NEW YORK— Sacramento, CA, is currently the most expensive city in the U.S. for hotel accommodations, according to the latest survey by Cheaphotels.org. However, this year’s results were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey compared hotel rates across 50 urban destinations. For each destination, CheapHotels.org determined the average rate for the least expensive double room during October. Only centrally located hotels with a three-star rating or higher were considered.
At an average price of $131 for the most affordable double room, Sacramento topped the rankings. The podium is completed by Cincinnati and Phoenix, at average rates of $118 and $111, respectively.
The coronavirus heavily impacted hotel rates for many destinations such as Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Many hotels in these cities are more than 50% more affordable than the same time last year. At average rates of $78 and $73 for the most affordable room, San Francisco and New York City are priced even cheaper—about 60% lower compared to 2019.
On the other hand, destinations relying less on foreign visitors such as Cincinnati and Sacramento are more affordable by only 30%. The least significant COVID impact is recorded in Jacksonville, FL, Indianapolis and Fresno, CA, with hotel rates dropping by less than 10%.
The 10 most expensive urban destinations in the U.S. for the period between Oct. 1–30 are:
- Sacramento: $131
- Cincinnati: $118
- Phoenix: $111
- Boston: $110
- Pittsburgh: $109
- El Paso, TX: $107
- Charlotte, NC: $107
- Portland, OR: $106
- San Jose, CA: $105
- Jacksonville: $105
Prices shown reflect the average rate for each city’s cheapest available double room (minimum three-star hotel).
