German hoteliers forced to slash prices after FIFA cancels bookings

Hoteliers in Berlin are slashing prices in a bid to fill thousands of beds cancelled by FIFA just three weeks before the World Cup.

The international football body came under attack after cancelling 5,000 bookings out of 8,000 it had made at around 70 hotels in the German capital.

FIFA had offered the rooms through its own marketing agency WCAS, but had failed to get rid of them because of the high prices they were being advertised at.

Now rooms are being offered for as little as £66 in some of the city's top hotels.

Mihaela Djuranovic, spokeswoman for Europe's largest hotel, the four-star Estrel, said: "The hotel's usual rates for a standard double room are up to €318 (£216), but we are now offering rooms from just €98 (£66) a night."

German hotelier left fuming after FIFA cancels hotel bookings ahead of World Cup >>

By Jim Glenn, CEN

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week - click here to subscribe and save 25%.