Survey
Austin, Texas Hotel Rates Soar during SXSW
March 8, 2016In response to the popular South by Southwest festival, hotel rates in Austin, Texas are soaring. This year, the annual interactive media and music conference is slated for March 11 to March 20, 2016. The latest survey from CheapHotels.org has found that hotels around the excitement are jacking up their rates, on average, in excess of 200% while the festival is taking place.
With the festival opener just days away, Downtown Austin is more or less sold out for the first five days of its run. The survey has found that only a few random rooms are still available. Those limited vacancies are presently listed at $700 nightly or more. Austin South and the region around the city’s airport are significantly more affordable. In both locations, overnight visitors will likely be able to secure a room with at least a 3-star ranking for about $300 per night. North Central and Northwest Austin are even less expensive, with rooms starting at $250 and $200, respectively.
Another main takeaway of the survey is that, generally speaking, room vacancies in the Texan capital are 212% costlier during SXSW than they are on a regular day. Some accommodations, however, are elevating their rates substantially higher. (see table below)
After the interactive branch of the festival closes on March 16, festival goers will enjoy much more affordable hotel rates. Indeed, an overnight guest in downtown or central Austin can expect to pay approximately $300 per night. In Northwest Austin or around the airport, that same guest may be able to score a room for as little as $150 nightly.
The table that follows lists the hotels in Austin with the highest price hikes during this year's SXSW Interactive festival. Regular prices reflect rates for the same room two weeks later. The hotel rates shown were established on March 7, 2016 via the hotel comparison site Kayak.
Name of Hotel | Room Type | Regular | SXSW | Increase |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hampton Inn @ The University | Standard King | $125 | $609 | +387% |
Hyatt Place Downtown | King Room | $180 | $799 | +343% |
Hyatt Regency | Queen Room | $239 | $973 | +307% |
Courtyard Austin Downtown | Standard Room | $239 | $939 | +292% |
JW Marriott Austin | King Room | $249 | $1019 | +292% |
Days Inn University Downtown | Standard Room | $105 | $405 | +285% |
Extended Stay America | Studio | $166 | $625 | +276% |
Courtyard Austin South | Queen Room | $139 | $489 | +251% |
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Barbara Adams, press@cheaphotels.org, Phone: 1-805-308-9660Top Destinations
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