Andorra's tourist tax, with the sums done for you

It pays to understand Andorra’s tourist tax before you book, even if it won’t change your plans. It’s small, clearly defined and has two firm limits, age and number of nights. Here are the official rates and some worked examples, so you know roughly what you’ll pay on a typical trip.

What it is and when it started

Andorra introduced its tourist tax on 1 July 2022, and the government calls it the Taxa Turística. Every regulated place to stay charges it, from hotels to apartments and tourist homes, and it’s worked out per person per night. The official document published by the tourist board sets the rate by type of accommodation, and those are the only figures I use here.

The rates by accommodation

It runs from €1 to €3 per person per night. A five-star hotel charges €3. A four-star hotel, or one with four espigas, the other grading used in Andorra, charges €2, the same as a tourist apartment. Two and three-star places, or two and three espigas, charge €1.50, and everything else €1.

Then 4.5 % IGI, Andorra’s indirect tax, goes on top. In practice €2 of tax becomes about €2.09 and €3 about €3.14. That’s small change, but it explains why the figure on your bill isn’t a round number.

Who pays, and for how many nights?

Anyone aged 16 or over pays. Younger children don’t, so a family with small children only pays for the adults. And there’s a cap I think is sensible, a maximum of seven nights per person. From night eight onwards the stay doesn’t add any more tax.

A family example

Families are where the age limit really helps. Two adults with children of 9 and 13 in a tourist apartment for a week pay for the adults only, €2 each per night for seven nights, so €28, or about €29.26 with IGI. If the older child were 16, the bill would rise by another €14 before IGI, because they’d count as a paying guest. Longer stays are just as gentle. Two friends spending ten nights in a three-star hotel pay tax on seven of them, €21 in total, about €21.95 with IGI.

For comparison, the tax on a short break is almost negligible. A couple spending three nights in a five-star hotel pay €18, about €18.81 once IGI is added.

A ski week in numbers

A ski week is the classic case, so I’ve done the sums. A couple spending seven nights in a four-star hotel pay €2 each per night, €28 in total, about €29.26 with IGI. Move up to a five-star and it’s €42, about €43.89. Drop to a two or three-star and it’s €21, about €21.95.

So for two people and a week, the gap between the top and bottom categories is around €20. Next to a lift pass or a night in peak season, that’s not a figure that should decide where you sleep. Choose on location and what the hotel offers, and for the rest of the ski budget see Andorra ski pass.

Avoiding surprises at checkout

The usual question is whether the price you see already includes it. That depends on the hotel or the tour operator and how they present their rates, so check the booking conditions or ask. If you’ve booked a package from the UK, it’s worth checking whether the tax is covered or collected at the hotel.

One more thing. Andorran law makes hotels and holiday flats pass every overnight guest’s name to the police, as the Foreign Office points out, so you’ll be asked for your passport at check-in. Keep it in your hand luggage, not at the bottom of your case.

What really moves your budget

When you’re costing the trip, the tax barely registers. What really changes the total is where and when you stay, especially in ski season, plus your lift pass, a visit to Caldea and any shopping. To pick an area that suits your plans, see where to stay in Andorra. If you’re coming for longer, Andorra apartments pay the same rate as a four-star hotel. And for the full picture of costs, read is Andorra expensive.