers to shop around for the best value and contact hotels directly for rates.