The incredible cost of hotels in North America...

[aspro2]

I've been a very infrequent traveller to North America in the last twenty years, but each time have been aware that hotel prices tend to be much higher than in Australia for my category of accommodation. Looking at prices now for a number of cities, it seems like the difference is even greater post-Covid-peak and I'm struggling to justify travelling there.

Are there any tricks for getting reasonable "value" now? I would generally stay in three-star-ish places, with upper-end ratings on Tripadvisor/Google/etc. In Australia with advance booking I choose places under A$200pn with fairly central location. For Vancouver/Seattle/LA/Chicago in September I can't see anything equivalent for less than US$250 and most/all of those are well below a 4/5 review rating on the various websites. The starting point for a Best Western in Seattle was US$340! I'm a bit shocked. Airbnbs are priced like hotels, or for a room in someone's dwelling you're still looking at US$200-ish minimum.

Does booking with airline points (for instance) from any particular program, give any better value (beyond the obvious "no real money spent" sensation)? (I have no points in any hotel program.)

 

[dajop]

Do you hav NRMA/RACV/RACQ etc membership? I find it useful initially often to book using the AAA rates at hotel you are happy to stay at and a rate you are happy to pay and then monitor over time. In most chains AAA rates are flexible (or the extra $$$ for a flexible AAA rate isn't that much more than pre-paid non refundable AAA rates), and can be cancelled 1-4 days before arrival depending on city.

For example in New York last year, I had prebooked a AAA rate at hotel for $295++. But saw prices were coming down so cancelled. Ended up picking up a comparable hotel around the corner from that one for $225++ on the morning of arrival. If I'd held back until an hour before I wanted to check in it dropped another $20 ... In Chicago earlier in the year I did the same, and on that occassion, although I didn't end up with a much lower price ($10), ended up at a better hotel in a better location.

Of course it can also go the other way, that's why you've got to book something you'd be happy with to begin with.

 

[SYD]

Some places are worse than others. You expect NYC to be expensive, but Vancouver is on another planet! I hoard Hotel points for expensive city stays (eg London, New Your, Paris) but looks like I’ll drop my entire IHG points to partially offset a stay later in the year.

As mentioned, the AAA discounts can be good. I usually make a booking using that and monitor prices and rebook if I see something better.

Longer stays, AirBnB can be half the price.

 

[Lynda2475]

Chicago is in top 3 most expensive cities for hotels, but the price varies a lot depending on what sport events or conventions are on in any given week. Booking as far in advance as possible helps secure best pricing; but I would not expect to find anything decent under US$350pn there in downtown area.

If you stay a few L stops out of downtown prices drop considerably, but depends how close you want to be to certain things. Me I'm happy to pay for the convenience of walkability and nice area.

In LA it can be cheaper to stay at an airport hotel than in Santa Monica. But I avoid LA like the plague.

Last time i was PNW i split time between Vancouver and Seattle (was cheaper to fly into SEA and take wifi enabled bus between the two cities) but they werent as expensive as NY or Chicago.

 

[aspro2]

Ok, so I'm not going nuts - that's the first benefit of all your comments, thank you! I appreciated the AAA tip. Still seems like the baseline is outrageous... I saw a dorm-bed for US$150 and thought I was misreading the currency! (And I don't do dorms!)

 

[Virgin Bart]

I sympathise completely. I'm doing NY, Chicago and LV in June and I honestly thought there were errors in the prices. Now I realise the only error was my expectations!

 

[dajop]

Oh and don’t forget that a $250 rate could end up with taxes being $280-$290. And watch for insidious “destination fees” which could add another $15-$50 per night.

 

[Hvr]

And watch for insidious “destination fees” which could add another $15-$50 per night.

Plus 'resort fees' and various state/city/locality taxes.

 

[SYD]

I sympathise completely. I'm doing NY, Chicago and LV in June and I honestly thought there were errors in the prices. Now I realise the only error was my expectations!

If you haven’t already, there’s actually some good deals on QF Hotels and Expedia etc from time to time.

 

[Virgin Bart]

If you haven’t already, there’s actually some good deals on QF Hotels and Expedia etc from time to time.

Thank you! For now I only have refundable bookings.

