--- title: Thanks Brexit! Here's How Much Cheaper It Is for Americans to Visit the UK Now description: American tourists can save hundreds, even thousands, by visiting England and the UK today, compared to two years ago. The plunging value of the British pounds means everything is discounted by 20%. authors: - name: Brad Tuttle role: Senior Editor url: https://money.com/author/brad-tuttle/ bio: Brad Tuttle is a former senior editor at Money with over 10 years’ experience covering a vast number of personal finance topics, including careers, cars, travel, budgeting, investing, insurance, credit cards, consumer psychology, real estate, banking, and shopping and deals. education: Columbia University School of Journalism, MS at_money_since: 2014 articles: 366 covers: - Economy and Politics - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology social: - https://twitter.com/bradrtuttle - https://linkedin.com/in/brad-tuttle-834b225 former_staff: true published: '2016-10-05T19:38:46.000Z' modified: '2024-05-16T11:48:20.000Z' section: Economy and Politics tags: - american dollar - Brexit - exchange rates - pubdesk - Tourism - Travel word_count: 708 canonical: https://money.com/brexit-british-pound-american-dollar-exchange-tourism/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Big Ben clock tower, located at the Palace of Westminster and Parliament complex, is viewed from the London Eye on September 11, 2016, in London, England. The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions.](https://img.money.com/2016/10/161005_em_postbrexittourism.jpg) *Big Ben, London* This week the value of the British pound hit a 31-year low compared to the U.S. dollar, all part of the continued fallout of the UK's decision to leave the European Union. It's been predicted that Brexit, as Britain's decision to ditch the EU is commonly called, will result in deep discounts on everything from British exports to professional soccer players for those spending American dollars or euros. In fact, it's simple for U.S. travelers to take advantage of the newly more valuable American dollar right now. Today, one British pound is worth $1.27. Two years ago in this month, by contrast, one British pound was [worth $1.60](http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/GBP-USD-31_10_2014-exchange-rate-history.html). In other words, everything that an American tourist in the UK buys on a vacation nowadays—hotels, taxis, fish and chips, high tea, and so on—is effectively discounted by more than 20% compared to the same bills in 2014. We did some math to show just how much less travelers would spend by visiting the UK today, rather than in the recent past. **3 Nights at 5-Star Hotel: $3,535 vs. $4,440** [*Travel & Leisure*](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-hotels-in-london) rates the [The Stafford London](http://thestaffordlondon.com/) as the best hotel in the city. As you'd guess, lodging doesn't come cheap. Scoping out some dates in the near future, we found that a couple staying three nights in a basic queen room would run a total of £858. That's the equivalent of $1,094 in U.S. dollars today. If you were paying the same amount two years ago, however, it would have been nearly $300 more: $1,373. If you splurge on the Governors Suite at the Stafford, meanwhile, the cost would be £2,775 for three nights. That's equal to $3,535 today, but would have cost $4,440 with the October 2014 exchange rate. ***Read Next:* [The British Pound is Getting Killed. You Should Care](https://money.com/brexit-british-pound-dollar/)** **Hostel: $34 vs. $42** Travelers staying in lower-end accommodations in the UK will get a less significant discount compared to those opting for top-notch lodging, but there will be some savings nonetheless thanks to the plummeting value of the British pound. At the [Generator Hostel](https://generatorhostels.com/en/destinations/london/) in London, for instance, we found rates of £26.40 per night for dorm accommodations, and £136 per night for a private room that fits three people. That's the equivalent of roughly $34 and $173 today, respectively, and would be $42 and $218, respectively, with the exchange rate from two years ago. **Afternoon Tea: $87 vs. $109** The best afternoon teas in London, as selected by the [*Telegraph*](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/london/articles/Londons-ten-best-afternoon-teas/), cost £35 to £68. The latter is the going rate for a special [champagne tea at the Ritz](https://www.theritzlondon.com/dining-drinks/afternoon-tea-reservations/), but note, the dress code before making reservations: "Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie (jeans and sportswear are not permitted for either ladies or gentlemen.") At today's exchange rate, the range is the equivalent of $45 to $87, rather than $56 to $109 with the 2014 rate of exchange. **Burberry Coat: $1,651 vs. $2,072** A classic woman's mid-length [Heritage Trench Coat](https://uk.burberry.com/womens-heritage-trench-coat-collection/) from Burberry is listed at £1,295 in the UK. That's $1,651 in U.S. dollars today, but $2,072 with the 2014 exchange rate **Pub Meal: $71 vs. $90** Visitors interested in touring the countryside are likely to find themselves in a traditional British pub like the [Rose & Crown](http://www.roseandcrownsnettisham.co.uk/) in Snettisham, named one of the UK's top 10 by the [Good Pub Guide](http://www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/Awards/Top-Ten-Pubs-for-2017). We added up the cost of a typical meal, including soup (£5.50), fish and chips (£13), pudding (£6.50), and a pint of ale (£3), and then doubled it assuming you are dining with a friend. The total comes to £56. That's about $71 in today's dollars, but would have been closer to $90 if this was 2014. ***Read Next:* [Is Now the Time to Book a Trip to Europe?](https://money.com/brexit-eu-referendum-book-travel-europe/)** **One-Week Vacation: $2,677 vs. $3,360** We estimate that a middle-of-the-road couple vacationing in the UK can easily expect to spend about £300 per day, once you add up expenses like food, taxis, attractions, souvenirs, and lodging at a halfway decent hotel. So, without including airfare, the ballpark cost of seven nights abroad comes to £2,100. That bill would have run you $3,360 in 2014, but only $2,677 today. In other words, the whole trip is $683 cheaper thanks to the current exchanges. ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/brexit-british-pound-american-dollar-exchange-tourism/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Economy and Politics", "item": "https://money.com/economy-and-politics/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Forex", "item": "https://money.com/forex/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Thanks Brexit! 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