Gyrations in currency markets are helping to make some high-end hotels more affordable for Canadian travelers.

The price of a five-star hotel room in Moscow, in Canadian dollars, fell 24% to $202 in the first half of 2015 compared with the same period in 2014, according to a Hotels.com survey. The drop coincided with a slide in the value of the ruble versus the dollar.

As well, four-star accommodation in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, dropped 30% to $152, along with a decline in the Brazilian real versus the loonie.

It’s a good time for Canadians to travel to those cities, “especially if you wanted to splurge,” said Hotels.com travel expert Taylor Cole.

Warsaw offered the cheapest price for a five-star room during the same period — C$148 — followed by Berlin at $193 and Mumbai at $198.

At the other end of the scale, Canadians paid the most for five-star hotels in Los Angeles ($730), Montreal ($629), Tokyo ($607), Honolulu ($606) and Miami ($601).

The data are based on Hotels.com bookings. The company notes there is no worldwide star-rating system.

“Travelers should be aware of a possible disparity of standards and facilities when booking rooms with the same star ratings in different countries,” Hotels.com says.

Source: http://www.lfpress.com/2015/10/08/currency-changes-make-luxury-hotels-more-affordable-for-canadians