A survey by an American company has pointed the finger at Galway as having the third biggest price hike in hotel prices for St Patrick’s Day among 20 cities here and Stateside.

The online learning platform Preply analysed hotel prices between March 16 and 17 this year and found that Galway had a nearly 39 per cent hike in rates. The average hotel price in the city went from €206 on Thursday, the day before our national holiday, to €286 on St Patrick’s Day itself.

Belfast had the biggest spike in hotel prices in the 20 locations, with prices jumping on average 60 per cent – from €135 on March 16 to €216 on the public holiday.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, came second overall and was the American city with the biggest price jump.  in the US with the biggest price jumps around St. Patrick’s Day. The city has a huge parade which is the second oldest in the country after New York City.

The most expensive of the cities surveyed as New York, where hotel rooms went for an average €412.

The prices were taken from the online booking portal Booking.com. This week nearly all hotel rooms in Galway were sold out.

There were just five hotels advertising on the website for March 17 – the cheapest hotel room was in the Eyre Square Hotel on Forster Street for €249 to €439 in the five star Glenlo Abbey.

The Eyre Square Hotel on March 16 was €228. The cheapest city centre hotel was the Imperial at €159. Guest staying a little outside could avail of €149 in the Ardilaun Hotel on Taylor’s Hill.

In Dublin, a single bed in a shared dormitory on St Patrick’s Day was being advertised for over €900.