London's Olympic hopes boosted by hoteliers

London's chances of being chosen to host the 2012 Olympics were given a further boost this week from the city's hoteliers.

As part of the bid each city had to commit to a price for 1,800 rooms over the duration of the Olympic Games for the IOC committee and its entourage.

In the report, London's room rates for the 2012 dates have been set at $290 (£158) for hotel rooms in and around the Park Lane area.

This is £87 less than New York's rate of $449 (£245) and a staggering £103 less than London's main rival Paris, whose rate was set at $480 (£262) per room.

Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, said: "We've put in a very competitive rate as the hotel and hospitality industry has been very keen to help and promote an attractive bid."

"Internationally, London comes in for criticism about being an expensive city. This belies that preconception and will help us reverse the outdated view that London is expensive."

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