Finding a Hotel for Super Bowl Weekend

Looking for a hotel room for the upcoming Super Bowl? Chances are you’ll see rates so high that hotel managers are already doing touchdown dances in the end zone, a.k.a. the hotel lobby. As demand for hotel rooms grow and as the number of available rooms shrink; prices will certainly rise – that’s supply and demand. So what can you do to score a room without any ‘unnecessary roughness’ when it comes to finding a place to stay? Here are a few ways to save time, money and a headache.

Tip #1

Stay a little outside the area and take advantage of lower rates.

Tip #2

Go directly to the different hotel websites and consider booking there. We have all been trained to go and check for the lowest rates for a hotel stay on discount sites but there’s a secret you should know – hotels control what rooms are available and what the lowest price is that they are willing to sell those rooms for.

Tip #3

Another reason you may want to consider booking directly with a hotel is that you may find package deals available. If you have been waiting to the last minute and see room rates are still going up, consider some of the packages. Why pay for just a room when you can add in dinner, breakfast, time at a spa or some other perk?

Tip #4

Sold out…or are they? During an event like the Super Bowl, news crews and even the NFL itself will likely swamp the area hotels leading up to the big game. These are big groups who make reservations for rooms held in “blocks” at the hotel. As game day nears, and hotels are holding onto rooms that haven’t ‘picked up,’ hotel managers start getting worried they won’t sell out and start offering those rooms to anyone who will take them.

Tip #5

While there are countless hotels in a 50-mile radius, there are an equal amount of bed and breakfast and independent hotels.

Tip #6

Desperation is a stinky cologne – so don’t fall for deals that aren’t. As demand increases, some lower end hotels – the ones with one star and are questionably clean (as well as questionably run)- those places are also going to try to ride the excitement and raise rates too.

Tip #7

Make it a long weekend. Maybe you’re going with the family – and keep finding deals but only if you book a hotel stay with a minimum number of nights in order get the right price.

Tip #8

When you go, don’t forget to save on transportation if you can. Plan on staying at a hotel or bed and breakfast near public transportation.