Hotwire Reveals Hotel Rate Report for March 2011

SAN FRANCISCO, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the March 2011 Hotwire® Hotel Rate Report. The report features the top five cities in North America where hotel rates have dropped the most and the top five cities where rates have experienced the biggest price increase. While one report guides customers to the destinations that will maximize their travel dollars, the other highlights places where using Hotwire to save money will be even more essential.

Top Five Price Drops:

Looking for hot Spring Break destinations and want to save a few dollars? Florida is the place to be.  Daytona Beach, Florida debuts on the list at number four with a six percent price drop. The Florida Keys also continue to make the list, sliding one spot from last month's report to the number three spot. Spring Breakers will make their way in the coming weeks to frolic on the Sun Coast, but with airfare and gas prices increasing, there may not be as many visitors as there have been in the past, so hotels are dropping rates to make sure they draw travelers in.

The most significant drop this month can be found in Vancouver, with a whopping 29 percent price decrease. This is one of the most significant drops in the past two years since the Hotel Rate Report launched. This rate drop is a result of the change from last year when hotels were booked to capacity for the 2010 Winter Olympics, even after the games had officially closed.

New Orleans, which was in the top five increase list for months during the fall season, has found its way onto the top five price drops list. The oil spill cleanup efforts are tapering off, so hotel rates are falling as workers return home. In addition, many hotels are dropping prices the few weeks between Mardi Gras and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in order to keep their rooms full. This is a great time to visit the culturally rich city as the weather is still mild and you can experience all the town has to offer, but with fewer crowds.

When compared to the same time last year, the top five hotel price reductions for March 2011 include:

Top Five Price Increases:

Everyone's favorite island getaway, Hawaii, jumps one spot to the top of the list this month. Leisure travelers are taking advantage of recent airfare sales to Honolulu, driving hotel demand and increasing rates. The good news is that lying on the beach and swimming in the warm Pacific Ocean are still free!

If you're dreaming of travel to California, three of the most popular coastal destinations, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco are all reporting price increases as well. Los Angeles saw a huge uptick in hotel occupancy during the Hollywood award season, including the Oscars. Hotels took advantage of the demand and the result is a rate increase of 24 percent over last year. Even if the hotel rates might be higher than usual, you still can find fun and free activities, like star-spotting. Be it celebrities in their natural habitat or the celestial type you may see at the Griffith Observatory, both are gratis. Meanwhile, San Diego and San Francisco are both benefitting from an uptick in convention and business travel, which are driving prices up.

When compared to the same time last year, the top five hotel price increases for March 2011 include:

"Spring Break is here, and even though travel prices are generally up over last year, there are still plenty of spots offering fantastic deals during this peak season," said Clem Bason, President of the Hotwire Group. "We're seeing popular warm weather destinations in places like Florida offer fantastic value. This is a great time to take advantage of locales where prices have typically been much higher."

Over 1.8 million hotel rooms go unsold across North America every night, and for over 10 years, Hotwire has worked with hotels, airlines and car rental companies to fill this unsold inventory. As a result, Hotwire offers travelers amazing deals, every day of the year, across a variety of markets. Through Hotwire's deep understanding of the industry and unique relationships, consumers have been able to save millions of dollars on all their travel needs.

About the Hotwire Hotel Rate Report

The Hotwire Hotel Rate Report will run results during the second week of each month. Results are calculated by looking at Hotwire stay dates for select regions in the current month, and comparing prices in the current month against Hotwire prices in the same month in the prior year. Prices are compared within the same star rating categories for consistency, and the percent change in price for each region is generated as an overall average of the changes in those categories. The prices in the charts above are examples for a particular star rating category within that market, and actual prices may be higher or lower than the example that is provided.

About Hotwire

Hotwire.com is a leading discount travel site with low rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages.  Launched in 2000, Hotwire negotiates deep discounts from its travel suppliers to help travelers book unsold airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars.  Hotwire is an award-winning website and operating company of Expedia, Inc. CST# 2053390-50.  NST: 20003-0209.  For more information, visit http://www.hotwire.com/.

Hotwire, Hotwire.com and the Hotwire logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotwire, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.  Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.  © 2011 Hotwire, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST# 2053390-40.

Contact:
Chris Fucanan
Atomic PR
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SOURCE Hotwire.com