'Heartbroken' Taylor Swift fans fume over hotel cancellations and 'price hikes'

As Taylor Swift embarks on her global Eras Tour, fans from the UK and beyond are journeying across the nation to see the pop icon perform over 15 dates between June and August.

Swift has already dazzled audiences with three unforgettable nights at Edinburgh's famous Murrayfield Stadium, with upcoming performances in Liverpool, Cardiff and London.

However, for those fans who are spending hundreds just for a brief encounter with the star during her ongoing tour, how much more could they have to fork out if they plan an overnight stay?

Airbnbs in Liverpool - where Swift begins a three-night run this Thursday (June 13), have seen an average price hike of 103.26% per night, according to data from AltIndex.

Cardiff fares better, with the city's properties seeing a modest rise of just 18.3% - but the singer is only performing for one night at the Welsh venue.

Edinburgh saw the most significant price surge, with a staggering 223.47% increase in Airbnb accommodation last weekend, averaging £769 per night, according to the research.

The data across Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff looked at Airbnb prices for the exact same dates but one week before, during and one week after to determine the average costs to stay.

For the London dates, the study explores the price increases in nearby hotels, focusing on those within a three-mile radius of Wembley Stadium. June and August data reveal that neighbouring hotels in London witness an average rate surge of 103%, with the price originating from the most economical room option.

Taylor Swift's fans have voiced their discontent over these inflated prices on X (previously known as Twitter).

One user vented: "Surge pricing should be banned, if a hotel room near a venue or stadium is £50 on a normal weeknight then it's completely unacceptable for it to be £300 just because Taylor Swift or another popular artist is in town."

A second individual said: "My youngest works at a hotel in Liverpool while at Uni. The prices have increased by 600% while #TaylorSwift is in town for 3 nights."

A third quipped: "My house is walking distance to the Aviva. Maybe I could rent if for the week and retire early."

Several others lamented their booking cancellations, alleging many companies did this to leverage higher prices.

"The hotel I booked last July for our trip to see Taylor Swift in Edinburgh next month, has just cancelled my booking," one disgruntled fan shared. "I have flights, concert tickets, and 15 years of waiting to see her live. Hotel prices are £800+. I'm heartbroken and at a bit of a loss of what to do."

Another wrote: "Lol, booked a room for €265 (£224) on the Friday to take the 12-year-old to the gig. Cancelled as its 'double booked'. Nothing to do with them quadrupling their price."

While a further C user added: "Not to alarm the swifties pay for your hotels now because i just had to rebook one and pay for it as my original hotel that i literally booked a year ago cancelled my booking to inflate the prices LMAO."

Airnbnb said in a statement: "These prices are for unbooked accommodation and do not reflect the average price offered on Airbnb during Taylor Swift’s tour in the UK. The average price for booked accommodation on Airbnb in Liverpool, Cardiff and Edinburgh for the concert dates is around £233 per night.

"The typical host in the UK shares their home for an average of three nights a month giving locals an opportunity to earn much-needed additional income at a time when accommodation is in high demand."