 

[pyffii]

With the AA or even Seniors rate we've had to pay over $600AUD to stay at the Grand Hyatt DFW in July ....pre covid it was $250 and its the same at the Fairmont Vancouver airport....Mind you off the airport property you can still get rooms for circa $250AUD....Not happy but with early morning flights we're happy to have the convenience of walking to check in

 

[SYD]

Thank you! For now I only have refundable bookings.

QF and Expedia usually take your money up front for “refundable” bookings but are quick to refund. We jumped on a SFO 10 nights for $2300 and 17 nights in NYC for $6k for out next upcoming trip.

I‘m seeing hotels start around $4k for 7 nights in YVR later in the year….

 

[aspro2]

If you haven’t already, there’s actually some good deals on QF Hotels and Expedia etc from time to time.

I've also found some surprising domestic bargains on American Express Travel in the last year, but not sure if this happens for North America.

 

[Lynda2475]

I sympathise completely. I'm doing NY, Chicago and LV in June and I honestly thought there were errors in the prices. Now I realise the only error was my expectations!

The trick with Vegas is to avoid staying on Fri and Saturday nights. A room that is $600 on a Fri and Saturday can be $150 on a Monday night. And obviously staying 1-2 blocks off strip also saves $.

If going to Vegas we always aim to arrive on Monday and leave on a Friday avoiding the crazy weekend rates.

In some other cities, if you choose hotels that target business travellers you can often get a good rate on Fri, Sat or Sun night - as peak demand is Mon-Thurs nights.

 

[Virgin Bart]

The trick with Vegas is to avoid staying on Fri and Saturday nights. A room that is $600 on a Fri and Saturday can be $150 on a Monday night. And obviously staying 1-2 blocks off strip also saves $.

If going to Vegas we always aim to arrive on Monday and leave on a Friday avoiding the crazy weekend rates.

Fantastic point. And by total fluke I'm arriving on Monday, leaving in Thursday. So rates are manageable

 

[drron]

An interesting release of statistics on US hotels. Compared to 2019 occupancy is down but revenue is up. Greatest revenue increase in Las vegas up nearly 80%. San Francisco is out of favour with revenue down ~ 30%.

US PERFORMANCE UPDATE: Hotel performance in the U.S. saw a marginal decline from last week, as per STR’s data through Feb. 4.

• Occupancy: 55.3% (-7.3%)

• ADR: $145.35 (+13.9%)
• RevPAR: $80.45 (+5.6%)  

Although none of the top 25 markets recorded an occupancy increase over 2019, Las Vegas came closest to its 2019 comparable (-1.4% to 78.2%). The market also reported the highest ADR (+79.5% to $221.38) and RevPAR (+76.9% to $173.20) increases over 2019,

 

[aspro2]

Weird stuff, eh. Maybe all that revenue-up is in the "resort/destination fee" gouging (which might end up being outlawed sometime soon if Joe Biden gets his way).

 

[BAM1748]

Weird stuff, eh. Maybe all that revenue-up is in the "resort/destination fee" gouging (which might end up being outlawed sometime soon if Joe Biden gets his way).

Probably also used COVID to pin down wages and reduce numbers.

It will only take one or two hotels to start discounting and be back to business as usual.

But you can only ride on the residual for so long.

 

[cove]

We do have Marriott and IHG points and buy their points when juicy offers are announced at 50% off. Same with aa.com for American Miles where their last offer was at Thanksgiving. You open an account and wait for a 50% deal.The account works after 30 days.
In Southern California our staff tend to stay at Ayres which is a comfortable accommodation chain.Days Inn can be quite reasonable too.
With Las Vegas avoid any special long weekends they have and yes weekend prices can go crazy.Leaving by Friday helps save money.
We are AAA members to gain discounts.
Business hotels can have weekend rates for Friday and Saturday so ask.
The US has had price inflation and is no longer an inexpensive holiday destination and we found dining out costs have risen about 35% since Covid.
We still use Argus car trawler site and that can save on car hire.
We still love Costco to get 20% off dining voucher cards.Your Australian membership works in the US.
i think Citibank Prestige for the free hotel night may have ended when booking 4 nights and paying for 3 nights.

 

[SYD]

The US has had price inflation and is no longer an inexpensive holiday destination and we found dining out costs have risen about 35% since Covid.

Apart from the momentary salad days of US$1.10 to A$1, the US was never an “inexpensive” destination.

The current rates in some locales is just gouging. With or without “resort fees”.