SELF-CATERED accommodation in the city has almost doubled since the pandemic began, according to consumer group Which.

Its findings, done in conjunction with the BBC’s Panorama, discovered the cost of self-catered accommodation for two people in Brighton and Hove had jumped by 89 per cent since the summer of 2019.

Prices went from £109 per night pre-pandemic to £206 now.

Across the UK, figures showed that holidaymakers are paying an average of £300 more per week in August compared with the summer of 2019.

The data came from AirDNA, a company that monitors holiday booking websites such as Airbnb and Vrbo.

Speaking to Panorama, Catherine Lane, who lets out six properties in Brighton, explained she has been forced to raise prices as costs have risen from measures needed to stop the spread of coronavirus.

She said: “Now we have to have cleaning and sanitation costs, which are much higher.

“We have to have time for cleaners to disinfect the place.”

Which? Magazine also compared the cost of holidaying in the UK with travelling abroad. It found that a week’s holiday in late August for two in Brighton cost £1,131, while a trip to Nice with flights included was £46 cheaper.

Vrbo told the BBC that it “does not set, change or influence the property prices a host chooses”, while Airbnb has previously claimed such figures from third-party organisations can be misleading.

Many Britons have opted for a staycation amid uncertainty and restrictions around travelling abroad amid the ongoing pandemic.

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