Hotel prices in 2027. How should companies plan their business accommodation budget?

Hotel prices will likely continue to rise in 2027, but as you might imagine, not at the same rate everywhere. The global average may look stable, while in a specific business city, accommodation prices may increase by several percent. A sharp price increase may be particularly noticeable around trade fairs. Therefore, it's safest not to increase all company limits by one percent, but to plan them based on the destination, date, and actual total cost of the stay. To this end, it's useful to divide your company's travel policy into regions. In this Guide, we've compiled the latest forecasts, data for Poland, and a practical way to update your accommodation limits for 2027.

Will hotel prices increase in 2027?

The short answer is: yes, but unevenly. According to the GBTA and ALTOUR forecast, the global average daily room rate is expected to increase by 1.8% in 2027. The increase is expected to be more moderate than in 2026, as the expansion of hotel infrastructure partially offsets strong demand. It's worth remembering that this is a global average. Therefore, it can be said that it is useful as a signal of direction, although too general for setting limits for specific delegations.

Amex GBT's 2027 Hotel Monitor shows greater variation between cities. For the first time, the company provided ranges instead of a single number, citing geopolitical uncertainty and demand volatility. All values refer to prices in local currencies, so any Polish company sending employees abroad should also consider exchange rate risk separately. The table below summarizes projected price changes for selected destinations that are popular with business travelers.

City	Forecast 2027	What does this mean for your business travel budget?
Madrid	+6.1 - 9.2%	High growth range; important trade fair and congress dates.
London	+3.6 - 5.4%	Strong business demand; for Polish companies additional risk of the GBP exchange rate.
Paris	+3.1 - 4.8%	High corporate and event demand; prices strongly dependent on location.
New York	+1.6 - 2.5%	Moderate percentage growth with a high price base.
Dubai	+1.0 - 2.0%	A slight average increase does not rule out spikes in event dates.
Riyadh	+1.5 - 3.2%	Growing business and investment market.
Bangalore	+5.0 - 5.5%	Strong demand from the technology sector.
Beijing	+1.9 - 3.0%	Moderate growth in local currency.
Singapore	+0.8 - 1.6%	Low percentage growth at relatively high rates.
São Paulo	+10.9 - 12.2%	Highest range in the public Amex GBT chart.

Source: Amex GBT, Hotel Monitor 2027. Forecasts are provided in local currencies and describe changes in average rates, not a guaranteed price for a specific booking.

Why is the global average not enough?

A 1.8% increase globally or a 6-9% increase in a specific city are not contradictory. The first figure combines multiple markets, hotel standards, and periods. The second refers to a city where demand can grow faster than supply. Furthermore, the annual average smooths out weeks when congresses, trade fairs, matches, or major cultural events are held. It is during these dates that a company most often experiences a "hotel shortage within its budget." So what is the conclusion for the person responsible for business travel within the company? The global forecast should be treated as a benchmark, not a multiplier applied to the entire budget. Decisions should be based on data on individual bookings and the destinations actually visited by employees.

What do we know about hotel prices in Poland?

There is no single, reliable, public forecast specifying exactly how much hotel prices in Poland will increase in 2027. However, it is possible to identify factors that will work in opposite directions.

• Demand remains strong. PKO Bank Polski's analysis of the Polish hotel market indicates an increase in guest numbers, occupancy rates, and average daily rates. Domestic guests account for approximately three-quarters of the market, reducing reliance on foreign traffic alone.
• The room for further sharp increases may be smaller. PKO BP estimates that, following previous price increases, it will be increasingly difficult to improve results solely by raising rates.
• In Warsaw, business demand is particularly strong in spring and autumn. HVS analysis for Warsaw indicates high occupancy, record nominal revenue per available room, and well-diversified demand: corporate, government, conferences, and tourism. At the same time, supply is growing. By the end of 2028, Warsaw could see an additional 2,900 rooms, primarily in the upper mid-range and upper-middle segments. Increased availability may limit average price increases, but it doesn't eliminate the problem of expensive peak dates.

The most reasonable scenario for companies isn't "hotel prices in Poland will increase by X%," but rather: average prices may rise moderately, and the difference between a quiet week and a major conference will remain very large. Therefore, the budget should take into account not only the city but also the travel calendar.

What will influence accommodation prices in 2027?

Corporate demand, conferences and events

The return of in-person meetings, team trips, and industry events is boosting demand on specific dates. A hotel can have a reasonable monthly average, yet nearly double its price during the week of the largest trade fair. Therefore, the event calendar in the five most frequently visited cities can be more important to the budget than the average.

