Hotel in US are so expensive post Covid

[winfred]

Ok it is arguable if if it post Covid but hotel prices are so much more expensive than 2019 in the 4 cities I am visiting over the next 3 weeks: Palo Alto, LA, Philadelphia and NYC.

I have booked all but NYC hotel and trying hard to find something decent at a reasonable price. Courtyard Times Square West is US$450 a night! I tried to stick with Bonvoy as much as possible but I am going to look at all hotel options now.

I'm wondering if this is the new normal.

 

[levelnine]

New normal for the time being. It's well documented across the US frequent flyer forums/blogs. Seems to be a case of lower supply (lots of hotels shuttered during COVID) and higher demand (lots of people reentering the world after two years at home). Combine with spiralling inflation (8% YOY), which is hurting hotels in lots of ways — higher cost of staff, more difficult to supply breakfast buffets affordably, etc.

 

[sudoer]

Great opportunity to burn points if you have them.

 

[dajop]

I suspect a combination of pent up demand and the market power of Marriott given their size What are downtown hotels like in NYC? We took the plunge and stayed downtown last time when there, rates about 50-70% of those around Times Square/Midtown/Chelsea, and zipped uptown really quickly when we wanted to on the A and 2/3 trains, and would do it again. Be much slower of course if relying on taxis.

 

[dajop]

Great opportunity to burn points if you have them.

Although NYC hotels have really taken dynamic award pricing to heart. 54,000 pts is the lowest you can get a room for it seems.

 

[sudoer]

Although NYC hotels have really taken dynamic award pricing to heart. 54,000 pts is the lowest you can get a room for it seems.

It's only going to get worse in 2023 when they fully uncap it. Better to burn this year.

 

[winfred]

Great opportunity to burn points if you have them.

Although NYC hotels have really taken dynamic award pricing to heart. 54,000 pts is the lowest you can get a room for it seems.

Yeah. I tried it and decided it is not worth it. I'm buying some points for Philly though and managed to get some decent value.

 

[winfred]

I suspect a combination of pent up demand and the market power of Marriott given their size What are downtown hotels like in NYC? We took the plunge and stayed downtown last time when there, rates about 50-70% of those around Times Square/Midtown/Chelsea, and zipped uptown really quickly when we wanted to on the A and 2/3 trains, and would do it again. Be much slower of course if relying on taxis.

I'm going to some meetings with someone from Melbourne and he is staying at Sheraton Times Square. US$2450 for 5 nights if I stay there. And the hotel got some bad reviews. I'm staying for 5 nights as well but only 3 of them will overlap with the Melbourne guy. I may spend 2 nights somewhere else. Atlantic City got some cheap options

 

[jpp42]

California and New York City have always had horribly expensive hotels, even before all of the additional pressures mentioned above.

For NYC, consider New Jersey close to a PATH or ferry wharf , it will save you $100 a night or more, and the transit into the city is quite efficient.

For LA, consider avoiding the place altogether, it's a general hellhole. I was forced to be there for business and stayed in Pasadena and used the light rail into town, which was okay (but also way too expensive for what it was).

I don't have any good suggestions about Palo Alto, but if you have any flexibility in your dates, consider checking around as conferences and events can really mess with prices in that area. I think there were some better priced hotels near SJC airport, but that's not super handy to Palo Alto.