THE price of a hotel room in Edinburgh will more than double from its usual cost on the night Scotland host Wales in the Six Nations rugby Championship.

Fresh research by travel experts Trivago.ie have estimated that the average room price in the capital on 25 February will be £300 - compared to the usual room rate for that month of £117.

Edinburgh is the second most expensive city to stay in on nights when the clashes take place, behind only Cardiff but ahead of London, Paris, Rome and Dublin.

The first game, against Ireland on 4 February, sees the price of a room rise by 133 per cent to £274, while booking a room on the night Scotland plays Italy in March will set fans back £230 on average - an increase of 96 per cent on the average booking for that time of year.

The price hike has moved tourists bosses to urge hotels to avoid cashing in on the influx of fans.

VisitScotland have said that hotel operators should show "common sense", and make sure to offer travellers value for money no matter what the occasion.

A spokesperson for VisitScotland said: "While we cannot directly influence the amount accommodation providers charge, we would urge businesses to adopt a common sense approach over pricing and appreciate that value for money plays a hugely important part in the overall visitor experience whether on business or visiting for pleasure.

“The RBS 6 Nations always create an exciting and friendly atmosphere in Edinburgh with the impact of the games set to be felt across the capital from the accommodation sector, through to the city’s world-class visitor attractions and renowned food and drink offering.”

Overall, the largest price increases are found in Cardiff, which will be hosting the most expensive match of the tournament.

With an average hotel price increase of 345 per cent, an overnight stay to watch Wales play England on 11 February averages at £475, compared to the months’ average of £106.

The second most expensive date is also in Cardiff when Wales will play Ireland on 10 March, with prices up 257 per cent to £381.

With hotel prices averaging between £94 and £111 throughout the games, the games in Rome are the three cheapest choices for a match day stay.

Prices drop by 5 per cent on the day Italy plays Wales, averaging at €94, the lowest price of all the host cities.

The second and third cheapest match days are also in Rome, with £100 for Italy v Ireland and £111 for Italy v France.

London is the city with the greatest price decrease, where average prices drop by 10 per cent to £154 for the February 26 fixture between England and Italy.

Eleanor Kutylowski, IE External Relations, said: “Whilst these results are comparable to those from the 2016 Championships, this year’s highest price increase of 345 per cent tops last year’s 317 per cent.

"The effect is greatest in the smaller host cities: Cardiff, the least populated city of the six, shows the largest price increase whilst heavily populated London, Paris and Rome are amongst those with the smallest changes.

"Fans can moreover avoid the high prices; to watch Ireland play for less avoid Cardiff and head to Rome where you can find accommodation for under £100.”