Inflation, energy, wages and financing costs

Operating and maintenance costs impact the minimum rate at which a hotel can profitably sell rooms. Even with stable demand, some cost increases are passed on to guests. The extent of these increases depends on the country, the facility's standard, and its operating model.

New hotels and number of rooms available

Increased supply typically reduces pricing pressure, but its impact isn't immediate or entirely uniform across the city. A new airport facility won't solve the accessibility problem near a convention center. Therefore, it's worth analyzing not only the number of hotels but also their location and the standards accepted by the company's policies.

Dynamic price management

Hotels are increasingly adjusting rates to demand, availability, and arrival times. It's also worth noting the growing use of artificial intelligence in revenue management. For buyers, this means greater variability and, consequently, less usefulness of static pricing. Booking in advance helps, but it doesn't automatically guarantee the lowest price.

Exchange rates

Amex GBT forecasts are given in local currencies. If a London hotel price increases by 4% and the złoty weakens against the pound, the cost to a Polish company will increase significantly. Therefore, in a foreign travel budget, it's important to separate hotel price changes from currency risk.

The room rate is not the total cost of your stay

Two offers with the same nightly rate can have completely different final costs. When comparing hotels, it's important to check elements that often appear only in the rate conditions or on the invoice.

Component	Control question
Breakfast	Is it included in the price? How much does it cost to purchase it locally?
Local taxes and fees	Are they added upon payment or at reception?
Parking	Does the employee drive and is parking available?
Access	A cheaper hotel far from the meeting may increase taxi costs and employee time.
Cancellation and change	Until when can I cancel for free? Is the fee for the first night or the entire stay?
Early check-in/late check-out	Will flight times require an additional fee?
Currency and payment method	What exchange rate and any fees will be applied?
Additional services	Internet, laundry and room service usually require clear rules in the travel policy.

A good rule of thumb: the hotel allowance should clearly state whether it covers only accommodations, or also breakfast, taxes, and parking. It's also worth choosing a booking tool that provides all the information you need, allowing you to book not only accommodations but also other travel-related services, such as parking, insurance, or car rentals, as mentioned in the table above. Without these arrangements, the traveling employee and the person approving the allowance may interpret company policies differently.

Of course, price shouldn't be the only factor. Comprehensive information about location, room, workspace, breakfast, and cancellation policy helps avoid bookings that look good in search results but don't match your travel purpose. More practical criteria can be found in our guide on how to choose a hotel for business travel, and we describe how to present property information in our article on hotel descriptions and photos on the worktrips.com platform.

How to set hotel limits for 2027?

The best limit is neither the lowest nor the highest. It should allow you to book reasonable accommodations close to the meeting location while also protecting your budget and allowing for exceptions. The following process can be performed for the company's ten most important destinations.

1. Collect data from 2026. Count nights spent, average and median accepted rates, share of over-the-limit offers, number of cancellations, and additional costs.
2. Break down the results by city, not just country. Warsaw, Krakow, and smaller cities have different dynamics. The same applies to London and the rest of the UK.
3. Separate regular weeks from peak dates. Check trade shows, congresses, sporting events, and seasonality. Create a calendar of high-demand weeks for key cities.
4. Use a forecast range. For the markets covered by your forecast, use a lower and upper bound, rather than a single, fixed number.
5. Define what's included in your allowance. Set rules for breakfast, council tax, parking, flexible fares, and travel.
6. Establish an exception process. If a reasonable hotel isn't available within the timeframe, the employee should be able to quickly submit the selection for approval, stating the reason.
7. Review your results quarterly. Compare prices against assumptions and update limits as demand, exchange rates, or travel patterns change.

A simple formula for limit planning

2027 Working Cap = 2026 Median Accepted Price × (1 + Projected Growth) + Policy Costs

For example, if the median accepted price for a company's stay in Madrid was €150, and Amex GBT forecasts a 6.1% to 9.2% increase, the working range is approximately €159 to €164. Next, you need to check whether the price includes breakfast and taxes, and whether the company needs a higher allowance for trade fair weeks. This is an example calculation, not a recommended rate for every company.

One amount or several limits?

A single limit for the entire country is easy to write, but often impractical. In a large city, it can block reasonable bookings, and in a less expensive region, it doesn't provide enough control. A better solution is at least three levels: major business cities, other locations, and dates or events requiring exceptions. On the worktrips.com platform, you can create regions covering a single country, a group of countries, selected cities, or a specific area, and then assign them separate policies and employee groups. We describe this in detail in our guide to regional business travel policies.

How to use WorkTrips data for hotel budgeting?

