Hotwire Reveals Hotel Rate Report for February 2011

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced the results of the February 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:

Whether it's snowstorms in colder climates or unusually low temperatures in warmer climates, the extreme winter conditions in North America continue to affect travel.  This has resulted in lower hotel prices in a variety of top markets as hoteliers try to entice travelers by dropping rates. Even hotels in some normally mild or warm locales are feeling the effects of the chill.

Number one on the list, San Antonio, is seeing less than expected demand for hotel rooms this month, primarily driven by the colder than normal winter. As a result some hotels are reducing prices to attract last minute bookers. That's good news for travelers who may want to take advantage of the cooler weather and lower prices.  Famous for its Spanish missions, the Alamo, the River Walk, and the Tower of the Americas, San Antonio can be much more pleasant this time of year as compared to the peak pricing and blistering heat of the summer months.

Key West holds steady at the number two spot as hotels in the area are also feeling the effects of the unseasonably strong weather. The winter storms up north have been negatively impacting pockets of air travel, prompting some travelers to change their travel plans to the region.  As a result, local hotels are lowering prices in order to increase their number of bookings.

Vancouver and New York jump back on the list after long absences.  Vancouver's hotel rates have dropped dramatically versus last year when the city hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, which in turn drove up occupancy rates throughout the city. For number five New York, the demand for the Valentine's Day weekend did not materialize as high as expected, so hoteliers are dropping prices last-minute.

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

Top Five Price Increases:

Pittsburgh debuts at the number one spot on the list of top price increases with a whopping 26 percent hotel rate jump. Prices are being driven by a number of new high-end hotels coming online, but don't let that discourage you from visiting. Not only can you save money by booking opaque on Hotwire.com, but Pittsburgh boasts a number of freebies, like Pittsburgh's subway, called the "T," which you can ride for free within the "Golden Triangle" downtown. There are also walking tours, weekly live music performances, and a number of museums that are all free!

Many travelers who are looking to escape "Snowpocalypse 2011" have been making their way to warm weather destinations such as sunny Honolulu, which moved down a spot from last month's number one position. This popular tropical island getaway is seeing a jump in leisure travelers from this time last year, meaning hoteliers feel confident increasing rates.

The Canadian cities of Montreal and Toronto round out the list at the number four and five spots, respectively.  Montreal continues to make the top five as the city plays host to well-known winter festivals. For Toronto, business travel continues on its upward trend, and hotel rates continue to follow suit.

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

"Don't let the snowy weather get you down, this winter is actually a great time to score low hotel prices," said Clem Bason, President of the Hotwire Group. "If the weather continues to be unusually harsh, we could see prices in some popular markets fall a little more, resulting in plenty of great deals in destinations where you can shake off the winter chill."

Over 1.8 million hotel rooms go unsold across North America every night. Hotwire is able to deliver great deals across all types of markets because it works with hotels, airlines, and car rental companies to fill unsold inventory.

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.

SOURCE Hotwire.com