Insane motel room prices

[Hall]

Work for a large hotel corporation and get the employee rate.

Hehe, something related to this.... Say you're traveling to Columbus OH, you can call hotels directly and ask for "the Limited rate" (this is the large retailer that operates Victoria's Secrets, Bath & Body, etc.

 

[dishdude]

I don't know why some people feel the need to turn threads into the comments under a Fox News story. Go post over there.

 

[edyvw]

Most of 2023 was so-called "revenge travel." People who did not travel during Covid years, did this year. The airline industry was struggling big time with capacity. It is slowing down, but I just took a flight from Denver to Munich and Frankfurt to Denver, and there was not a single available seat.
Hotel prices will resemble demand.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Last one I stayed in was a Hilton Garden Inn in Chicago for work. $360 per night. Seemed high to me for a pretty basic room but my employer paid for it so I didn't complain. In the past though I've always sought to stay as close to $150 per night as that seems to be about the cheapest rooms that are decent enough. I just need a place to put my stuff so I've never booked anything fancy. I also try to stay someplace a few miles from the main attractions since that tends to be cheaper.

Hilton took a huge dive in quality but prices are still high. I've found around the US IHG/Holiday Inn are a good blend of price and quality. Join the rewards program.

 

[fisher83]

Hilton took a huge dive in quality but prices are still high. I've found around the US IHG/Holiday Inn are a good blend of price and quality. Join the rewards program.

It wasn't bad. Just didnt seem significantly nicer than the $100-150 a night places I would normally stay at. We only use hotels maybe once or twice a year so I don't bother with the rewards programs.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

It wasn't bad. Just didnt seem significantly nicer than the $100-150 a night places I would normally stay at. We only use hotels maybe once or twice a year so I don't bother with the rewards programs.

I've noticed just being a member of a rewards club sometimes gets you better treatment and possible upgrades. You are more likely to return than the Priceline or whatever booker they probably figure.

 

[k1xv]

I use Google maps. Zoom in the area I want to stay, then search for hotels. Rates pop up right on the map.

 

[JHZR2]

I’m busy times in busy parts of cities it can get $$$. But I travel routinely and it’s usually <<$200 in cities and middle of nowhere.

 

[CKN]

I don't believe the OP asked anyone for help, yet for some we're reason dead set on giving him step-by-step instructions for his next booking. The OP is only stating his experience, and I don't believe anyone has the right to tell him his experience is somehow wrong.

My view? Yes, hotel costs have seemingly risen well above inflation. They are getting hit from every angle - increased property taxes, increased costs of labor and goods, increases in property insurance, rising interest rates, etc. All of this goes directly to their customers. In my area, rooms that were $80-100 a few years ago are $150 on a random Monday.

The OPs post was useless....just wanted to rant. We don't even know if it's valid. Depending on his choice of destination and if it is/was a peak time in season or a special event.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Anything in the $150 range, +/- $25 seems typical at any given time. Google results for "marriott hotel charlottesville va" gives me results from $103 to $197 for a night a week from now. Almost certainly something was going on that made the rate over $300. That rate for Columbus is pretty high and not normal. Are these the rate after adding taxes, fees, etc ?

All prices are after taxes and fees. Charlottesville was a Residence Inn and Columbus was the AC Hotel. I did book Charlottesville pretty late but it was a Tuesday night, not much going on and the hotel didn’t feel remotely close to full. Same hotel is $400ish for the next few days.

 

[M56959]

Folks. If we have to moderate this topic again, this will be closed and the member(s) responsible may lose posting privileges or worse.

 

[pbm]

The OPs post was useless....just wanted to rant. We don't even know if it's valid. Depending on his choice of destination and if it is/was a peak time in season or a special event.

When I think a post is "useless" I ignore it. Some on here (and I'm not saying you) will frequently chime in with non helpful comments like "Use the 'Search' function" (which is terrible), "That question has been asked before", "Another (whatever) thread" etc...as if they are the BITOG police. I find that more annoying than someone asking a question or ranting a little...both of which I can choose to ignore if they bother me.

 

[grampi]

Kind of like the guys on here who say "that question has been asked before" or "use the search function". Why post if you can't help the OP.

Because he's one of the forum bashers...

 

[grampi]

OK-so basically you were flustered and came on here to vent because where ever you wanted to stay-you couldn't find a room for the price you wanted to pay.

Tell us-when and where was this proposed stay?

Please tell us "the rest of the story".....

The when and where was basically anytime within the last 3 years or so, and everywhere I've booked a room, it's not always the same place...

 

[Donald]

Also try booking a Fri or Sat as one night resv and the Sun to Thur as multi day resv. Many hotels have significantly higher prices for Fri and Sat.

 

[Hermann]

I paid an average of $77 for decent motel rooms on vacation this past summer. Not Motel 6 nor the Raddisson. Somewhere in between, Ramada, Choice hotels, ect are available in that range in the midwest/heartland.

 

[michael007]

Work for a large hotel corporation and get the employee rate.

Before Starwood was owned by Mariott, they offered their employees "starhot rates" and even had rates for friends and family called "starfrnd". Not sure if it's still a thing now, especially with the way things are...

A rate that was normally $250 would be around $77 for employees or $95 for friends and family

I used to stay at some beautiful European properties, some worth $800 a night for $88 (the highest allowable rate).

They also gave 50% off food and beverage..

 

[97prizm]

The cost of motel rooms has gone beyond ridiculous. It's gotten to where you can't even get a flee infested dump for less than $200 a night. This is one area where prices have gone up far beyond the inflation rate. WTH is driving these insane price increases? My wife and I love to travel, but these prices make traveling far too expensive...

As someone who worked at a Best Western plus for seven years it truly depends on location, time of year and whether or not it's a college town.

 

[Astro14]

Hotel or motel ?

Decent hotels go for $100 a night.

Depends on the location. Depends on the bookings.

Want a room at the Residence Inn in Boston Back Bay last weekend? $650 + tax. Per night. Residence Inn is only decent, not a great hotel. Don't know what was going on in Boston last weekend, but that was the ask.

I stayed out in Newton. For a lot less.

Courtyard by Marriott in New Haven on the weekend of Yale graduation? Figure $600 + tax, booked a year out. They have a calendar...they know they can, and will, get folks willing to pay that.

Folks who are complaining about the cost haven't traveled much. I could get a cheap room during CV-19, the bookings were near zero.

Travel is on a boom right now and demand is high.

Welcome to supply and demand.

 

[97prizm]

I agree, and that's one of several reasons why I think it's wrong to cancel existing bookings. You can charge whatever you want for your services, but to cancel existing customers just to make more money? I don't know about that.

I'd contact the corporate office. I don't think most hotels are supposed to do that. One one of my co-workers was editing prices and put in $1.25 instead of $125.00 Thankfully only one person noticed and booked at that rate. My boss honored that price