If you can afford it, and you're planning a summer get-away, you'd better be prepared to pay more. Soaring hotel prices, along with hotel staff shortages, are setting up a summer bummer for travelers.
"Yes, we're seeing continued cost increases" said Rob Hays, President and CEO of the Dallas based Ashford Hotel Group, "And all of those are things that cost us as hotel owners money, and force us to try to offset those, and that's why there will be some rate increases."
As a result, approximately 70% of hotels across the U.S. have reduced or done away with amenities like daily housekeeping, all to cut costs.
"You're not having the same amount of room cleanings" Hays told KTRH, "Now you may only get your room cleaned 1 every 3 days, or once a week unless maybe you're at a luxury hotel where it's every day. The same thing with food and beverage."
He notes that most hotels are also still behind where they were before Covid, primarily due to lack of business travel. Thankfully though, things are better here in Texas.
"Throughout the country, there's a lot of hotels in a lot of markets that just haven't recovered" noted Hays, "We're very fortunate here in Texas that our economy came back very quickly, and overall is doing very well."
A couple of other tips that Hays passed along for hotel stays. The sooner you can book your room, the better. Also, the on-line travel sites -don't- have the best deals like they claim, he says go to the hotel website directly. And if you can stay on a Thursday and a Sunday, that will save you money as well.
If you're planning to fly, the airlines are now charging for baggage fees if you check your luggage. Have a great trip!
Photo: Reza Estakhrian / The Image Bank / Getty Images