According to a new priceline.com survey of retail hotel room prices in 35 cities for the June 15-August 15, 2005 period, the company found that, on average,
hotel rates are up 9% year over year.
Destination choice is a big wild card this year as summer
vacationers search out travel bargains. For example, in cities like
New York, average hotel prices were up almost 25% compared to the same
period a year ago. However, in Las Vegas, average retail hotel prices
are down 5% year over year.

“Vacationers will find the best deals this summer in places where
average hotel prices have decreased or remained relatively constant,”
said Tim Gordon, priceline.com’s Senior Vice President, Hotel
Services. “This includes destinations like Las Vegas, San Diego, San
Francisco and New Orleans.”

Priceline.com now gives hotel customers a choice when booking
their hotel rooms. They can pick the exact hotel and room type they
want from a broad assortment of thousands of hotels, all with prices
published up-front. Or, for even deeper savings, they can Name Their
Own Price(R) and let priceline.com find a hotel at the star level they
want in the neighborhood they want. Either way, priceline.com has the
hotel to make any vacation a special one.
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