It's really amazing how much room rates differ from time of the year to time of the year in various vacation destinations. Point in case we are goin to Myrtle Beach next week. Starting next week (what they label there as Senior Week but we're old we're just gonna party lol) the place we are staying ats rooms go up to $149 a night compared to now when it's $85 a night. I realize their goal is to make money but you'd think some of our genius lawmakers here in the U.S. would pass some sort of law where there's a cap on how much rooms can go up. The occupancy tax rate in SC for motels and hotels is already astronomical as it is. They seem to have laws for everything else why not this ha.......
Posted by Pittsburghgirl (Member # 7514) on :
What a ripoff! Maybe you could call the hotel and request a better price? My friend who lives in the Outer Banks is having it rough with homeowners' insurance. I think alot of the southern coastal states are like NC- ever since Hurricane Katrina, homeowners' insurance rates have gone through the roof because of all of the Katrina claims. I think that is b.s. They are trying to get their local congressman to do something, but I told her not to get here hopes up. Those politicians are always in somebody's pocket, and he or others in their state are probably in the insurance companies' pockets.
Posted by It's Sam, Mr. Hain If You're Nasty (Member # 3150) on :
Hotels can charge extraordinary prices during certain weeks of the year because they know they'll get that much money.
I know that down in Sturgis, South Dakota a hotel that normally charges around $75 a night will charge around $300 a night during the Huge motorcycle rally because people will pay that amount. once the rally is over the room rate will drop back to normal for the remainder of the summer and will probably drop even lower during the off-season.
Posted by jdocster (Member # 5752) on :
Hey, have you guys ever tried hotels.com? They REALLY do get you much cheaper rates. Check it out sometime...
- jdocster
[ 02. June 2009, 14:03: Message edited by: jdocster ]
Posted by pettyfan (Member # 2260) on :
Expedia's pretty good too. I know at Disney World, during "peak seasons" prices are outrageous. It costs more to stay in a hotel at Christmas than it does during the summer. My Nashville trip got moved from June to July and our rates didn't change for the hotel, thankfully.
Posted by Pittsburghgirl (Member # 7514) on :
I have used travelocity a few times- I have gotten decent rates on hotels and good rates for car rentals too.
Posted by kevdugp73 (Member # 5978) on :
Seems to be similar to gas prices.....keep prices down in the winter when people drive less and spike them back up in the summer when people travel more. Hotels around here typically have lower prices outside of summer when less people travel...and higher prices during peak season...doesn't seem fair.
Posted by journey (Member # 7316) on :
I'll play devil's advocate here and say that I don't think it's unfair at all. It's just a supply and demand issue. Sure it sucks when you're the traveler, but why should the hotels be forced to cap rates and forego profits? They're in business to make money not provide affordable lodging to the public. If you had a rare collectible that was officially valued at $100 that routinely sold on eBay for $500, would you list it for base value or charge the maximum you knew you could actually sell it for? That's all the hotels are doing, and ultimately it helps underwrite those low low fares they offer in the non-peak times when they're practically giving the rooms away. And even if the hotels were engaging in absurd price gauging, I still wouldn't want the government involved. The government is obtrusive enough as is.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
So your saying if your traveling you don't mind paying 3 or 4 times more for a room? I know it's expected during peak times but how much higher until it becomes absurd? Comparing something sold on ebay to a service provided for a fee is like comparing apples and oranges........
Posted by journey (Member # 7316) on :
I'm saying that the hotels can and should charge whatever they want. If Motel 6 wants to charge $10,000 a night, then that should be their right. It's also my right to choose not to pay that exorbitant rate. At the end of the day they wouldn't charge that much if there wasn't actually a viable market for it. So if I can't afford it, then I guess I just have to plan an alternate vacation. I mean, I can't afford to eat Maine lobster every night either, but I don't expect the government to arbitrarily lower the price just to appease me.
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