A TOURISM manager has called for more mid-range hotels in Oxford after the city was revealed as one of the most expensive destinations for travellers booking rooms.

The city was the fourth most costly location for booking a double room, according to a survey compiled by cheaprooms.co.uk.

The company compared hotel rates in 40 popular destinations in the UK and Ireland for August this year.

Hotels in Oxford, with the average daily rate for a double room costing £98, were cheaper than Edinburgh (£134), Bath (£106), and St Peter Port in Guernsey (£104).

But they were more expensive than London (£97), St Helier in Jersey (£96), Inverness (£95), Cambridge (£95), Portsmouth (£94), and Dublin (£94).

Martin Walker, head of development at Experience Oxfordshire – the county’s tourist agency – said it was good news that Travelodge had started to build an 83-bed hotel in Abingdon Road, south Oxford, due to open early next year.

A double room at Travelodge Peartree in north Oxford is advertised from £65.

Mr Walker said: “In the centre of Oxford we have some top hotels like the Randolph, which is five-star.

“But I think this survey shows that the city does need more mid-range hotels and the Travelodge in Abingdon Road will certainly help with that.

“Visitors can use the internet to shop around and if they look a bit further outside the city centre they can pick up deals.

“I know a new hotel is planned as part of improvements for Oxford rail station and I think the city council is keen that it will be mid-range. The city centre is best known for top hotels and boutique hotels but more discount hotel rooms are needed and I hope Oxford is not so high up this chart next time round.”

Building work has started on the £5.5m Abingdon Road hotel after years of disputes with Oxford City Council.

The survey showed the average daily rate for each location’s cheapest available double room (minimum three-star hotel) for August 1 to August 31.

At the other end of the scale, Blackpool in Lancashire came out as the least expensive destination with an average price of £36 per night.