Chilly Edinburgh, sunny Rio alike in one way: big New Year hotel prices

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(McClatchy-Tribune) — Braving the weather at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street and partying and dancing on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach couldn’t be more different for New Year’s Eve merriment.

(McClatchy-Tribune) — Braving the weather at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street and partying and dancing on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach couldn’t be more different for New Year’s Eve merriment.

The similarities show up on hotel bills.

The average price per night for a standard double room in the Scottish capital Dec. 31 jumps 360 percent to 455 pounds ($741), while in the Brazilian city the tab jumps 226 percent to 423 pounds ($689), according to the Trivago Hotel Price Index. The prices compare with monthly averages using data from 700,000 hostelries on 200 booking websites.

The two cities are renowned for end of year celebrations, albeit in different hemispheres.

In Edinburgh, fireworks rain down from the iconic castle perched on volcanic rock as wrapped-up revelers pack the wintry streets, while in Rio they burst from the sea during a midsummer night of samba.

Average temperatures for mid-December in Edinburgh are about 4 degrees Celsius (39.2 F) while in Rio they are 26 degrees (78. F), according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The price increases in Edinburgh and Rio for New Year’s Eve compare with 162 percent in Sydney and 125 percent in Budapest, Trivago said. In London, Paris and New York they rise by 64 percent to 80 percent for the night, the report showed.