Britons are facing hotel price increases in more than half the most popular world tourist cities despite a general strengthening of the pound against local currencies.

Comparing hotel prices in 2013 with 2012 in 116 cities, average prices rose in 69, were roughly the same in seven and fell in only 40, a survey shows.

London prices rose from £110 in 2012 to £121 on average in 2013, but the biggest percentage rise last year was one of 22% for New Orleans where a hotel room price shot up from £120 in 2012 to £146 in 2013.

Overall, Britons paying for hotels abroad would have paid the most last year in Monte Carlo, where the average price was £198. Second was Muscat in Oman (£194) followed by New York (£185), Key West in Florida (£171) and Rio de Janeiro (£167), according to the website Hotels.com.

Those looking for real bargains during trips abroad should go to Hanoi, Vietnam, where average prices dipped 20% last year to £39.

Best-value European destination in 2013 was the Polish city of Krakow, where the average hotel price was £62.