Despite the recession, 85 percent of travelers plan to stay in a hotel this summer, according to a recent survey conducted by TravelPost, an online information site. “TravelPost users say they’re going to travel in spite of the recession, but 79 percent said they’re working harder to get more for their money,” said Brian Harniman, executive vice president of marketing for TravelPost. “People will put more time into finding the best option, comparing hotels and reading reviews. TravelPost makes their research easier by aggregating hotel information from over 4,000 travel sites and providing filtering tools so people can quickly find the perfect hotel at the right price.”
Unlike flights, travelers spend more time comparing hotels, TravelPost reports. When asked which factors people most want out of a hotel site, hotel information was cited the most important factor (89 percent). Also rated as important or very important were rates and availability (85 percent), photos (72 percent) and reviews from people “like me” (63 percent). With its advanced search engine, TravelPost provides rates, availability, content and reviews for more than 197,000 hotels.
Sixty-five percent of those surveyed will consider visiting a nearby U.S. city this summer in order to save money. Even cities like New York and Los Angeles offer reasonably priced accommodations. Examples cited by TravelPost include:
1. Hotel Icon, Houston (Rates start at $167 per night)
2. The Pod Hotel, New York, (Rates start at $106 per night)
3. The Standard Hotel, Los Angeles, (Rates start at $149 per night)
4. Hotel Indigo Chicago Downtown Gold Coast, Chicago, (Rates start at $219 per night)
5. Hotel Sofitel, Philadelphia, (Rates start at $162 per night)
6. Hotel Vertigo, San Francisco, (Rates start at $116 per night)
7. Doubletree Guest Suites Atlanta-Galleria, Atlanta, (Rates start at $83 per night)
8. Residence Inn Washington, Washington, D.C. (Rates start at $231 per night)
9. Constitution Inn, Boston (Rates start at $169 per night)
10. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Dallas, (Rates start at $86 per night)
TravelPort also listed boutique hotels that often offer the luxury and scene of a high-end hotel without the high-end price tag. Sure the room is small, but you’re likely to find the bars and restaurants filled with beautiful people and perhaps a celebrity or two, TravelPort says.
1. The James Hotel, Chicago, (Rates start at $235 per night)
2. The Liberty Hotel, Boston, (Rates start at $277 per night)
3. Hotel Monaco Seattle, Seattle, (Rates start at $192 per night)
4. The Blakely, New York, (Rates start at $266 per night)
5. Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco, (Rates start at $141 per night)
6. Hotel Victor, Miami Beach (Rates start at $265 per night)
7. Hotel Angeleno, Los Angeles, (Rates start at $148 per night)
8. Hotel Burnham, Chicago, (Rates start at $160 per night)
9. The Georgian Terrace Hotel, Atlanta, (Rates start at $132 per night)
10. The Latham Hotel, Philadelphia, (Rates start at $149 per night)
TravelPost also lists the top 10 wallet-friendly U.S. cities and says travelers can cut their summer vacation budget by as much as 50 percent by considering a smaller metropolitan city that offers culture, history, attractions and nightlife, at a fraction of the price of a New York or Los Angeles. According to rates on TravelPost, a mid-July visit to a three-star hotel in New York City may cost as much as $435, whereas a comparable hotel in Nashville would come in at a moderate $200. The listing includes: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Denver, Milwaukee, Nashville, Portland, Sacramento, Seattle and Tampa.
Visit www.TravelPost.com.