The cheapest hotel accommodation for Australians right now

AN analysis of hotel room rates has found Aussies can expect to pay as little as $71 a night in one city, and as much as $332 in another.

AUSTRALIAN travellers are paying a lot more for a hotel room in the US compared with a year ago, but there are still bargains to be had in Southeast Asia.

The latest Hotel Price Index by Hotels.com shows Phnom Penh in Cambodia offers the best deal for Aussies with rooms averaging $71 a night, followed by Chiang Mai in Thailand for $73.

Hanoi in Vietnam and the Thai city of Pattaya were equal third with rates of $76 a night, then Siem Reap in Cambodia on $78.

At home, Darwin hotels provided the best value at an average $170 a night while the Whitsunday Islands were the most expensive, averaging $244 a night.

Value ... Darwin is the cheapest city in Australia to rent a hotel room. Picture: Tourism NT

The most expensive place for holidaying Aussies was New York City where the average room rate increased five per cent in the last year to $332.

That was followed by Cancun in Mexico at $331, up 13 per cent on 2014 prices, then Boston at $328 after a 16 per cent jump.

Aussies will also pay a lot more for a room in Beijing following a 34 per cent rate hike to $173 night and Shanghai where prices have jumped 23 per cent to $177.

Pricey option ... a room in The Langham Hotel in Boston.

Hotels.com Regional Director Katherine Cole, said the rate changes were not unexpected.

“With the weakening dollar, our currency isn’t going as far in some parts of the world as it was a year ago,” said Ms Cole.

“For the best value holiday, Aussies should consider looking much closer to home and even right in our backyard for the best bang for their buck.”

She said the sort of hotel prices being charged in North America, the Caribbean and Latin America had exceeded pre-Global Financial Crisis prices for the first time.

Rising prices ... Beijing hotels racked up the biggest rate hikes in the last year. Picture: Starwood Hotels.

“More travellers, higher consumer spending in key areas and strong currency fluctuations have all contributed to this result,” Ms Cole said.

“We expect Southeast Asia to continue to feature highly in Aussies’ holiday plans as the dollar continues to travel south.”

Europe also provided better deals for travelling Aussies who should expect to pay around $149 a night in Moscow, $147 in Berlin and $154 in Istanbul.