Based on findings from the CSI 2.0, Hong Kong is not only the priciest Asian city, and fifth globally, for a club sandwich, but it has also topped the charts as the most expensive destination in Asia to enjoy a full-day hotel dining experience (HK$553), while Bangkok, Thailand is the best value-for-money Asian destination with an average total price of HK$306.
HONG KONG – The Hotels.com continues to uncover the dining costs of hotels worldwide with its annual price barometer, the Club Sandwich Index (CSI). This year, the elevated report by Hotels.com – the CSI 2.0 – added three more hotel dining items to make the Index a more comprehensive indicator for guests to understand the costs associated with a full day of hotel dining in hotels worldwide.
Hong Kong is the priciest Asian city to dine in, Bangkok offers the best bang for buck
Based on findings from the CSI 2.0, Hong Kong is not only the priciest Asian city, and fifth globally, for a club sandwich, but it has also topped the charts as the most expensive destination in Asia to enjoy a full-day hotel dining experience (HK$553), while Bangkok, Thailand is the best value-for-money Asian destination with an average total price of HK$306.
Table 1: Average prices of hotel menu items and total dining costs of Asian cities (2015)
|
Average price per Items (in HKD rounded to the nearest dollar)
|
|
Ranking
|
City
|
A burger meal
|
A cup of coffee
|
A glass of house red wine
|
A club sandwich
|
Total cost
|
|
1
|
Hong Kong
|
237 (1st)
|
57 (4th)
|
95 (5th)
|
163 (1st)
|
553 (1st)
|
|
2
|
South Korea – Seoul
|
170
|
75
|
105
|
156
|
506
|
|
3
|
Japan – Tokyo
|
175
|
66
|
86
|
145
|
471
|
|
4
|
Singapore
|
182
|
47
|
108
|
132
|
469
|
|
5
|
China – Beijing
|
184
|
60
|
97
|
120
|
460
|
|
6
|
Taiwan – Taipei
|
144
|
53
|
70
|
90
|
358
|
|
7
|
India – New Delhi
|
115
|
30
|
98
|
87
|
330
|
|
8
|
Thailand – Bangkok
|
107
|
34
|
81
|
85
|
306
|
Globally, Geneva takes the spotlight for being the most expensive city to grab a hotel club sandwich in, and Bogota in Colombia is the easiest on travellers’ wallets with the lowest average total hotel dining cost.
The improved CSI report incorporates the prices of four main dining options available to hotel guests throughout the day:
1) A CLUB SANDWICH for supper
2) A BURGER MEAL, consisting of a burger, fries and soda for lunch or dinner
3) A cup of COFFEE for teatime
4) A glass of HOUSE RED WINE for post-dinner drinks
The average prices are calculated from real prices paid by guests for all four items in 30 hotels, in the capital or an important tourist city of the 28 countries surveyed, across 5-, 4- and 3-star hotel categories.
Jessica Chuang, Regional Marketing Director, Greater China, Hotels.com said, “Hotels.com continues to enhance our customers travel experience with the elevated Club Sandwich Index, by providing travellers with an insightful and comprehensive price comparison guide and giving them a more accurate overview of the costs associated with a full day of hotel dining. The findings from the CSI 2.0, coupled with the wide range of hotel options available on our website allow travellers to easily locate a hotel that suits their budget – while some may indulge in a full meal in a hotel in Geneva, other guests may opt to kick back with a glass of house red wine at less than six times the price in Bogota!”
