What this calculator works out
This calculator multiplies a nightly rate by the number of nights and adds the extras charged per stay, giving a total to compare against other options.
The extras line is what makes comparison possible. Advertised nightly rates are frequently not comparable, because what they include differs.
Enter your details
Before you compare
- Check whether breakfast, parking, Wi-Fi and any resort or facility fee are included or extra.
- Many destinations charge a city or tourist tax per person per night, payable on arrival and not shown in the booking price.
- Compare the total for the actual stay, not the nightly rate. A cheaper rate with a parking charge can cost more.
- Check the cancellation terms. A non-refundable rate is cheaper for a reason and the saving is often small.
A £95 room with free parking and breakfast can beat an £85 room charging £15 for parking and £12 each for breakfast. Hotels compete on the headline rate because that is what comparison sites sort by, and the differences move to the extras. Totalling the actual stay is the only reliable comparison.
How this calculator works
Nights times rate, plus extras:
Total = nightly rate × nights + extras per stayDividing the total by the number of nights gives an effective nightly rate including everything, which is the figure to compare between options rather than the advertised one.
Worked example: three nights
Using the default figures — £95 a night for 3 nights plus £40 of extras:
- Room cost: £285
- Total: £325, an effective £108.33 a night
Against a hotel advertising £100 a night with everything included, the £95 room is more expensive once totalled. That £13 difference is invisible on a comparison site sorted by nightly rate, and it is the reason the extras line exists on this calculator.
Common mistakes
- Comparing nightly rates. Compare the total for the actual stay.
- Missing the tourist tax. It is charged on arrival and rarely shown at booking.
- Overlooking parking. In city centres it can rival the room rate.
- Booking non-refundable to save a few pounds. The saving is usually small and the risk is not.
- Assuming breakfast is included. It frequently is not, and hotel breakfast is expensive.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to book direct or through a site?
It varies, and the headline price is often matched. Booking direct more frequently comes with loyalty benefits, free cancellation, room preferences and easier changes. Comparison sites are better for finding options. A common approach is to search on a site and then check the hotel's own price for the same dates.
What is a resort fee?
A mandatory daily charge, common in some destinations, covering facilities whether or not you use them. It is added at check-out and is frequently excluded from the advertised rate, which makes advertised rates in those destinations misleading. Where one applies it should go in the extras line.
Should I take the non-refundable rate?
Only if the saving is meaningful and the trip is certain. The discount is often 10% or less, which for a £325 stay is £32 against losing the whole amount if plans change. Where the difference is larger and the dates are fixed — a wedding, a booked event — it can be reasonable.
Do I have rights if the hotel is not as described?
Yes. Under the Consumer Rights Act, services must be provided with reasonable care and skill and match their description. Raise problems at the hotel first and give them a chance to resolve it, keeping a record. For package holidays, the tour operator carries responsibility for the whole arrangement, which is one of the practical advantages of booking a package.
Is what I enter stored?
No. Figures are processed in your browser and never transmitted or retained.
Related tools
References
- GOV.UK — consumer rights, package travel regulations and travel advice
- MoneyHelper — budgeting for travel and getting value from bookings
Sources are checked at publication and can change — how I choose and check references.