Hotels.com Reveals 22% Price Drop In Chicago Hotel Rates
Released
on: October 12, 2009, 8:11 am
Author: Hotels.com
Industry: Travel
According to the latest hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI),
Chicago, Illinois had the third largest drop in hotel rates with a 22%
fall, despite having the eighth highest hotel rates among US cities in
the first half of 2009. Illinois had the sixth highest rates among the
states, while other Midwest states including North Dakota, Kansas and
Oklahoma were among the nation’s least expensive states in the first
half of 2009.
Steve Dumaine, senior director of merchandising for hotels.com, said: "Despite
being listed as one of the most expensive cities for hotel rates, Chicago hotels are still offering some of
the best deals for travelers especially those looking for luxury rooms at discounted
rates. Other Midwest states are continuing to lure travelers with steady low
rates."
The fall in room rates was driven by price drops across every state in the US,
except North Dakota which remained flat.
According the HPI, Chicago remains one of the top US destinations for domestic
travelers ranking fourth behind Las Vegas, Orlando and New York hotels. Chicago also featured in
the top 10 most popular US destinations for international travelers, ranking
seventh.
All Midwest states, with the exception of Illinois, are listed among the bottom half
of states with the lowest average price per room per night. The average price per
room per night in the first half of 2009 in Chicago is $135 on average, with a 22%
drop from last year. Chicago ranks eighth among US cities for highest hotel rates.
Upper Midwest states including South Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota saw a slight
higher drop percentage in per room price than central Midwest states including
Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.
The hotels.com HPI tracks the real prices paid per hotel room rather than advertised
rates, using a weighted average based on the number of rooms sold in each of the
markets in which hotels.com operates. The HPI report issued today examines hotel
prices paid at 78,000 hotels across 13,000 locations around the world for the period
January to June 2009, compared to the same period the year before.
The international scale of hotels.com in terms of both customers and destinations
makes the HPI one of the most comprehensive benchmarks available, as it incorporates
both chain and independent hotels, as well as specialty lodging options such as
vacation rentals and bed and breakfast properties.
About hotels.com
hotels.com is a leading provider of lodging worldwide - including Fort Lauderdale
hotels and Los
Angeles hotels -
offering an extensive selection of more than 85,000 properties ranging from
traditional hotels and vacation rentals to bed and breakfasts and all inclusive
resorts. hotels.com serves as an advocate for guests before, during and after their
property stay. To help travelers choose the right property for each trip, the
company provides a variety of tools and features, including property descriptions,
rate calendars, maps, virtual tours, and more than one million guest reviews.
hotels.com offers additional value for guests through its Price Match Guarantee,
Risk-Free Booking and welcomerewards programs. hotels.com is an operating company of
Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).
PR Contact:
Vic Walia
Hotels.com LP
10440 North Central Expressway
Suite 400
PO Box 803
Dallas TX75231
USA
001 469-335-1069
www.hotels.com