Table 2: Average prices of hotel menu items and total dining costs of cities worldwide (2015)
|
Average price per Items (in HKD rounded to the nearest dollar)
|
|
Ranking
|
City
|
A burger meal
|
A cup of coffee
|
A glass of house red wine
|
A club sandwich
|
Total cost
|
|
1
|
Switzerland – Geneva
|
293
|
48
|
94
|
237
|
672
|
|
2
|
France – Paris
|
230
|
45
|
99
|
189
|
563
|
|
3
|
Hong Kong
|
237 (3rd)
|
57 (4th)
|
95 (8th)
|
163 (5th)
|
553 (3rd)
|
|
4
|
Norway – Oslo
|
242
|
37
|
96
|
156
|
530
|
|
5
|
UK – London
|
200
|
47
|
89
|
171
|
507
|
|
6
|
South Korea – Seoul
|
170
|
75
|
105
|
156
|
506
|
|
7
|
Sweden – Stockholm
|
182
|
31
|
88
|
177
|
478
|
|
8
|
Japan – Tokyo
|
175
|
66
|
86
|
145
|
471
|
|
9
|
Singapore
|
182
|
47
|
108
|
132
|
469
|
|
10
|
USA – New York
|
188
|
42
|
95
|
137
|
462
|
|
11
|
China – Beijing
|
184
|
60
|
97
|
120
|
460
|
|
12
|
Finland – Helsinki
|
157
|
32
|
64
|
155
|
408
|
|
13
|
Denmark – Copenhagen
|
157
|
38
|
80
|
133
|
408
|
|
14
|
Australia – Sydney
|
180
|
30
|
58
|
127
|
395
|
|
15
|
Italy – Rome
|
171
|
26
|
69
|
113
|
379
|
|
16
|
Netherlands – Amsterdam
|
170
|
30
|
46
|
118
|
364
|
|
17
|
Taiwan – Taipei
|
144
|
53
|
70
|
90
|
358
|
|
18
|
Ireland – Dublin
|
150
|
25
|
56
|
107
|
338
|
|
19
|
Russia – Moscow
|
119
|
32
|
76
|
106
|
334
|
|
20
|
India – New Delhi
|
115
|
30
|
98
|
87
|
330
|
|
21
|
Germany – Berlin
|
128
|
28
|
51
|
117
|
325
|
|
22
|
Canada – Toronto
|
113
|
27
|
68
|
114
|
322
|
|
23
|
Argentina – Buenos Aires
|
136
|
27
|
54
|
95
|
312
|
|
24
|
Thailand – Bangkok
|
107
|
34
|
81
|
85
|
306
|
|
25
|
Spain – Madrid
|
140
|
26
|
35
|
99
|
300
|
|
26
|
Brazil – Rio de Janeiro
|
103
|
16
|
67
|
79
|
265
|
|
27
|
Mexico – Mexico City
|
103
|
19
|
51
|
76
|
249
|
|
28
|
Colombia – Bogota
|
91
|
12
|
49
|
81
|
233
|
Here are the highlights:
Club Sandwich: Geneva retained top position on the chart for the priciest club sandwich on average. Hong Kong’s fell by less than 1%, but climbed three ranks to the fifth
• Geneva (HK$237) and Paris (HK$189) retained their positions in first and second place respectively as destinations where travellers paid the most for a club sandwich, despite experiencing a fall in their average prices from 2014 to 2015.
• Ranked eighth in 2014, Hong Kong climbed three ranks in 2015 to the fifth even with its price relatively unchanged (decreased by 0.82%) compared to most other cities on the list.
• India’s New Delhi (HK$87) lost its title as the cheapest destination for a club sandwich, with the claim to fame now going to Mexico City at HK$76.
Coffee: Costly cuppas in Asia
• Asia dominates the list for the costliest cups of coffee on average globally.
o All top five most expensive cities for a cup of coffee on average come from Asia – Seoul (HK$75), Tokyo (HK$66), Beijing (HK$60), Hong Kong (HK$57) and Taipei (HK$53).
• The average price for a cuppa in South Korea’s capital is higher than even the coffee served in 5-star hotels in London (HK$68) and New York (HK$60), and ordering one in Seoul’s own 5-star hotels would cost guests an average of HK$100.
• On average, the cheapest spot for a cup of coffee goes to Bogota, Columbia (HK$12)
Red Wine: Guests pay the least for a glass of house red wine in Madrid
• France is home to the most expensive glass of house red wine at HK$178 at a 5-star hotel. In fact, the average price of a glass of house red in a 5-star hotel in the French city costs more than a club sandwich in 19 other destinations, including New York City, Dublin, Sydney and Berlin.
• Hong Kong’s 5-star hotels charge the second highest price for a glass of house red wine (HK$150), with Beijing’s coming in third charging an average of HK$1 less.
• The most affordable glass of wine can be found in Madrid, with guests paying only HK$35 on average.
Burger Meal: Geneva home to the world’s priciest burgers and club sandwiches
• Geneva emerged as the most expensive destination for a burger, fries and soda meal, with guests paying an average of HK$293 – more than triple the price for a meal in the cheapest destination, Bogota (HK$91).
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
