RATES CRASHING. Hotel rates are WAY down, too. That’s because hotels can’t just go park excess hotel rooms in the desert like airlines can park planes. This means there are a LOT of unsold hotel rooms going at bargain basement prices—- and we are talking some of the most popular destinations in the country like Las Vegas, New York, San Francisco and Hawaii. European rates have tanked, too!
Examples of average hotel rate declines this summer
In US:
• Las Vegas: -25%
• New York: -25%
• San Francisco: -23%
• Honolulu: -18%
In Europe:
• Barcelona: -35%
• London: -25%
• Rome: -23%
(Source: Expedia.com)
INTERESTING FINDINGS IN LATEST JD POWER SURVEY. Overall guest satisfaction at hotels rose last year, says the J.D. Power 2009 North America Guest Satisfaction Survey of 66,000 hotel guests. No surprise: Four Seasons came out tops in the luxury category. Hilton Garden Inn and Hyatt Place ranked high in the mid-priced category. Surprise to us: Wyndham Hotels ranked high in the upscale tier. Drury Inns also came out very high in mid-priced range. We’ve not stayed at a Wyndham or a Drury Inn in years—have you? They must be doing something right, so please let us know about your experiences with these chains! LET US KNOW!
TOUGH TIMES. The first half of 2009 was brutal for the hotel industry. According to Smith Travel Research, occupancy fell 11% in the first six months of 2009. The average daily rate dipped below the bellwether $100 mark to $98.66. Revenue per available room slipped 19%. Ouch. However, the outlook for hotels is improving as the economy seems to be warming up.
WATERGATE STILL A MESS. Did you hear that the Watergate Hotel in Washington went up for sale on auction last month and failed to attract a single bidder? The hotel was built in 1967. I remember staying there when it was a Swissotel.
CANDLEWOOD SUITES HITS NYC. We always love a NEW hotel in NYC and here’s the latest from InterContinental: “Candlewood Suites is bringing a full-scale apartment experience at a mids
cale hotel price to business and leisure travelers at a prime location just one block from Times Square. Guestrooms are all studio suites with wide rooms, including a full kitchen with full-size refrigerator, stove top, dishwasher and microwave, and stocked with pots, pans, plates, glassware and utensils; comfortable recliner; large workspace with desk chair; and deluxe bedding. Unlike most New York City midscale hotels, the Candlewood Suites offers amenities typically found in apartment buildings, including a complimentary 24-hour fitness center, complete with cardio and weight machines, and complimentary onsite laundry for guests. Location: 339 West 39th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues—over near the Port Authority. Rates in August start at about $220 per night. When we checked rates for Sept and Oct, the hotel was already sold out most nights! www.candlewoodsuites.com
AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRIPADVISOR. Check out this very helpful new site where hotel guests post their own VIDEOS of hotel stays. Very revealing! http://hotelvideoreviews.com/index.html
MORE FREE INTERNET. So here’s a positive trend that we are hearing about more frequently: Many full service hotel brands are FINALLY getting the message that guests are tired of paying for wi-fi when they can get it free at most limited service brands. For example, Hyatt now offers free wi-fi in all hotels to platinum and diamond members of its Gold Passport program. InterContinental Ambassors get it free, too. We are hearing that many west coast luxury properties, such as Ritz-Carltons are also offering it for free. Let’s hope the trend continues!
DOUBLE MILES ARE BACK. Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders earn DOUBLE miles on all Delta flights through the end of the year. Register here www.deltadoublemiles.com
DISINTEREST IN LOYALTY PROGRAMS? Membership in hotel, airline and car rental loyalty programs has declined 31.2 percent since 2007, according to a new study from the loyalty research company Colloquy. The results, based on interviews with 2,152 U.S. consumers, indicate there still is interest in loyalty programs, but travelers are picking fewer carriers and hoteliers with which to invest their time and money.
HELLO READERS! PLEASE CHIME IN WITH YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!
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