Honolulu Ranks as Costliest Presidents' Day Weekend Vacation Spot

February 12, 2013

Bargain-hunting travelers who are looking to get away this Presidents' Day weekend might want to scratch Honolulu off their list. According to a new CheapHotels.org survey, the Hawaiian capital's lodging costs rank it as the USA's most expensive destination this upcoming holiday weekend. In determining the list, each destination's average hotel rate for the four-day holiday period spanning February 15 to February 18 (Presidents' Day) served as the basis of comparison.

To stay overnight in a well-situated 3-star hotel room in Honolulu, travelers will have to spend a minimum of $294. That figure positions Honolulu slightly ahead of the second- and third-place finishers, Fort Myers and Key West. The cheapest available hotel rooms in these Florida hot spots came in at $289 and $287, respectively.

Unfortunately, bargain seekers won't find much relief elsewhere in Hawaii either. Maui Island snagged the number four slot at a pricey rate of $279 nightly, while the Big Island finished at number 10 with a per-night rate of $239. Filling in the list's gaps were three ski resorts in Colorado. Aspen proved the highest-priced of these expensive resort destinations. Visitors there this Presidents' Day weekend can expect to pay $279 per night for the cheapest available hotel room.

The following table shows the 20 most expensive destinations in the United States for this year's Presidents' Day weekend. The prices shown are based on the daily rate for each destination's cheapest available double room (minimum 3-star hotel) for the time period of February 15 through 18.

1. Honolulu (HI) $294
2. Fort Myers Beach (FL) $289
3. Key West (FL) $287
4. Maui Island (HI) $279
5. Marathon (FL) $275
6. Aspen (CO) $272
7. Vail (CO) $250
8. Breckenridge (CO) $245
9. Islamorada (FL) $244
10. The Big Island (HI) $239
11. Key Largo (FL) $237
12. Miami Beach (FL) $235
13. Fort Lauderdale (FL) $226
14. Keystone (CO) $221
15. Longboat Key (FL) $220
16. Copper Mountain (CO)$197
17. Santa Monica (CA) $193
18. Austin (TX) $180
19. Sarasota (FL) $169
20. Downtown LA (CA) $166

About the Methodology

For each destination in the USA, the price for the cheapest available double room (minimum 3-star hotel) was established for the holiday period spanning February 15–18 (Presidents' Day). These rates were established on February 7–8 based on research conducted on the hotel comparison website Kayak. Only such hotels located in or less than one mile from the beach (or city center for non-beach destinations) were considered.