New Orleans Hotel Prices Soar as Much as 590% for Super Bowl
November 27, 2012
Attending the Super Bowl in New Orleans is going to be an expensive proposition, especially for out-of-town football fans. A new survey from Cheaphotels.org has uncovered that hotel rooms in the Big Easy are soaring in anticipation of game day. With only about two months to go until the Super Bowl weekend of February 1–4, posted room rates in and around the Big Easy have tripled, quadrupled and even quintupled.
Sticker-shocked football fanatics can blame these lofty prices on a dearth of availability. Indeed, only about a dozen greater New Orleans hotels are currently boasting vacancies. This lack of supply has prompted owners of these establishments to jack up their rates by an average of 304%, the survey revealed.
The Holiday Inn West Bank Tower earns the distinction of being the highest price gouger. This accommodation in New Orleans' business district typically goes for $109 nightly. For the privilege of staying there during the Super Bowl weekend, however, guests can anticipate shelling out $549, or 403% more, per night.
A little less pricey overall, the low-budget Midtown Hotel nevertheless takes top honors in another category: percentage rate hiker. This no-frills accommodation in NOLA's suburbs has elevated its rates by 590% over the normal price. Over Super Bowl weekend, a room that typically costs $65 nightly is presently going for $449 per night.
Currently, to score even the cheapest room, visitors will have to spend between $300 and $400 for an overnight stay. What's more, they will be subject to minimum-stay stipulations. All remaining hotel rooms over the Super Bowl weekend are currently requiring guests to commit to at least three nights and in some cases even five nights.
Will the outlook grow dimmer as the kickoff date approaches? Barbara Adams from Cheaphotels.org doesn't think so. In fact, she predicts that cheaper rooms will materialize in the near future. “The vast majority of hotel rooms are currently blocked by the NFL,” she explains. “However, as in previous years, some of these rooms are expected to be released close to the Super Bowl. Hence, more reasonable-priced hotel rooms should become available."
The following table shows all currently available hotels in New Orleans for the weekend of the Super Bowl. Included in the table is each establishment's average daily rate for the time period spanning February 1–4. As Regular Rates, Cheaphotels.org determined prices for the same rooms one week later.
Name of Hotel | Room Type | Regular | Super Bowl | Increase |
Inn on St. Peter | Suite One King | $169 | $599 | +254% |
Holiday Inn West Bank Tower | Standard | $109 | $549 | +403% |
Crescent Palms Motel | Deluxe | $69 | $309 | +347% |
Midtown Hotel | Standard King | $65 | $449 | +590% |
Extended Stay Kenner | Studio Queen | $149 | $555 | +272% |
Holiday Inn Express East | Executive | $116 | $455 | +292% |
Magnolia Mansion | Themed Room | $289 | $1400 | +384% |
Econo Lodge Kenner | 2 Double | $80 | $349 | +336% |
Inn on Ursulines | Deluxe King | $144 | $391 | +171% |
Lamothe House Hotel | Deluxe Queen | $134 | $367 | +173% |
O'Keefe Plaza Hotel | Queen Bed | $120 | $400 | +233% |
Inn on Saint Anne | Deluxe | $149 | $409 | +174% |
Best Western French Quarter | King | $180 | $770 | +327% |