LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority predicts 330,000 visitors will arrive in Las Vegas the weekend of Feb. 10, for Super Bowl LVIII.
On Priceline, searches for Las Vegas hotels are already up 47% compared with last year, with the two competing teams still undetermined. Even though Las Vegas has more accommodation options than any other United States destination, football fans may need a Hail Mary to secure one of its 156,000 rooms.
“According to Priceline data, the average hotel room cost per night in Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend is currently $470, which is already 125% more than the same weekend last year,” said Priceline Consumer Travel Expert Christina Bennett. “If your favorite team is doing well, or you’re even thinking about going to the Super Bowl, start looking for hotels now. Both demand and prices will continue to increase as the game nears and the teams are finalized.”
The hotel blitz
Hotels within walking distance of the stadium and those with a central location on the Las Vegas Strip are already seeing high demand.
“As this is the first Super Bowl in the great city of Las Vegas, the demand is incredibly high,” says Casey Grieme, general manager of Springhill Suites Las Vegas Airport, a new hotel three miles away from Allegiant Stadium. “The Springhill Suites brand has seen this demand stretch beyond our hotel and central Vegas to the outskirts of the city and into Henderson,” We anticipate being completely sold out by mid-January.”
Adds Tiffany Evans, general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Las Vegas Stadium Area: “Courtyard by Marriott Las Vegas Stadium Area is a 10-minute walk from the Allegiant Stadium, a prime location for easy access to the NFL’s biggest game of the year. The moment that it was announced that the Super Bowl would be in Las Vegas, we began receiving phone calls and a surge of early bookings. As of early January, we are nearly sold out,”
Consider all the options
With more than 25 timeshare resorts in Las Vegas, timeshare rentals can be an accommodation solution during peak travel periods, like Super Bowl week. They combine the amenities of hotels plus the space of Airbnbs and are ideal for groups of sports fans or families traveling together. For decades, travelers have rented timeshares directly from resorts or from owners on trusted, secure booking sites such as Redweek, Koala and Timeshares Only.
For example, right off the strip, Marriott’s Grande Chateau, with hotel rooms and single or multiple-bedroom condo suites, saw demand spike early from Marriott timeshare owners and renters but still has some availability.
“We are nearly sold out and would recommend anyone still wanting to book to do so quickly,” said Marriott’s Grande Chateau General Manager Chad Sitkowski.
Look Beyond the ‘Red Zone’
For lower-priced rooms and fewer crowds, consider the entire Las Vegas region. For example, Boulder City, Nevada, is 25 miles from the stadium with an average hotel rate of $221 a night on Priceline during Super Bowl weekend.
“Las Vegas is more than the Strip. Expanding hotel searches to include the entire Las Vegas Valley, including Downtown Las Vegas and Henderson, and nearby destinations such as Mesquite and Laughlin, will yield several fantastic options,” adds Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Defend against scams
According to the Better Business Bureau, online purchase scams were the top fraud type for people 35 to 64. Consumers can avoid falling prey to Super Bowl cons by using only trusted platforms and paying with a credit card for additional protection. If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Airbnb recommends protecting payments and personal information by staying on its secure platform throughout the entire process — from communication to booking and payment. If travelers are unsure about a potential rental or have encountered a webpage designed to look like Airbnb, confirm it first.
Written by HAILEY ROSE McLAUGHLIN for Wealth of Geeks via The Associated Press
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