The survey, which covered 40 destinations, ranked St Helier as the sixth most expensive place and found that rooms in London were only £1 more expensive than in the Island’s capital, with the average daily rate stated as £96.
St Peter Port in Guernsey was the third most expensive place covered in the survey, which was carried out by hotel booking website, CheapRooms.co.uk. It had an average daily rate of £104.
Only hotels and guest houses with at least a three-star rating and mostly positive guest reviews were included in the study, which ranked Edinburgh as the most expensive destination. Jersey was compared to many towns and cities in the UK which have budget chain hotels, which can significantly reduce the average cost of a night’s stay.
However, Adam Caerlewy-Smith, head of marketing at Visit Jersey, urged caution over the figures and said that prices varied greatly from week to week.
‘The analysis for the survey has been done on a daily rate.
‘The survey could be done next week and prices could vary significantly – it is a case of supply and demand.
‘A point to stress is that Jersey has accommodation to suit all budgets from campsites and B&Bs to the more high-end hotels.
‘I think from the point of view of Visit Jersey, it is also worth noting that just because something is cheap does not necessarily mean that it is good value.
‘One of the most important things that needs to be looked at is how good the experience is for visitors and whether they would return.’
Ian Barnes, president of the Jersey Hospitality Association, said that the survey was ‘very subjective’.
He added: ‘It completely depends on when they conducted the survey. The results can vary significantly depending on when they took the sample.
‘Obviously, if they did it in August, when the hotels are full, then the prices will be higher.
‘The other day, I found a hotel and flights for £87 so it completely depends on when you book.
‘It is also interesting that if St Helier was £2 less expensive it would have gone from sixth to 11th place, which is a fairly substantial drop.’
Mr Barnes also questioned whether Jersey needed to be the cheapest.
He said: ‘Jersey is now an aspirational holiday destination, people want to come here.
‘Gone are the days of cheap alcohol and cigarettes and the bucket-and-spade brigade.’
He added: ‘I think it is important to mention that 45 per cent of people that are visiting the Island are coming back each year.
‘Visit Jersey will soon be conducting exit polls at the Airport and one of the things we will be able to see is if people thought that either coming to the Island was too expensive or if staying in the Island was too expensive.’
Blackpool had the cheapest daily rate out of all destinations included in the survey with an average price of £36.
Meanwhile, the Island will soon have its first Premier Inn – at Charing Cross. The low-cost hotel chain is one of a number that already exist across Britain.