The most useful forecasts are created by combining market data with your own booking history. The worktrips.com platform provides the data needed to calculate limits and transfer established policies directly into the booking process.

• Start with the services report on worktrips.com. It shows each person and each service on a separate row, so you can analyze overnight stays by employee, service type, or cost center .
• Based on the data, calculate the median accommodation price in the most frequently visited cities. Separate standard dates from weeks where the limit was regularly exceeded.
• Enter separate limits for regions, cities, and employee groups. The system also allows you to designate recommended hotels and add negotiated rates for selected properties.
• Assign reservations to cost centers to distribute expenses across departments, projects, or teams. You can also specify the appropriate billing details at the cost center level.
• Set up monthly or quarterly checks. Service reports can be sent automatically on a scheduled basis, so the budget manager doesn't have to create the report from scratch each time.

Flexible or non-refundable tariff?

The cheapest price displayed doesn't always mean the lowest travel costs. A non-refundable rate works best when the date is certain and the risk of change is low. For client-specific meetings, recruitment processes, multi-person trips, or combined trips, a free cancellation offer may be safer.

Situation	The safest approach
The plan is confirmed and not very susceptible to change	You may want to consider a non-refundable tariff if saving is important.
The deadline depends on the client or partner	Prefer free cancellation until a specific date.
The trip involves several people or connections	Flexibility reduces the cost of a domino effect after a single change.
The difference between the tariffs is small	The flexibility subsidy usually provides better budget protection.
The employee makes a reservation close to the date	Check the terms and conditions carefully - "free cancellation" may end on the day of booking.

On the worktrips.com platform, cancellation policies are visible next to the offer, and users can filter for hotels with free cancellation when available. Reservations can be edited or canceled according to the offer's terms and conditions. We describe features for travelers on the flexible booking management page. If changes can't be made independently or the situation is more complex, WorkTrips agent support is available 24/7. It's important for the company to maintain up-to-date information in one place after a change.

Statutory limit and corporate hotel limit

These are two different concepts. In the public sector, reimbursement of accommodation costs for domestic trips is based on the invoice, generally up to twenty times the per diem rate. As of the date of this article's update, the per diem rate is PLN 45, so the overnight stay limit is PLN 900 per hotel night. In justified cases, the employer may agree to reimburse a higher amount. Employers outside the public sector may define the rules for settling business trips in their collective agreements, remuneration regulations, or employment contracts. The operational limit in travel policies may therefore be lower and more specific, depending on the city, hotel standard, or position. However, this should not be confused with the statutory reimbursement mechanism. It's important to remember that regulations are subject to change. Before settling on a specific business trip, it's always worth checking the current rates on the official website of the Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy.

How does the platform help control hotel costs?

Forecasting alone doesn't reduce costs. Control is achieved through the combination of policy, approval processes, reservations, and actual cost data.

• Limits by destination and employee group. Companies can tailor their policies to market realities, rather than applying a single amount to all travel.
• Featured hotels and negotiated rates. The administrator can promote verified properties in the results and enter negotiated rates for selected hotels.
• Offer terms and policy compliance are clearly visible. Before purchasing, you can compare the price, breakfast, room description, and cancellation policy, and the system indicates whether your selection complies with the company's policies.
• Accepting exceptions. When a hotel is not available on a given date, the reservation can be sent to the designated person without exchanging multiple messages.
• A single source of data. Reservations, changes, and travel reports remain in one environment, making it easy to compare plan and execution.
• Organized billing. Collective invoices for business trips and the allocation of expenses to cost centers reduce the number of scattered documents and manual work for the finance department.

 

FAQs about hotel prices in 2027

Will hotel prices increase in 2027?

Current forecasts predict that average rates will continue to rise, but at a slower and more uneven pace. GBTA and ALTOUR predict a 1.8% global average price increase, while Amex GBT predicts higher ranges in some major business cities.

How much will hotel prices in Poland increase in 2027?

No single, reliable forecast has been published for all of Poland. Strong demand supports prices, but new supply and limited room for further sharp increases may hinder them. Companies should base their budgets on their own data for specific cities.

How do I set a company hotel limit?

First, calculate the median approved rates in a given city, then apply the appropriate forecast range and add the costs included in the policy. Separately, plan for major events and the exception approval process.

Is it worth choosing the cheapest non-refundable offer?

Only if the plan is stable and the savings justify the risk. If the dates are subject to change, a flexible fare often better protects the overall travel budget.

How often should hotel limits be updated?

At least once a year, or quarterly if you travel frequently abroad or experience rapid price changes. It's worth monitoring the percentage of overbookings and hotel availability in major cities.