Are hotels more expensive in 2023?

If you thought 2022 was an expensive year to travel, get ready to spend even more in 2023. New data from travel site Hopper shows that U.S. hotel prices averaged $212 per night in January — that's 54% higher than the same month in 2022. Planning on taking a trip soon?



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Supply and demand imbalances aside, hotels are facing other challenges this year thanks in large part to persistently high inflation. “Hotels are faced with rising energy costs to heat and cool along with the rising cost of goods and services,” Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, tells Money.

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It's better to look at the bigger picture when figuring out the best time to book a hotel, opting for those prime windows at about two weeks and two to three months before your trip, depending on the destination. And at the end of the day, whenever you find a rate you're happy with, book it.

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The best month to book hotels in the US is September. During the month of December, hotel bookings are 6% cheaper on average. The second cheapest month to book a hotel deal is March. Avoid October, as this is the most expensive time to book a hotel stateside.

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Cheapest Day to Book Hotel Reservations Most travel agencies agree that the cheapest days to book hotels are Fridays and Saturdays. While these are the most expensive days for actually checking in and out, the best hotel rates are on the days when most people are traveling.

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It turns out that booking in advance is usually the way to go if you want to save money. According to a study by TripAdvisor, the best time to book a hotel is within two months of your travel dates. This is when hotel prices are typically at their lowest.

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Most extended stay guests book accommodations for at least one week. This is because the average nightly rate is discounted when guests stay longer.

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Hotel prices are dynamic, fluctuating based on supply and demand — that means the price you see when you're searching for hotels one day might change the very next, even if the dates of your stay remain the same.

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Airbnbs are usually cheaper than hotels for longer stays and large groups, but they don't offer the same services. Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020. She previously wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its sibling site, Wirecutter.

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If you have a loyalty status with the chain then yes, it's probably cheaper to book directly. Also, sometimes hotel offer discounts to incentivize people to reserve with them in order to avoid paying fees to a 3rd party platform like Booking.com. But the reverse can also happen. So just check both and compare.

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Directly call the hotel for potentially lower rates, ask about any discounts or package deals, be flexible with dates or room type, negotiate for longer stays, and ask if they can match lower prices found elsewhere.

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Call the hotel directly instead and ask to speak with the manager, if possible.
  1. Ask for the Best Rate. Start the negotiation by saying something like, I found your rate online for $200 per night. ...
  2. Mention the Competition. ...
  3. Tweak the Dates. ...
  4. Special Discounts. ...
  5. Discount Rooms. ...
  6. Upgrades and Special Requests.


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While not every hotel will bend, many are willing to discount if you ask politely and strategically. Approach hotel rate negotiations as a conversation rather than a confrontation and you may be surprised by the deals you can unlock.

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Booking hotel rooms at the last minute could save you some serious money. Think of all the late-night pizza you can order with those savings! Hotels are pretty eager to get those unsold rooms filled by midnight, so they might just offer you a sweet discount.

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Off-season is a period of the year facing the lowest demand. It is also commonly referred to as a weak season or valley season. Off season is the opposite of peak season.

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But January and October — when most people are back at work after those popular vacation times — are usually the cheapest months to fly.

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