Snaptrip Group Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Unit LG.03 Cargo Works, 1-2 Hatfields, London, SE1 9PG.
Company registration number 08774859. VAT registration number 201864825.
The cheapest destinations for a Christmas staycation have been revealed, following reports that 60% of Brits will spend less on Christmas this year than they usually do¹. West Yorkshire is the UK’s cheapest county to visit this festive season, followed by Derbyshire and
Gwynedd in North Wales. Holiday booking site, LateRooms.com has created an online quiz to help families find their perfect budget break this December.
A leading UK hotel booking site has revealed the cheapest destinations for a festive getaway this year, with West Yorkshire taking the top spot at just £80 per night for a family of four.
Families looking for a cost-effective, last-minute trip before the Christmas chaos begins are finding holidays abroad out of reach once again, as increased travel costs over the festive period² push up prices, in addition to potential strike action during the holiday travel season.
Using internal data, LateRooms.com looked at the average price of accommodation in 96 of the UK’s counties³⁴⁵ from the 16th-23rd December - the platform’s most popular dates over the festive season - to determine the cheapest places to stay. The number of free local attractions⁶ in each of the cheapest destinations was also noted, to highlight how families can holiday on a budget.
The five cheapest staycation destinations based on the average cost of accommodation per night for a family of four are:
To find the best destination for your family to visit this Christmas - without breaking the bank - take the quiz at: https://www.laterooms.com/budget-friendly-getaways
The data reveals that the home of cities, valleys and stunning moorland - West Yorkshire - is an ideal location for a budget-friendly staycation, where accommodation costs an average of £80.28 per night for a family of four. Those looking to celebrate the festive season in the North should take a trip to Leeds, where they can find a number of Christmas markets and Grottos for the family to enjoy for free⁶.
Derbyshire, home to much of the Peak District National Park, follows in close second as a cost-effective holiday destination, with accommodation available at an average of £88.52 per night for a family of four. The county town, Derby, is well worth a visit for anyone looking to try out something new this Christmas, offering a free festive cooking class, among a number of other free Christmas events⁶.
A festive trip to the Welsh county of Gwynedd sees a slight jump in price, with an average accommodation cost of £102.60 per night for a family of four. However, free Christmas activities are held in abundance across the county, such as the Snowdonia Christmas market and a traditional Welsh carol service, held in Betws-y-Coed.
Those enamoured by the magic of Christmas markets needn’t miss out by choosing a UK staycation either. Birmingham, for example, is renowned for its Frankfurt Christmas market - the largest Christmas market outside of Germany and Austria - which opened on the 3rd November and will run until the 23rd December. A family of four can expect to pay an average of £169.72 per night to stay in the city, but can find plenty of free and low cost attractions to cut costs. Options include carol services, Christmas comedy shows, and wreath making workshops⁶.
London also has a variety of Christmas markets and events suitable for the whole family. Visit Southbank to see the banks of the River Thames decorated for the festive season, or head to Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park, an annual favourite for food, drinks and plenty of Christmas activities. However, at an average cost of £536.56 per night for a family of four, a staycation in the capital fails to be considered as one of the cheapest destinations for a festive trip.
Matthew Fox, CEO of LateRooms.com, said,
“The cost of living crisis is hitting families hard, especially with the colder weather upon us and the festive season drawing near. However, here at LateRooms.com, we don’t think that should mean families have to miss out on holidays, which is why we’ve created a list of the most affordable holiday destinations this festive season, where accommodation is cheapest and you won’t need to spend a fortune on activities either!
“We hope that the information provided in our guide to the most affordable staycation destinations will enable more people, who may have felt they can’t afford to take a break this Christmas, to escape for a short while before the festive chaos commences - without breaking the bank.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
LateRooms.com is a trusted marketplace for travellers to discover the best last-minute hotel deals across the UK, Europe and worldwide destinations. The site is owned by the Snaptrip Group, which also oversees Snaptrip, Last Minute Cottages, Big Cottages, Dog Friendly Cottages, Hot Tub Hideaways, iKnow, Villa Holidays.
Methodology:
Using data from LateRooms.com the average cost of accommodation in all 96 of the UK’s counties were analysed to determine the cheapest region of the UK to visit. The average price per person per night for each destination was calculated to determine the cheapest location for a festive staycation. Key tourist destinations were determined, analysing costs and the number of free attractions nearby according to EventBrite to create a list of the top 10 counties to visit.
References:
²https://media.hopper.com/research/2022-holiday-travel-outlook
³https://dayoutinengland.com/counties/
⁴https://www.townscountiespostcodes.co.uk/counties-in-scotland/
⁵https://www.twinkl.co.uk/teaching-wiki/counties-of-wales
⁶https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/
Snaptrip Group Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Unit LG.03 Cargo Works, 1-2 Hatfields, London, SE1 9PG.
Company registration number 08774859. VAT registration number 201864825.