With the Commonwealth Games set to kick off this evening (23 July) through a much-anticipated opening ceremony, the buzz has clearly spread to Glasgow’s hospitality sector, with hotel prices up a reported 158 per cent.

According to hotel comparison website Trivago.co.uk, the average price of a Glasgow hotel room for one night has spiked to £344 for the duration of the Commonwealth Games (23 July to 4 August). This is a 158 per cent increase on the previous week, when one night was reported to cost an average of £133. In July 2013, one night in Glasgow cost an average of just £78.

The price hike is in contrast to the situation around the London 2012 Olympic Games, when the city’s huge hotel capacity, meant room rates only rose 17 per cent in the lead-up to the Games.

The website’s research claims the most expensive night to book a room in Glasgow is Sunday 27 July, with guests facing the prospect of forking out an average of £448. Hampden Park stadium is set to make its Games debut hosting the first athletics events on that day, following a £14 million refurbishment.

About 4,500 athletes from 71 nations will take part in the 20th edition of the Games, which run until 3 August.

Background to Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

• The first Games were held in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada, where 400 athletes from 11 countries took part in 59 events across six sports.

• Scotland is staging the Commonwealth Games for a third time, after Edinburgh played host in 1970 and 1986.

• Glasgow 2014 will be held at 13 individual venues, located across three compact site clusters in Glasgow. Events will also take place in Carnoustie (shooting) and Edinburgh (aquatics).

• The Glasgow 2014 "My Games" app provides visitors and spectators with a host of information for exploring the city, venues and all the sporting action while the Glasgow 2014 Results App keeps fans up to date with all the results and medal tables across the 17 sports. Both are available for iOS and Android.